Bembridge, Isle of Wight

Bembridge, Isle of Wight

Best Bites no 24

Bembridge Harbour, sunny, sandy bay looking out towards the forts protecting the Solent from the East and offering sheltered gastronomic delights to visiting yachtsmen.

This privately owned harbour is home to two sailing clubs, an angling club, commercial fishermen and marine related businesses. Visitors berths are found at the Duver Marina on the northern (St Helens) side of the channel – 01983 872828

For this trip to the Island we decided to leave the boat behind, jump on the Red Funnel to East Cowes and pick up one of Red Squirrel’s e-bikes, in order to keep up with the mammals on their road bikes and actually enjoy the scenery whilst gliding up those famous IofW hills. Aaron Orman from Visit Wight met me in the Waitrose car park and I was off, whipping along to Wooton in no time at all, as first stop is Briddlesford Farm. Breakfast being a distant memory and I was keen to meet the team that own one of the few A2 dairy herds in the country. A2 milk contains a different protein base, that Guernseys have in their DNA. French milk is totally A2, but the rest of Europe transferred over to big Friesian herds some years ago. A2 milk is easier to digest and makes better, creamier cheeses and yoghurts, though contains no more fat – here endeth the tale, if you’re interested please read more A2milk.co.uk

The farm shop and café are busy, with people enjoying lunch and cream teas. I go for the latter and the mammal has the peppered steak sandwich; the raspberry and loganberry jam is exceptionally good with the home produced clotted cream. The steak sandwich is a meal in itself and should sustain the guy doing the work until Bembridge.

Nothing is too far away on the Island, which makes cycling a joy – even if you see the same cars passing you time and again, going about their busy day. We drop down into Ryde before heading to Bembridge, via Seaview and St Helens. The sea breeze picks up and I’m glad of a power burst to get me to the pretty village green at St Helens, where we rather like the look of both Ganders, on the north side, and Dan’s Kitchen on t’other side. 

 

Red Squirrel's e-bikes flatten the hills and put a smile on your face

A quick brush up and we’re back for dinner. Dan’s Kitchen is now full to the rafters with a convivial crowd enjoying the warm ambience. So we make for Ganders, where there’s a little more room and are treated to some real quality cooking that is exceptional value for money, 2 courses for £17.95.

This family business know what they’re doing, Dad (Ian Cowcher) is the owner chef, Mum’s front of house and their younger son brings the food and guidance. We share the Tandoori mackerel fillet skewers with a mango mayo, subtle smokey flavours followed by whole Plaice with savoury butter and their superb Steak & Ale Pie, made with Goddard’s ale, good mix of crunchy vegetables, tasty, slow cooked beef and fresh, firm white flesh on the Plaice, with a pleasantly charred, crisp skin.

I could have happily eaten everything on the pudding menu (this isn’t always the case, honest) but had to plump for the plum & amaretto Tarte Tatin, made with brioche rather than puff pastry; very good flavours and the perfect finish to the meal, that was balanced, beautifully cooked and presented.

After a decent sleep – did you know many of the boat houses do B&B? - we were ready for breakfast. A bit of a map struggle here as I really wanted to try out Cantina over in Ventnor, but we were having lunch at the Beach Hut in Bembridge, but as I said earlier, nothing is that far away on the Island, just a bit of a steep hair pin bend entry to Ventnor!

Cantina is worth the effort; my sort of place with excellent coffee and bread. I had the porridge (as just back from Palma Boat Show helping the intrepid Anna Wardley prepare for her Balearic Swim Challenge – every day starts with porridge there) with butter roast apples and cinnamon and Mike the full English and a couple of flat whites to wash it down.

Then back along the seafront at Shanklin we notice an interesting glass building, perched atop what I assume was the old Bandstand, gaining great views out to sea and back over the golf course. Good café stop, with the cool glazing opening wide so we could see the racing from Bembridge ahead.

We find picture book English country village, with a frisson of Saturday Spring time weddings in the air, we dodged the queues outside the Farm Shop and Bembridge Bakery and wistfully read the menu at Lockslane that we had hoped to visit but will have to come back as they were closed for annual staff hols – good reason also to return was the Shed, just along from the wonderful Farm Shop with baskets of keenly priced local asparagus and glowing Isle of Wight tomatoes, next to local bakery meringues. Shed serves tapas, mezze etc and a Tuesday night special of £10 for two courses – happy hour looked generous too, running from 3-6pm every day.

