Restuarant review: Crown Hotel, Portpatrick OUR weather may be as schizophrenic as ever, veering wildly between searing sun and freak snowstorms, but post-Easter we're all moving towards a summer state of mind. For many of us this means two things: the indecent exposure of sheet-white torsos and trips to the seaside, with the two more often than not coinciding. This is the time when coastal towns and villages that barely register a pulse during the off-season burst into life. Whether it's the traditional central belt day-trip destinations in the East Neuk, the "doon the watter" islands of the Clyde coast or even the more far-flung destinations that are within easy reach for a weekend, the cobwebs have by now been well and truly dusted down and the ice-cream machines cranked up. One of the villages that is invariably stuffed full of daytrippers as soon as the sun breaks cover is the achingly picturesque little fishing port of Portpatrick, in Wigtownshire. Clinging to the steep cliffs on the southern side of the Rhinns of Galloway, it's about as near to Ireland as you can get in Scotland, and was once the main port for anyone coming to or fro. On a clear day you can see the mountains of Mourne from its promenade. In its heyday, Portpatrick owed its prosperity to this proximity to Ireland, with a packet boat arriving every day until the port's exposure to westerly winds meant it lost out to the deeper and more sheltered waters of Stranraer in the mid-19th century. For well over 100 years, thanks to a succession of Church of Scotland ministers with a relaxed approach to marriage banns, it was the main competitor to Gretna Green on account of the large numbers of young Irish couples who would elope there to get married. These days, however, its main business is an altogether different sort of tourism. It plays host to a smattering of folk who come to walk the Southern Upland Way, which starts on the steep hills above the village; those golfing tourists who want to play nearby Dunskey; and motorists waiting for the next boat to Ireland from nearby Cairnryan. But mostly it plays to weekenders from the central belt, and is known as one of those places where, once discovered, people come back time after time. One of the places that regulars invariably make a beeline for is the Crown Hotel, a large pub that sits right in the centre of the promenade. In the summer the place is packed, with the dozen or so sea-view tables outside the front of the hotel always occupied when the weather is dry. Inside, the homely and endearingly dog-eared interior and open fire ensure trade is year-round. The hotel has long had a reputation for specialising in seafood and back in 2005 it won the AA's Scottish Seafood Pub of the Year award. In theory, the menu is split into two parts, with a bar menu and an à la carte for the conservatory restaurant, at the back of the building. In practice, however, there's simply one menu so huge it takes an age to digest, augmented by a lengthy raft of daily specials. As the Crown earned its reputation on the basis of its seafood, we decided to sit next to the fire and find out from the barman what was fresh in. We decided to start off with two specialities, crab and scallop for me and the house's signature starter of scallops wrapped in smoked bacon for Bea. Despite sounding fairly similar, the two dishes could scarcely have been more different. Bea's starter was as simply constructed as it sounds, but was made with scallops so buttery fresh that the only sound from the other side of the table was one of satisfied chomping. My dish was an altogether more elaborate affair, with crab claws and scallops in a rich dill and cream sauce that was the epitome of midwinter comfort food. It left me feeling full already. Having started with the seafood theme, Bea decided to go for broke and chose the chef's recommendation of the hot seafood platter, while I took a change of direction and opted for what was described as medallions of venison "Prince William" - which turned out to mean pan-fried and served with a thick, rich port and redcurrant jus. This was, once again, a serving of truly epic proportions, which I almost struggled to work my way through. But it was decently cooked and left me feeling completely sated. Bea's seafood platter, which consisted of half a lobster thermidor, plus moules marinière and two large crab claws, was equally impressive, and it was only my selfless decision to help her out that saw the platter finally dispatched. The highlight was undoubtedly the lobster thermidor, which came with an unfeasibly rich and slightly overly creamy sauce, but which was something of a bargain at £20. Even had we been of a mind to take advantage of some of the traditional home-made puddings on offer - such as apple pie and custard or ice-cream in brandy snap baskets - by the time we had finally seen off our main courses we were in no position to eat another bite. So we decided to call time on a meal that was good without ever bothering greatness. It wasn't exactly cheap, nor was it outrageously expensive - given the large quantities of seafood on offer. Either way, it wasn't difficult to see why the Crown remains such an enduring institution and an old-style gastropub that is the focal point of so many trips to this glorious little piece of Scotland's coastline. Crown Hotel 9 North Crescent, Portpatrick, Wigtownshire (01776 810261, www.crownportpatrick.com) Bill please Starters £3.95-£7.95 Main courses £9.95-£18.95 Puddings £4.95-£5.95 Rating