How does a vegetarian fare at a fish restaurant? We find out...

Loch Fyne Restaurant, Twickenham: Picture Gallery

Now that the weather's heating up - well, kind of - and we've reached the longest day of the year , it feels like time to ditch the heavy meals and enjoy some fresh fish while dreaming of the seaside.

Loch Fyne is one of London's most popular seafood restaurants, and after enjoying a bite to eat in its Covent Garden branch , we decided to see what it was like closer to home in Twickenham .

Myself - a vegetarian - and a friend, Maeve, headed to the restaurant on the residential Hampton Road to taste the menu and enjoy the airy and open, yet cosy, surroundings.

So what does a vegetarian think of one of London's best seafood restaurants? We found out.

Loch Fyne in Twickenham (Image: Emily Chudy)

For starters, I had the Mushy Pea Fritters (£5.25), that came with lime and wasabi mayonnaise. The fritters themselves were gorgeous, delicate and crisp, and went well with the zing of the lime, but the wasabi mayo was a little disappointing.

I was expecting a warm kick of spice, but although the flavour of the wasabi was lovely, the spice was lacking.

Maeve had the Salt and Pepper Squid (£6.95) , which she said were crunchy and gorgeous, with a delicious fresh flavour.

The starters were both divine, but a little heavy to start off with; neither of us finished ours for fear of spoiling our appetites, but the flavours were tasty and a great way to start off the meal.

Salt and Pepper Squid (Image: Emily Chudy)

The waiters took our plates, and as we were deep in conversation, kindly allowed us to take our time choosing main courses.

In the end, my plus-one chose the Cream, White Wine, Garlic and Herb Mussels (£13.95) , which came with crusty bread and fries; the meal came out looking impressive and Maeve said the flavours were well-balanced and indulgent-tasting.

I had the Chicory Tart (£10.50), which came with blue cheese, beetroot, pear and watercress. I normally can't stand blue cheese - and I know a fair few veggies who agree - so I was a little disappointed that this, along with a "superfood" salad, was the only meat-free option, but it did taste brilliant. The pastry was well done, and the chicory went well with the pear and watercress.

We noticed that the service was attentive - the waiter helpfully explained any ingredients we weren't familiar with - and just the right speed, not too quick that we felt rushed, but not slow enough for our bellies to rumble between courses.

For desserts, we each chose our firm favourites, though for the more indecisive visitors there are sharing platters with a small taste of each dessert for a modest £9.95.

I had the Glazed Lemon Tart (5.50) with lemon meringue mess; with a brittle caramelised glaze, it was the most delicious lemon tart I have ever tasted. The glaze added an interesting texture to complement the creaminess of the filling and the base was buttery and crumbly.

The meringue mess was tasty, but a little cloying after our rich meal, so I was unable to finish this side.

Maeve opted for the Chocolate and Burnt Banana "Split" (£5.95) with cocoa nibs, salted caramel sauce and burnt butter ice cream, which I snuck a taste of. The cake itself was rich and delicious, but it was the sides that made it, especially the mouth-watering salted caramel sauce.

We finished the meal off with a glass of Prosecco Follador Treviso Brut (£5.50) each, which was a luxurious way to end our - quite reasonably priced - meal.

Overall, the restaurant had a calm and welcoming atmosphere with a gorgeous understated nautical theme.

Although the restaurant specialises in fish, vegetarians are also catered for and the desserts were delicious enough that you shouldn't feel bad for taking your veggie mates along with you.

Our experience here was quality and luxurious with a reasonable price tag, and its menu would give any seafood restaurant in London a run for its money.

Getwestlondon gives Loch Fyne four stars out of five.