Eating: Cellar Door, Guernsey

Where we ate:
Cellar Door Cafe
Marina Court, Glategny Esplanade, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1WP

When we ate:
12.30pm
Friday 18 July, 2008

What we ate:
Steak and blue cheese salad (him)
Crayfish tail and mango sandwich (me)

What we paid:
£15 including service

Friday lunchtime is the perfect occasion to treat one's self and one's hardworking boyfriend to a delicious cafe lunch. Yesterday was uncomfortably hot and sunless; the clouds lay dark and low in a stifling blanket over the east of the island. The best kind of venue on such a day is a bright, light one with al-fresco options.

The Cellar Door wine specialist opened in 2004 in the wealthy parish of St. Martin's. Since then it has grown a deli cafe and relocated to the ground floor of the stunning Marina Court development which overlooks the Queen Elizabeth II marina. On a clearer day than yesterday it would have overlooked Herm, Jethou and Sark too.

The medium-sized cafe area is adjacent to the shop and both are accessed from the same entrance. The glass front of the building enables potential eaters, drinkers or shoppers to check out the interior before entering. The cafe is decorated simply with smart square or rectangular tables matched with two or four wicker chairs each. The drinks menu is chalked behind the counter which contains an enticing array of cakes and cookies.

One table was marked Reserved and approximately half of the others were occupied. I seated myself at one of the vacant tables to wait for my companion, but I felt uncomfortably hot despite the open patio door. On his arrival my companion commented on the extreme temperature of the cafe too, perhaps the air-conditioning had broken down yesterday. This was no problem for us as we were able to find an empty table outside on the patio terrace.

The terrace has been recently rearranged so that diners enter from the cafe itself (rather than approaching from the street and sitting down outside straightaway). A stylish but sturdy canvas has been installed to shelter outdoor diners from the wind. Any Guernsey man or woman knows how the wind can whip straight into St. Peter Port on even the sunniest day.

We were greeted at our table by a smiling waitress proffering menus and offering to take our drinks order immediately. We resisted the lure of alcohol and chose sparkling water. One brand was available and delivered to our table immediately; the taste was very pleasant.

The menu includes a daily insert showing the soups, quiches and other specials of the day. The lunch menu comprises approximately six different sandwich fillings, which are available on white or wholemeal bread, ciabatta or panini, in a tortilla wrap or jacket potato plus four or five different salads, a soup of the day, three fresh quiches and a couple of daily specials. Yesterday's specials were a vegetarian pasta dish and a risotto with local fish. The same menu includes hot drinks, soft drinks, water and wine. Several wines are available by the glass for £3 each. The food is reasonably priced, at £4 for a sandwich or soup and £9 for the daily special. There is also some breakfast dishes available between 8am and 11am.

The service we received was laid-back but also efficient, brisk but warm. After closing our menus we were immediately invited to place our food order by another friendly waitress. By this time the cafe was almost full, but we did not have to wait very long for our lunches to arrive. (I'd estimate five minutes). Both dishes were presented eye-catchingly, playing up the different colours of their ingredients. My crayfish-tail sandwich was served on wholemeal bread with a mango sauce, more of a coulis than a chutney. The flavours created a glorious taste sensation. A substantial, dressed side-salad and a pile of potato crisps completed my platter. My companion was more than pleased with his salad of rocket, red onion, sundried tomatoes, blue cheese and hot strips of steak. The tender steak was perfectly cooked and the freshness of the salad gave the dish its texture. The portion sizes were just right for a one-course lunch.

On my next visit to the Cellar Door for lunch I'll ask for no butter in my sandwich and for less dressing on the side salad, but these are minor tweaks to an otherwise delicious lunch. After three and a half years in Guernsey I still forget that every single eaterie, from corner shop to Christophe, serves its sandwiches with Guernsey butter and sometimes lots of it.

After eating we sat back and finished our drinks, enjoying what was visible of the harbour view and relishing the occasional mild breeze on such an otherwise airless day. I went to the counter to settle our bill and left a tip in the jar there. I averted my companion's eyes from the sweet treats at the counter and we headed off at our own pace, 35 minutes after arriving, feeling pleasantly full.

Will we go back?
Yes.