The Katrina

It’s a Harvester. What am I doing here? Where do I start? I’ll start with the exterior of the building. Filthy windows, tired paint work, the building looks dilapidated. Inside, things do not improve. Numerous cob webs greet the arachnophobes, heavily soiled toilets (I’m not exaggerating, they were in a truly awful state) and intellectually sub-​normal bar staff. I don’t like the general set-​up — salad items must be collected by the customer and there is a great opportunity for the punters to cough, scratch, sneeze and pick over the food /​salad items on offer. The majority of the sauces were not available. I went for the scampi and chips which was admittedly brave. It tasted OK, but an hour later, I was doubled up with cramping stomach pains. Down to the food? Who knows. «Have you ever been to a Harvester before?» No, I certainly shan’t again.
Reece B clearly visited after they had just completed the refurbishment.

The Katrina is a Harvester, and in my book Harvester spells one thing… Tasty.
Now admittedly, I’m not exactly going to win any spelling tests with that comparison, but I stand by it. If you haven’t been to a Harvester, then you probably should try one, and this makes for a decent starting place. There is another Harvester located more centrally in town pretty much opposite the pier, called The Madeira, but The Katrina scores bonus points for looking the part a little more, and for having the massive Marina car park just a hop skip and jump across the road.
The basic breakdown of a Harvester (for those uninitiated readers) is a delicious menu with a fine range of steaks and traditional meals, supplemented by a few rarities for the more adventurous eater. The real speciality — in my eyes — are called combine harvesters (see what they did there?) and feature a little bit of everything for a couple of people to share. Ribs, chicken wings, pineapple, prawns, whole chickens… all the best stuff on the menu is piled together for you and your eating partners delight and moderate gluttony. Those more concerned with balancing their meals will be pleased to note that every meal entitles you to visit the salad cart as many times as you fancy. And with bread role and croûton supplies being replenished regularly, you’re bound to.
Plus, there’s a good puby atmosphere, so you can have a decent pint or bottle of wine to accompany your meal. A decent balance between style and casual makes it ideal for many occasions. Although, I’m pretty sure I’d avoid the busy nights if I were just going for a one on one romantic meal.