10:30pm Wednesday 1st April 2009
By Laura Smith
TRADITIONAL English restaurants have become a bit of a rare breed in south Essex of late.
It would seem the new Harrisons Restaurant could have found a niche after deciding to specialise in locally-sourced English fare.
The glass-fronted building opened four months ago on the site of an old video shop in Hockley, and has begun to attract a brisk trade.
I was a bit concerned all the glass and stark wooden flooring would make us feel like we were stuck in a shop-front, but the steady stream of clientele helped provide a comfortable atmosphere.
It could be that they are drawn by the chef, Aaran Poynter, who was a finalist in the Essex Food and Drink Awards 2008 and has produced a menu with an unusual blend of flavours.
I opted for the duck confit with poached pear and blueberry compote which was an intreresting blend of meat and sweet fruit to clear the palate.
We also sampled a Morecombe crab spring roll which was crispy and not at all greasy. The tiger prawns were seasoned with ginger, chilli, and coriander which was not too overpowering.
For main course, the lamb shank with garlic mash was so tender it fell off the bone and my companion was even able to polish off the green beans she wouldn't normally eat because the sauce was so good.
We also tried chicken with puy lentils and fondant potato. It was nice and moist and served with a delicate bacon and stilton sauce. My king prawns in tagliatelle were plump and juicy although the basil oil could only just be tasted.
The crowning glory was dessert. I ordered a hot chocolate creme brulee with an unusual blood orange compote which was sharp and counter-balanced the sweet dessert. It was served with vanilla biscuits.
Everything was homemade, from the bread through to the pieces of fudge served with the bill. We also tried a very light lemo cello cheesecake and three generous scoops of icecream.
Being family-run the owner is keen to make it wrk and chats to customers. All in all, we found Harrisons a very traditional restaurant with good, honest food.
Harrisons, Main Road, Hockley 01702 201217 What we ate Tiger prawns £7.95 Duck confit £5.50 Crab spring roll £7.95 Prawn tagliatelli £12.95 Shank of lamb £14.95 Chicken breast £12.95 Our verdict (out of 5) Atmosphere 4 Food 4 Value 4 Service 4 Disabled access Yes
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