 

Bembridge Farm Shop, full of quality, local produce

Next time we'll try Lockslane

We still had a bit of time before heading to the Beach Hut so whizzed down the hill to the harbour to check that the ladies in the Tollgate were still serving up their usual magic of quick, well priced café food and spotted a cycling team climbing on board the Best Dressed Crab in Town, where Graham Henley explains how this third generation family business has grown and that in August they will sell up to a quarter tonne of crab a day. The airy café sits on the pontoon and enjoys wonderful views over the harbour and is a popular stop for crustacean lovers everywhere.

 

Time for lunch so we search out the Beach Hut, on Forelands Beach, no need for signs as half the tables are full as we pull up at 12.30. We settle in the sun, bare feet on the grass and notice we could have brought our own drinks, and no corkage charge, very fair. I order the crab ramekin, a sort of crab coquille St Jacques affair, only disappointment is the boring old roll, whilst Mike has a very good BLT with fresh granary roll, tasty crisp bacon and all as it should be. A bottle of Luscombe’s Damascene Rose Bubbly completes the scene and we enjoy watching a team from Haslar Marina order the lobster platter and pop their corks!

Replete and time to take the coastal path along the front at Seaview to check out a few more wedding cars and floral frocks outside the Seaview Hotel, passing the Boat House (which I’m told is good) before heading back to East Cowes and the ferry home.

The hike: Up from Bembridge, follow the coast path out to Forelands Beach, passing the iconic RNLI station and the Coastguard before hitting the Beach Hut, return via the pretty village, stocking up at the Farm Shop and enjoy happy hour at Shed before home

.

The Isle of Wight is a top destination for cyclists with a great choice of well marked rides

The bike: many routes available. 62 mile Round the Island route, or dip into the Taste Round the Island route, showcasing top producers on the way – maps available from: 
www.visitisleofwight.co.uk

www.bembridgeharbour.co.uk

www.redfunnel.co.uk

www.nutsnotto.co.uk Red Squirrel E-Bikes

www.briddlesfordlodgefarm.com

www.ganders.co.uk

www.danskitcheniow.com

www.thebeachhutbembridge.co.uk

www.shedbembridge.co.uk

Events:

June 18 – 3 July - Festival of the Sea                                     Best tweeters @MattandCat

July 2 – Round the Island Race                                              @TasteIW

 July 16-23 Panerai British Classic Week – Cowes               

Dartmouth Bite 23 All at Sea

Dartmouth

 

Dartmouth, producing Naval Officers since 1863, inventing the first steam pumping engine in 1712 and waving a tearful farewell to the Mayflower and Speedwell in 1612, as they left Bayard’s Cove to head to the New World.

Now this most desirable town on the steeply wooded slopes of the River Dart is a sheltered haven for sea farers and not a bad place to go shopping – with over 12 galleries and chef Mitch Tonks – or live, with its hospital on the waterfont and more planning applications than I could count, yes, it’s buzzing with activity and brave new builds sit cheekily alongside fisherman’s cottages and merchants villas.

Right, the sun is shining; let’s hit the streets…..

Breakfast: has to be Alf Resco, on Lower Street, but be prepared to wait (though not for long) as this place seems popular with all: from young officers to gentlemen, families, hikers and visiting yachtsmen. There's a great menu with fine attention to detail and covers healthy smoothies to the total fry up. I like a whole page committed to different types of hot chocolate and the choice of toppings on the porridge, including Chia seeds and nut butter, Delightful Ella would be proud. These guys also have rooms available upstairs – the top floor appartment having wonderful views over the Dart from its crows nest balcony. Open from 7 am, but shuts at 2pm so remember to get there on time, but perhaps avoid the first door rush www.cafealfresco.co.uk

Best coffee: Wood Roast, second string to Italian owned outfit in Totnes, who also run the Curator Kitchen, mental note to check it out when next visiting. They are passionate about their beans, which are roast over in Italy, along with the biscotti which the owner's brother makes in Ancona. Family affair. I had the day's special, ‘Congo’ and loved it. Convivial small space, if full get a take out and buy some beans for the boat. Tel 01803 832155 

