Portsmouth is on My “Places to Go Back To” List, and So is Loch Fyne

“Oh, the places you’ll go!”, said Dr. Seuss. My version is: “Oh, the places you’ll go back to!”, because there are so many wonderful locales where I’ve only glimpsed the charm and culture before having to leave. My bucket list consists of tons of places to go back to so that I can explore and revel in the local history, culture and food, and Portsmouth on the south coast of England is definitely on that list.

Portsmouth is Rich in History

There is so much history embedded in Portsmouth, which was founded in 1180; here are a few tidbits in no particular order: it was a D-Day embarkation point, Charles Dickens and Peter Sellers were born there, it was the site of the world’s first dry dock (est. 1496) and still has the oldest running dry dock (est. 1698), Henry VIII’s ship the Mary Rose sank there in 1545 (and has since been salvaged and made into a museum), and Portsmouth has figured prominently in battles and defense of the region going back to Roman times. There are many cultural highlights, too, from the 1906 King’s Theatre to the annual Victorius Festival, a giant international music event spanning 3 days each August that attracts over 60,000 people per day. There’s so much to do in Portsmouth that a tourist could stay a week and still only scratch the surface.

Gunwharf Quays is Charming

I was there for just one day and one night a year ago this week, and had only a little while to peruse the Portsmouth Harbor waterfront area called Gunwharf Quays, where my hotel was located. It was charming.

Spinnaker Tower is One of the Highest Buildings in the UK Outside of London

Spinnaker Tower is a 560 ft. observation tower that opened on Gunwharf Quays in 2005, its design having been chosen by public vote. It’s beautiful in both the daylight and at night. I didn’t have time to visit it, but when I go back, I definitely will. I’d love to see that beautiful and historic English coast from on high.

A Christmas Festival Added to the Charm

There was a small Christmas festival going on while I was there, increasing the charm exponentially (and increasing my desire to go back – exponentially).

Loch Fyne was a Fine Restaurant

My time in Portsmouth was just an overnight stay, and it was on the long travel day (and night) from the US, with two flights, a long one to London Heathrow, a short layover, and then a short one to Southhampton. I had a late-afternoon meeting (and several more the next day) and was really tired when I went walking around the harbor. For dinner, I didn’t have the energy to do any research and just picked a restaurant that was close by for the sake of convenience. My experience at that restaurant, Loch Fyne, reinforced my belief in “happy accidents”, serendipity, or whatever you call it.

Loch Fyne was fine, in the best sense of that word: “of very high quality”.

It was a Monday night and not busy yet, and I enjoyed sitting in the back of the restaurant, taking it all in as it began to fill up. The ambiance was wonderful; the staff, even better. The food: oolala!

I was too tired to select my main course by myself, and the wait staff had been awesome, so I asked for a recommendation, giving them some guidance: I’m adventurous, a foodie who can take it spicy, and when traveling, I like to eat dishes that reflect the region I’m in. Hands down, their choice for me was the poached smoked haddock. Interesting! I’ve never had something that was poached AND smoked, so that was a new adventure right out of the gate. My guides told me that the dish wasn’t spicy in the traditional sense (hot), but that the mustard sauce gave it flavor and kick.

I happily ordered the recommended dish, and wow, it was an award-winning choice! Atop a bed of mashed potatoes were the haddock, fresh garden peas, wilted spinach and an ample amount of the whole-grain mustard cream sauce. The sauce added a crazy-good spicy and pungent dimension to the haddock, which was perfectly cooked and had an underlying smokiness that enhanced the tender and mild flavor of the fish. The peas brought a brightness and crunch and the spinach added another fresh element that rendered each bite, dripping with the creamy mustard sauce, just perfect. Literally perfect.

How can I remember all this a year later? Because it was THAT good: Loch Fyne was FINE! But also, I took notes, intending to post about it as soon as a returned from my trip, but then it was time for Christmas and I was busy, so it got sidelined. Until now, when it popped up on my photos as I was looking for something else Christmas-themed. I was so happy for the reminder!

I Will Come Back to Portsmouth and Loch Fyne

The Portsmouth meetings last December were a convenient add-on to another trip to the UK and France that was already planned, but now that I know about it, Portsmouth won’t be an add-on next time: it will be an intentional destination, with a longer stay. I will go for personal reasons rather than business and take The Grill-Meister with me—he loves history, culture and food, too. Loch Fyne, you can be assured that your amazing dining experience will be featured on our itinerary.

Hmmmmm, when’s the next opening in our calendars?

What places are on your “Go Back To” bucket list?

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