La Pecherie Seafood Restaurant and Grill’s new chef and menu

Meiqin McColm, proprietor of well-known Ayrshire eatery La Pecherie Seafood Restaurant & Steak Grill in Cathcart Street, Ayr, has announced the appointment of a new head chef.

Danny Harvey (21) was born in Ayr, educated at Queen Margaret Academy, qualified in catering and hospitality at Stafford College in Stoke-on-Trent where his parents were working in pub management at the time, and was previously employed as a chef at Harvey’s Restaurant in Alloway Place, Ayr.

Between them, Meiqin and Danny have devised an even more delicious menu than before, if that is possible, for the delight of both their existing clientele and new customers visiting La Pecherie for the first time.

One of Danny’s favourite dishes on the menu is the seared king scallops with a hint of garlic butter.

"Some chefs tend to over-cook scallops," says Danny, "but we make sure to retain the moistness, texture and excellent flavour, keeping the dish plain and simple with just light garlic butter, truffle oil and salami.

Also particularly recommended is the roasted tail of monkfish.

Says Danny: "Anyone who hasn’t tried monkfish probably wouldn’t realise that this fish has such a good body to it, with a strong but not overpowering flavour. We wrap it in Parma ham, cover it in almond cream sauce, and serve it with sautéed new potatoes."

But seafood dishes are only part of the story at this jewel in the crown of Ayrshire cuisine. La Pecherie Seafood Restaurant & Steak Grill additionally specialises in pasta, chicken, lamb and beef.

Vegetarian and vegan guests are also caringly catered for. In fact any guest can state their dietary requirements or preferences, and Danny will adapt one of his signature dishes, or prepare a new one specially.

Daily Record restaurant critic and BBC TV presenter Tam Cowan recently visited La Pecherie in the company of Scots singing star Sydney Devine, and pronounced himself well satisfied with his meal.

Tam wrote in his review: "La Pecherie is a lovely little cellar restaurant located in Ayr Town Centre.

"La Pecherie offers terrific value for money, and customers can enjoy a two-course lunch for £7.95 or three courses for £9.95.

"Alternatively, what about one of the daily specials (seafood lasagne, steak pie, fish and chips, etc) served with tea or coffee for just £4.95?

"The drinks are also reasonably priced. When was the last time I paid just 70p for a bottle of tonic with my vodka?

"The food was very good too.

"Carrot and orange broth sounds like an accident waiting to happen, but in fact it was quite delicious. The sea bass also delighted my dining companion, and he finished off a fab meal with a generous slab of homemade sticky toffee pudding.

"From the a la carte menu (also sensibly priced), I really enjoyed the hot chicken and bacon salad and, even though the Oriental-style sauce was too sweet for my liking, I still raved about the tuna steak.

"Ice cream seemed a sensible choice in the seaside town of Ayr, and the mixed selection of flavours didn’t disappoint.

"Overall verdict? Good food and friendly service in a surprisingly quiet restaurant."

ABOUT MEIQIN McCOLM, PROPRIETOR OF LA PECHERIE

It’s a long and somewhat unusual journey to make, from working with an import-export company in Southern China to running your own restaurant in Ayr town centre.

But that’s how the CV of Meiqin McColm reads, and it also includes a spell working in New Zealand.

But now she is the proud owner of La Pecherie Seafood Restaurant and Grill in Ayr’s Cathcart Street, off the Sandgate.

Meiqin was born in Shanghai in 1959. Her career started when she went to New Zealand to assist and advise companies there about importing goods from China.

She returned to China to set up her own business facilitating international joint ventures between Chinese companies and partners from overseas.

Meiquin came to live in Ayr in 1998, where her next venture was to set up a clinic in Racecourse Road offering alternative medicine including Chinese acupuncture.

But, always keen to take on a new challenge, Meiqin realised that most of her friends were involved in some way or other in the food industry, and as she had always enjoyed meeting new people, she decided to open her own restaurant.

She wanted something that little bit different, so, as seafood eateries in Ayr were scarce, she took over the existing business of Peter’s Restaurant in Cathcart Street, already well-known for its speciality fish dishes.

Meiqin changed the name to La Pecherie Seafood Restaurant and Steak Grill to reflect these specialities, but also to emphasise that the new establishment could cater equally well for diners who prefer meat to fish.

She aims to keep her prices affordable, and offers a business lunch from £7.95, and a pre-theatre dinner from £8.95, as well as a full a-la-carte menu.

Meiqin’s immediate ambition is to establish a reputation for consistency of standards in both food and service, so that the rosettes and awards that really put a restaurant on the map will inevitably follow.

La Pecherie Seafood Restaurant and Steak Grill
16 Cathcart Street
Ayr, Ayrshire
Scotland KA7 1BJ

Tel: 01292 290500
E-mail: info@la-pecherie.co.uk
Website: www.la-pecherie.co.uk

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