Recently, while downing Colchester oysters in London, why not we thought visit Colchester itself and eat oysters at the source. A quick look on Google maps told us that while Colchester was not that far away from London, it was in fact quite far away from the sea which seemed a little strange. During our visit there we asked a local where the harbour was and we got a quizical look and were told they have a quay but no harbour. So much for Colchester's marine industry, but with a little more research in prep for our day out, a name came up again and again - The Company Shed in West Mersea. By all accounts, this was the real thing and so became our chosen lunch destination. As a final piece of prep, I checked the tides for it is well known that at high tide, the road connecting Mersea to the mainland becomes flooded and impassable so best to know when that might be.
With the road not due to be flooded till 3:30 we aimed to arrive at The Shed around 2pm thinking that the lunch time rush might be over by then and fortunately it was. It also helped that it was November and 7 degrees outside, well off peak season. That said, it was still quite busy and most surprising was a table of half a dozen young Japanese tourists; as Jay Rayner said in his 2007 review for The Guardian, this may be a gem but it's hardly hidden. But international stature? The answer it seems is yes. How's that for a restaurant worth a detour (Michelin take note).
Jay Rayner had to queue for 45 mins to get a seat (you put your name on the board and wait till it's called out apparently) while others have talked about a one and a half hour wait around midday. Fortunately, off lunch off peak means we can walk in and sit right down. Oh, and as other reviews suggest, this is indeed a shed like building so is aptly named - it's not irony.
Also, as well noted elsewhere, the inside is basic, though plastic tablecloths seem to be an upgrade from no tablecloths of a year or two ago but it's still a bring your own bottle affair (with zero corkage) if you fancy a drink. What they do provide are: knives, forks, crackers, plates, glasses, garlic mayo, tabasco, vinegar, a mignonette (on request), lemon wedges and paper towels. Water is available to buy by the bottle. And, our value add since we've read it nowhere else, they do have a WC, something which we were both pleased about after the drive. When a place is deservedly called the shed, you can't assume.
With the road not due to be flooded till 3:30 we aimed to arrive at The Shed around 2pm thinking that the lunch time rush might be over by then and fortunately it was. It also helped that it was November and 7 degrees outside, well off peak season. That said, it was still quite busy and most surprising was a table of half a dozen young Japanese tourists; as Jay Rayner said in his 2007 review for The Guardian, this may be a gem but it's hardly hidden. But international stature? The answer it seems is yes. How's that for a restaurant worth a detour (Michelin take note).
Jay Rayner had to queue for 45 mins to get a seat (you put your name on the board and wait till it's called out apparently) while others have talked about a one and a half hour wait around midday. Fortunately, off lunch off peak means we can walk in and sit right down. Oh, and as other reviews suggest, this is indeed a shed like building so is aptly named - it's not irony.
Also, as well noted elsewhere, the inside is basic, though plastic tablecloths seem to be an upgrade from no tablecloths of a year or two ago but it's still a bring your own bottle affair (with zero corkage) if you fancy a drink. What they do provide are: knives, forks, crackers, plates, glasses, garlic mayo, tabasco, vinegar, a mignonette (on request), lemon wedges and paper towels. Water is available to buy by the bottle. And, our value add since we've read it nowhere else, they do have a WC, something which we were both pleased about after the drive. When a place is deservedly called the shed, you can't assume.
Cold sea food platter
The thing that everybody says you have to have here is the cold seafood platter that now costs a still very reasonable £10.50 and comes with smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, prawns (peeled and shell on), cockles, a green lip muscle, a crevette and a half crab. We order one of these but with two eaters, supplemented it with another whole crab, six langoustine and a hot dish of tiger prawns with a salt and herb crust. We also order of course a plate of oysters for Colchester has been famous since Roman times for this and it is one of the reasons we are here.The hot dish strangely arrives first and it is fabulous. The prawns, shell on, are visibly coated in salt and herbs (parsley, thyme, garlic and lemon we think) and have a huge depth of flavour, a salty rush, great texture and a lingering thyme finish. We would later order another two rounds of these as they are one of the stars of the show. They are also served piping hot.
The oysters are the other star of the show, as they should be given their fame and the fact that the oyster farm itself is literally 30 yards away so they're going to be as fresh as can be. It was I think the French poet Leon-Paul Fargue who said that eating an oyster was 'like kissing the sea on the lips' and so it was here. Briney juice to start and a sweet body follow through. Unsurprising then that the oysters were great but the expectation itself risks disappointment; fortunately there was none.
The crevette was fantastic, a firmly textured body but also so fresh and clean while the cockles had only the tiniest grit and were a delight with a splash of vinegar. The prawns likewise with a splash of lemon as the palate clears on the acidity before the essence of prawn hits. We found the smoked fish the 'odd fish out' on the plate as everything else here benefited from being so fresh but some of the real gain of eating quayside fish is surely lost in smoking which of course has its origins as a preservative.
The crevette was fantastic, a firmly textured body but also so fresh and clean while the cockles had only the tiniest grit and were a delight with a splash of vinegar. The prawns likewise with a splash of lemon as the palate clears on the acidity before the essence of prawn hits. We found the smoked fish the 'odd fish out' on the plate as everything else here benefited from being so fresh but some of the real gain of eating quayside fish is surely lost in smoking which of course has its origins as a preservative.
A truly beautiful setting
We loved our meal at the Shed. The oysters were awesome as were many of the shelled items (though much of these are imported, the lobster for example is from Canada we understand). In the restaurant there are nevertheless wet trays at the back of the dining area where the crab and lobster reside so it is still very fresh indeed. The basic nature of the venue lends it a playful aspect and it feels right to get down and dirty with your fingers to tackle the food in a way that it might not if the table cloths were pristine linen and waiters were hovering by you. The kitchen roll on the table was used in abundance. We were grateful that we didn't have to queue though the setting is beautiful as the Shed resides on the waterfront so there's some solace to the soul in just looking out to sea if you do have an hour to kill. Our advice would still be though to get there early in peak season or to go off peak, then sit back, relax and enjoy some great seafood.
Related links: Billingsgate fish market
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Related links: Billingsgate fish market
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