Mark Jordan at the Beach

Almost hidden from the coast road to the east of the harbour town of St Aubin, Mark Jordan's destination venue is a seaside restaurant of the purest stamp. The beach and the briny are laid out before you, best of all from the glassed terrace when the Jersey wind abates. Everybody is made to feel properly looked after, thanks to the courteous expertise of the staff, who advise on an extensive brasserie-style menu that offers plenty of choice. A pressing of duck and foie gras with home-cured duck ham, fresh figs, caramelised nuts and fig chutney made an impressive opener for one reader, or you might begin with a zingy escabèche of Jersey mackerel with Jersey Royals and chive salad. Truffle oil works its way into a fair few dishes, notably the celeriac purée that accompanies 30-hour braised short rib, while impressive fish specialities have included cod with mussels in a Thai curry broth with crushed new potatoes. If you are calorie-counting, you may not want to contemplate the desserts, each of which is a creamy, spectacular showpiece in its own right: crispy thin apple tart with maple syrup and Jersey black-butter ice cream has received a ringing endorsement, likewise a white chocolate and pistachio cheesecake adorned with griottines like huge rubies and offset by pistachio ice cream. ‘Our food was excellent, great-quality ingredients and beautifully presented,’ noted one visitor. We thought the wine list was rather run-of-the-mill, though the house Champagne (Vazart-Coquart Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru) is excellent.

2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence