Word reached me of a rather tempting establishment on Park View in Whitley Bay, and naturally I considered it my duty to investigate.
I am nothing if not dedicated.
And so I arrived at Fox & Finch, an independent bar and restaurant at 155–157 Park View, where breakfast gives way to tapas from 12:15pm and travellers are encouraged to settle in, order something good and abandon whatever terribly important plans they had for the afternoon.
I approve of this philosophy enormously.
Fox & Finch has exactly the sort of atmosphere I enjoy finding Off The High Road. It is relaxed, friendly and wonderfully chilled, without any great fuss or ceremony. Nobody appears determined to hurry you back onto the road, which is fortunate because once Margot Wayward has found a comfortable seat and a well-stocked bar, removing her can become quite the undertaking.
And what a bar it is. There are wines, ales, lagers, whiskies, vodkas, gins and cocktails to choose from. I did briefly wonder whether attempting the entire selection would constitute useful research, but even a highwaywoman must occasionally demonstrate restraint.
Besides, there was seafood to attend to.
The Seafood Platter
We chose the seafood platter and, traveller, just look at it.
This was not some timid little arrangement requiring a magnifying glass and a generous imagination. The table was presented with a magnificent haul of seafood, including mussels, prawns, calamari and beautifully crisp breaded fish, accompanied by wedges and dipping sauce.
It was amazingly good.
The mussels were piled generously into their own bowl, the prawns were plump, the calamari crisp and the breaded fish had precisely the sort of golden coating that makes conversation temporarily unnecessary.
For several minutes, Margot had no tales to tell.
This is exceedingly rare.
There was plenty to share and, more importantly, it felt like the sort of food designed for a long, leisurely meal rather than something to be dispatched before racing elsewhere. Combined with the relaxed surroundings and excellent service, it made Fox & Finch somewhere we were very happy simply sitting and enjoying ourselves.
No highway pursuits. No angry magistrates. Not even an impatient horse.
Just good food and chilled Whitley Bay vibes.
Tapas Worth Stopping For
Seafood may have distracted me on this particular expedition, but Fox & Finch is also home to a tempting selection of classic tapas given a modern twist.
There is also a weekday tapas deal that caught my eye: four tapas and two glasses of wine or beer for £30.95, available Monday to Friday between 2pm and 5pm.
Four dishes, two drinks and change from a modest purse of shillings?
I have robbed stagecoaches in the past for considerably less.
Actually, perhaps we had better move swiftly onwards from that admission.
A Margot Kind of Place
What I particularly liked about Fox & Finch wasn’t complicated. It was simply a lovely place to spend some time.
The service was excellent, the atmosphere was laid-back and the seafood platter was the sort of generous feast that immediately makes you pleased with your ordering decisions.
And that, traveller, is precisely why I wander.
Independent places don’t always need trumpets, grand declarations or enormous signs announcing their brilliance. Sometimes you simply find somewhere doing things rather well, settle into your chair and realise you have absolutely no desire to leave.
Fox & Finch was one of those places.
Should your travels bring you to Park View in Whitley Bay, I suggest you investigate for yourself.
Tell them Margot sent you.
On second thoughts, perhaps don’t. I have no idea whether the authorities are still asking questions.
Fox & Finch
155–157 Park View
Whitley Bay
NE26 3RF
Until the next discovery, traveller.
— Margot Wayward
