A Douglas seafront restaurant has been recognised in this year’s Manx Menu initiative after creating a sharing platter designed to showcase some of the island’s best local produce.

Coast Bar and Brasserie, located inside the Claremont Hotel on Douglas promenade, is among the latest winners of the Manx Menu campaign. The annual initiative, organised by Love Manx, encourages hospitality venues to create dishes using ingredients sourced from Manx farmers, producers and suppliers.

The Manx Menu campaign highlights the island’s food and drink sector each year by encouraging restaurants, cafés and bars to champion local produce and showcase the quality of Manx ingredients.

A long-established dining spot on the island, Coast offers a wide range of starters, mains and desserts and has become a popular choice for both residents and visitors looking for a relaxed seafront dining experience.

For this year’s Manx Menu, the restaurant created a Manx sharing platter featuring bonnag-crusted Manx king scallops, sizzling beef rump kebabs and spiced lamb koftas.

The dish was designed to encourage diners to share and experience several local flavours in one meal while celebrating the variety of ingredients produced across the island.

Chef Lesley Jacobs, who moved to the Isle of Man in 2023 bringing with him extensive culinary experience, said the concept behind the dish was to create a memorable dining experience.

He said: ‘It’s meant to create conversation. When the platter gets put down, the conversation around the table should stop and it should be centred around the food.

‘Last year when we entered the Manx Menu it was great creating different dishes, but this time we wanted to create more of an experience.’

As a Manx-owned business, Coast says it is committed to supporting local suppliers and producers. The restaurant sources more than 98 percent of its hotel and restaurant supplies locally.

Its partners include Robinson’s, Harrison and Garrett, Devereau’s, Isle of Man Creamery, Noa Bakehouse, Agrimark, Berries, MannVend, Joseph Bucknall’s, Wine Cellar, Far Shore Merchants, Fynoderee and the Manx Whisky Company.

Lesley said the inspiration for the platter came from the quality of produce available on the island.

‘I think the island speaks for itself. When you look at all the produce we have here, there are so many good products and we try to include as many of them as possible.’

The dish was developed collaboratively by the kitchen team, with staff contributing ideas for everything from the concept to presentation.

Lesley said: ‘When we came up with the idea of the platter I said to everyone in the kitchen that I wanted their contribution.

‘This wasn’t a single idea on my own. Everyone contributed, from the plating and presentation to the portion size. It really was a team effort.’

The sharing platter is currently available both in the restaurant and in the lounge area of Coast, allowing diners to enjoy it in different settings.

Lesley said the team plans to adapt the dish and keep it on the menu beyond March after it proved popular with customers and received positive feedback from diners.

Opening times for Coast Bar and Brasserie can be found on the restaurant’s website.