Go West

Ulster Tatler’s Catherine Corr dines at the Quaywest Wine Bar & Restaurant in Londonderry.



Quaywest Bar & Restaurant is situated alongside the river offering panoramic views (if you get a seat beside the window) of the Foyle and the east bank of the river. As my companion and I hadn’t been to Derry for a few years we decided to stay the night in a hotel just around the corner from the restaurant. I was amazed at how many other eateries have sprung up in this part of the town centre - a real sign of a city on the rise. The waterfront walk is a real asset to the maiden city - although it was a little cold in early March!

On our arrival in Quaywest we were warmly greeted and offered the option to sit in the bar area and enjoy a pre-dinner drink or go straight to our pre-booked table. We decided on the latter and were escorted up the stairs and handed over to the waiting staff for the evening. The interior of the restaurant had a warm and welcoming feel and the presence of a mirrored wall behind the bar gave a feeling of vastness and allowed us to keep an eye on everything that was happening in the restaurant!

As it was a Friday night the restaurant attracted couples, families and groups of people who all seemed to be having a great time and preparing for the weekend. The atmosphere was warm and friendly with the staff doing there upmost to make customers relax and enjoy their dining experience.

When the menus were delivered, we were informed of the specials that evening and left to peruse at our leisure. A short time later our waitress returned and asked for the drinks choice. Myself, being a big fan of the red wine, was delighted to see a vast choice and after some time and advice I settled on the Casa Silva Reserva Shiraz from Chile, this choice was packed full of spice and black pepper flavours and accompanied by soft sweet tannins offering a beautifully balanced wine.

One thing that did preturb me about The Quaywest menu was the limited choice of starters on offer (but after asking I believe that is about to change in the next few weeks, with more choice being offered).

The three choices were soup, garlic bread or the Quaywest platter to start. We opted for one platter and one soup. The platter offered a choice of garlic mushrooms, chicken drumsticks, nachos and king prawns. This proved a good choice to nibble on with the prawns coming out on top closely followed by the garlic mushrooms. The soup was very tasty also and the accompanying fresh bread was a great compliment.
Onto mains, the selection here is quite vast offering a great choice of chicken, fish, steak and vegetarian choices. My partner opted for the Quaywest 12oz Sirloin Steak with choice of sauce and the chunky fries. The steak was a little tough and lacked in flavour. It was requested well done but my friend felt it may have been over-cooked slightly, although the fries and the peppered sauce were excellent. I decided on the Crispy Half Roasted Duck with caramelized orange sauce along with champ. What a good choice, the duck was succulent and fell off the bone, the sauce was most enjoyable and the champ was soft and fluffy. A delightful main course and a great combination!

Other main courses to choose from were marinated lamb with mustard seed, saute potatoes, mint pesto and roast gravy, the Quaywest Thai Chicken Curry with coconut milk & basmati boiled rice or Seabass with roast garlic and sweet pea cream sauce.

The dessert menu was a little too much for me after my main but my partner was tempted by several of them; the Classic Italian Tiramisu served with Espresso Syrup, the locally made Profiteroles with chocolate and anglaise sauces or the Vanilla Ice Cream served in a tuille basket with fresh fruit coulis and chocolate stick. After much deliberation he finally settled on the classic Banoffee Pie served with fresh cream, which he described as beautiful. The consistency of the dessert suited his palate very well and that was testament to the little left on his plate!

All in all our visit to Quaywest was very enjoyable. It has something for everyone including coeliac and vegetarian options. The ambience created led to a very comfortable relaxed dining in the heart of an exciting up and coming city. The staff were excellent and had great knowledge of the menu. If you’re in the north-west see what this great eatery has to offer.

Our meal of two starters, two mains, one dessert and wine came to £54.35.

Fact File
Quaywest Restaurant & Wine Bar
Boating Club Lane
Londonderry
Tel: 028 7137 0977

4 star rating