Back to dining out with a bang and a boat!

When eating out has been off the menu for a while, the return is hotly anticipated.

In planning where to go, you want to go wild. You want the taste of freedom to be memorable and perhaps, if you’re like me, you’d like it to have a bit of wow factor too.

Yes, we were setting the bar pretty high, but after being confined to our kitchen for months on end, the joy at the thought of an alfresco lunch was making our mouths water weeks in advance.

And so we decided on The Hut in the Isle of Wight to mark our return to normality. We’d been landlocked in the Cotswolds for long enough.

With the coast calling, we set off with starry-eyed visions of glittering waves and seafood sparkling in our imaginations.

To plan such a glorious adventure, I must admit, it definitely helps if you have friends who have a boat.

Luckily our pals Sarah and Alex are the proud owners of a shiny new motorboat and they were keen to stretch its sea legs.

And so, with thoughts of stay-at-home orders behind us, we headed towards the sunny horizon.

Leaving Dorset, we set sail from Parkstone Bay Marina, taking in the opulent houses lining Sandbanks, before picking up speed and gliding across The Solent.

We’d seen The Hut’s online picture gallery which had filled our heads with mouthwatering foodie fantasies. And after the nightmare of lockdown, as we approached the island, it almost felt as if finally being here was a wonderful dream.

Anchor dropped, a cheerful chap whizzed us over to the jetty in his immaculate boat, and the feasting to celebrate freedom began.

The view from our table on the open air terrace was nothing short of spectacular. Cloudless blue skies were mirrored by the crystal clear ocean, lapping at the restaurant’s edge while white boats bobbed in the distance. It was picture postcard perfect.

Masked staff in navy jackets, zigzagged between tables like angels from heaven, giving their recommendations and bringing our much anticipated drinks with friendly efficiency.

So, how does a Lonkero cocktail (a refreshing mix of Salcombe rose gin, Campari and grapefruit soda) taste after months of bolted doors and sad, serious faces, you might ask?

Pretty bloody good.

With the wind in our hair, gazing out on aqua waves sparkling in the sunshine, the colourful cocktail was elevated to drink of the Gods status. Even the blue and white striped paper straw seemed utterly charming.

We were free! To smile, to laugh, to chat, to eat together and, frankly, it felt nothing short of miraculous.

With beers and wine flowing, we tucked into our much longed for lunch with joyous abandon.

My fella made short work of his zingy fish tacos which combined market fish, mango, salsa verde, thinly sliced red onion and a squeeze of lime to tasty effect.

For me, my generously portioned fritto misto was a delight. Prawns, squid, cockles and sea herbs were wonderfully light and fresh and even better dipped into an indulgent saffron aioli.

Sarah was thrilled with her Tabasco-flecked oysters and Alex tucked into his tiger prawns with gusto.

As the terrace filled up with diners and the backdrop of a soft Ibiza style soundtrack filled the air, along with laughter, chatter, clinking of glasses and the clatter of cutlery, I was struck by just how much I’d missed it all.

If it wasn’t for the next course arriving, I could easily have slipped into a moment of rapture - simply sitting and staring at it all, rather mesmerised by its wonder.

But, of course, we needed to munch on. And with a freshly cooked lobster placed before Sarah and I, my heart leapt with joy.

Grilled lobster at The Hut, Isle of Wight

The sweetness of the meat was astonishing. Dressed with lashings of garlic and herb butter, as I crunched through hot, crispy french fries accompanying it, I couldn’t have been happier.

Matt’s bowl of monkfish, rice noodles, beansprouts and chilli smelt amazing. He declared it light and flavoursome, while looking so longingly at my fries that our waitress brought him his own bowl to dip into it.

Alex’s plaice fillets with brown shrimp, clams, vermouth sauce and wilted spinach looked phenomenal. From his thumbs up and smiling face, it was clear he was on to a winner.

The beauty of seafood is that it’s about as far from stodgy as you can get. So, after enjoying all of our wonderful dishes, we still had some room for dessert.

Matt’s scoops of mint chocolate chip and chocolate ice cream were perfectly refreshing and not too sweet, while the salted caramel espresso martini caught my eye. The silky smooth Mermaid salt vodka, kahlua, salted caramel and Italian espresso concoction was so good, Sarah had two.

It was the perfect end to a spectacular lunch and after a short stroll along the beach, we reluctantly floated away.

But gazing back at the colourful beach huts in Colwell Bay, we left with such joyful memories, that it probably won’t be too long until we return to the heavenly Hut.

For more information visit www.thehutcolwell.co.uk