Our pro says

There’s nothing better than a picture-perfect day by the English seaside. Scratch that: there’s nothing better than a perfect day by the seaside with your best dining pal that includes a gloriously random celebrity encounter and gorgeous food eaten in a stunning location.

Picture-perfect is everything we got and more during our dinner at Sargasso. We sat on the terrace to take in the sea, bay, sand and beautiful mishmash of quintessentially English architecture, all enjoyed along with a lovely glass of lambrusco and a killer negroni.

There wasn’t a bad dish on this menu but we did end up with some firm favourites, like the flirty, fun parmesan fritters – a light, crisp exterior gave way to creamy, mousse-like, cheesy deliciousness on the inside. The sprats came out like a summer romance – an attractive, light-hearted dish of small, fried fish, delicately dusted with salt, parsley and paprika – making you sad when it was over but leaving you with wonderful memories. A flashback to a recent Greek escape came from the completely moreish dish of smoked cod’s roe, served with a soft-boiled egg and some glorious beetroot.

Carlingford Lough oysters were dressed with cider mignonette, which gave a stunning lift to the meaty, silky sea morsels. Next came the clams (my dining pal’s review was, “Oh my god, the clams!”). They were swimming in a light garlic, coriander and white wine broth, with naughty bits of chilli running through. The lobster spaghetti was special for the simple fact that Kevin Castro had caught it, Margate’s last remaining fisherman. But the star pasta dish award has to go to the cavatelli alla norma, which gave delicious ‘caponata light’ vibes with its sauce, and ‘I wish I had room for a second portion’ vibes as a whole.

We finished with two lots of tiramisu because the coffee and ladyfinger classic was expertly executed.

My dining pal, Ben Johnson, a beloved and kind father of two, sadly passed away suddenly a couple of days after this meal. This review is in loving memory of him and our perfect dinner by the sea. Bill for two, including service: £276 Atmosphere: 10

Service: 9

Food: 9

Total: 28/30

Eileen Twum is a restaurant critic and start-up executive who’s part of Black Book, a platform for black and non-white people working in hospitality and food media. Follow her on Instagram @eix.leen.