Padstow is one of those places, you have to see it to appreciate it. The sights, the smells, the sounds and the tastes. Combine them all and you have yourself a very good holiday destination. Yes it is fair to say that over time the place has changed some would argue not for the better. But for those looking for a glimpse of traditional Cornish life with a bit of the modern hustle and bustle of the big city thrown in then it’s a perfect place to experience.
Over the years I have found myself in various parts of Cornwall at different times of the year. Summer, spring and even winter. Each time it has been glorious. It is though the food that draws me back to Cornwall. Not just the fabulous scenery and laid back pace of life. Depending on what you are looking for then there’s something for everyone. Despite popular misconceptions it’s not all Cornish pasties and mackerel fillets! Fresh beef, free range pork, organic chicken, luscious fruit and bountiful veg are all on offer. And it was these such ingredients that awaited me on my latest visit to this magnificent county.
I was in Padstow for a family holiday, I’ve been many times before but not for a while so it was a pleasure to see new restaurants in the village. One of those fine diners was Barnaby’s of Padstow. Formerly the Victorian Tea Room, it has now been transferred into an intimate but trendy seafood and steak house serving traditional dishes with a modern and adventurous twist. On the face of it the menu looked fresh, vibrant and exciting. Advertised is a menu designed for sharing and it looked promising. The table was booked for 6pm and we arrived just before at 5.50. We where turned away! Why I do not know because when we returned at 6pm our table was a table that was empty and could have been occupied 10 minutes previously as it was empty then. Still I’ll let that one slide!
We ventured in and where seated quickly. We were told by the waiter to think of the menu more of a tapas style menu!! (Cue the alarm bells). The reason I say this is because tapas equals small portions and I have a big appetite! So with this in mind we ordered. Starting with fried oysters in creme fraiche and garlic. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive but they converted me. These were delicious. Now with this restaurant the food comes out as and when it is ready. There is no starter, main course, dessert flow to this menu. You just have to order what you fancy and it will arrive when the chef has prepared it. So we ordered some crispy kale, monkfish tail with anchovy and caper sauce, oven roasted scollops and grilled lamb skewers. All courses or should I say items where tasty. They didn’t blow my socks off as I was expecting them to but they were cooked well and tasted good. When you look at the menu initially you think that you are getting great sounding food at a really good price. One out of two isn’t bad! The food was good but the prices aren’t that great, as in order to get a good fill and leave with a full belly and a smile on your face you have to order twice or maybe three times what we ordered and then it starts to get incredibly pricey, which then takes the sheen off the evening.
The restaurant is intimate and compact. With a modern feel to it there isn’t another place like this in the town.The staff are very friendly and polite. The young man that served us definitely knew his stuff and was very knowledgeable about the menu. The small dining room did however mean that when he had nothing to do he would walk up and down the room almost like a prison officer making sure that there’s no intimate touching going on between prisoners and their visitors. Once we had finished our meal and Mr McKay cleared our plates we asked for the bill, paid, thanked him and his staff and left.
Overall impressions. This is a nice restaurant that serves nice food at a reasonable cost unless you want more than two or three items? If I’m honest I think the menu is a little misleading with the whole sharing dishes theme. When I initially saw this menu I was greatly excited because I thought the dishes on offer where indeed big enough for two to share as a platter style course. Instead what we got was food that after a couple of mouthfuls it was gone! This in my opinion is not a sharing dish! If it is made clear that the food is tapas style then I think you’d have a better idea of what to expect. But having said that if they did do that maybe their restaurant wouldn’t be as full as it was? Maybe that is there game plan who knows? Would I go back? Probably not. Unless I was on my own and wanted something small to eat as a light lunch, but not as a dinner option. Would I recommend this place? Again probably not for the same reasons. The food is good there’s nothing wrong with that. Andy he service is great also. But as a complete dining experience I just found it underwhelming, over priced for what you got and slightly misleading.
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