Pattard Restaurant

In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and sharing its name with the 90-acre farm on which it sits, Daniel Lord and Toni Mctoal’s rural restaurant celebrates the seasonal harvest from local producers and the waters around north Devon. Set in a former milking parlour, the bijou 26-cover dining room and open-plan kitchen are run solely by the two young chefs, who take it in turns to work front of house during service – the level of detail shared at table during our visit was massively beneficial. The menu changes seasonally, with summertime starters offering the likes of fat, perfectly caramelised Cornish scallops in a rich, 'deliciously crabby' bisque topped with smoked roe, fennel and tarragon or creamy goat’s cheese tortellini with chopped walnuts, chunks of beetroot and buttery spinach. Main courses are also generous and great value for money. We enjoyed beautifully pink new-season's Herdwick lamb fillet with shredded shoulder and parsnip (confit and purée), fluffy fondant potatoes, fresh peas and luscious fennel-infused lamb jus, as well as a piece of skrei cod loin, expertly balanced with an earthy bean stew, plump Fowey mussels, sea vegetables, lovage, red dulce and ramson. To finish, a squirl of Black Forest crémeux on a bed of glossy black cherry sorbet and chocolate 'soil', all dotted with sweet-and-sour black cherries was a joy. As for the wine list, it's a brief selection but it does offer flexible measures at reasonable prices.