Review of 'The Tides'
Having visited the nearby “Giant's Causeway” we were looking for somewhere to eat. Not impressed by the options in nearby Portrush we continued out of the town up the hill on the seaside cliffs to spot “The Tides” standing by itself with a good amount of parked cars. Reasoning that if there are cars the place must be pretty good, on retrospect perhaps not so wise, we decided to stop and give it a try despite the early warnings signs such as being across from a caravan park.
The two story restaurant has an outdoor patio that no one was keen to use on a cool, rainy September but we were shown up the spiral wooden staircase to a table near the bar overlooking the car park but with a nice view of the cliffs and Portrush in the distance below us. The basement was not being used and there were not really a lot of people upstairs making us wonder where they were (Playing golf nearby? Staying in the caravan park? Going for a breezy walk along the cliffs?). The modern interior with wood floors is bright and airy with large windows bringing in the wonderful surroundings.
The dinner menu has a reasonable selection of dishes if not overly imaginative with mostly pub-style food though with nothing particularly standing out. It is worth noting that the somewhat pricey dishes generally do not include sides. My companion opted for the “Battered Fish of the Day” (£19) which only included pea puree and tartar sauce, we had to pay an extra £3.50 for a (large) order of “Vegetables of the Day”.
The large portion of fish dominated the plate and was good - Not greasy and very fresh. The fish was grilled not deep fried which is a refreshing change.
The vegetables of the day were a disappointing selection of boiled vegetables though, thankfully, not over boiled. Without any seasoning they did not exactly inspire.
I ordered the “Seafood Spaghetti” (£20) as it included local seafood which was a generous portion if not overly full of flavour. Indeed, I asked for extra parmesan (cheekily charged at £1) to try to add some flavour but was generally disappointed though it was, well, OK.
My companion was feeling a bit decadent so opted for a desert: A lemon posset (£5.95) which she had never tried before but enjoyed a great deal.
At £53.85, without tip, this was not an inexpensive meal considering we only really had 1 1/2 courses and a single soft drink (£4.40 for a Sprite). The service was ambivalent at best which matched the food though I have to say it is quite a view from the window.
Great view but food disappointing and overpriced.
Rating: “Average, but who wants to be average?”
Review Date: 2023-09-11
Cuisine: Irish
Address: 21 Ballyreagh Rd, Portrush, County Antrim BT56 8LR, Norther Ireland
Location: County Antrim (Northern Ireland) - Portrush
Map:
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Telephone: +28 7082 3833
URL: https://thetidesportrush.com/