Conveniently positioned opposite Wood Roast is Smith Street Deli, another great spot to grab a quick bruschetta, buy some wonderful olive oil and tapas, read the papers and catch up with email - wifi is good here.  www.smithstreetdeli.co.uk

Best baker - my sources all said you have to go to Saveurs, the French Patisserie on Victoria Road. It really is what it says on the tin, a proper patisserie with an impressive array of breads, pastries and chocolate work - you could be in France – or watching Bake Off’s La crème de la crème. I bought a big boule of sour dough and took a pain au raison to go with my Wood Roast take-out; joy, to sit in the sun by the hyacinths and early opening magnolias, overlooking the misty Dart. But I would also give the Almond Thief bakers available in Dart Deli a punt as their bread looked a proper job to me and they are a small outfit baking out of Dartington.

Incredible choice of patisserie at Saveurs

 

 Lunch - Rockfish takeout, South Street Deli or, if you’re lucky, a mug of Mark Lobb’s creamy seafood chowder in the Old Market Square, where he has a wet fish stall 9am-14.30 Tues, Thurs, Frid & Sat –  more info at www.wildfooddevon.co.uk

 Afternoon tea – Dart Marina Hotel is a fabulous spot opposite the Higher Car Ferry, and has cleverly combined a modern, luxurious hotel, with the marina, spa facilities and some lovely colour washed flats available (there was a 2 bed on for £775k) to buy, all enjoying that ever changing view over the river. The restaurant shares the lovely views that the rooms enjoy, and I like the attention to detail with blankets and binoculars set up on your balcony. But I have heard about their three cream tea options – fizz, Hendricks or tea. What, I hear you cry, tea??? When you could have Hendricks? But why not be sensible and have both? As the delightful mix of sandwiches, scones, cakes, desserts and hand made chocolates are not to be rushed. The Hendricks tea pot arrives, beautifully painted and chinking with ice cubes. I pour my first cup with cucumber slices and a scattering pepper corns at the base and lean back and enjoy the ice cold, fresh green scent of it – what a delight. Overlooking one of South Hams prettiest rivers in the distance and a tea tray of artistic reflectivness in the fore ground. I like this place www.dartmarinahotel.co.uk

  

Dinner: Big night out? Go to the Seahorse, home to chef Mitch Tonks who knows a thing or two about fish and about using local produce and supporting fisherman, including the poor guys whose trawler the Saint Christophe, was being recovered outside the restaurant.

Or try Kendricks, 01803 832328 on Fairfax Place, with a good buzz and busy tables when I visited, and some great sounding imaginative fish including monkfish & king prawn Malabar Curry with hand made cumin naan bread, oh yes please: only open in the evenings, whereas the Seahorse does a good lunch slot and I like the locals set menu for £20. www.seahorserestaurant.co.uk

Cocktails? Bellinis, open on Friday and Saturday 5pm -1.30am – favourite haunt of Ribeye

Best pub in town? Try Windjammer on Victoria Road, run by Andy Coombe, with their own commercial fishing boat, so the Teign mussels are always worth trying and the beer is well kept

Best pub up river? Maltsters Arms, tucked into the inlet at aptly named Tuckenhay with small pontoon outside. Once owned by the immaculate Keith Floyd, always worth a visit, but ring ahead if arriving by boat to see if there’s room to tie up outside – 01803 732350

 

The hike: easy walk along the river to Dartmouth Castle, through some delightful coloured merchants houses, past Baynards Cove, original departure point for the Mayflower, to join the South West Coastal Path out to the Castle itself, where you will find Dartmouth Castle Tea Rooms. You can be fortified here with fresh baked cakes, darned good sausage rolls and a cuppa, see www.dartmouthcastletearooms.co.uk  before heading back, or if fatigued (I know who you are) take the ferry option; the ferries make this whole area a walker and cyclist’s dream as you can cover some beautiful distances, without covering the same area.

This walk can be extended to a 6km circular treck, well marked as the Diamond Jubilee Way

See www.devon.gov.uk/diamondjubileeway

www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk

www.dartharbour.org

Best Tweeters @dartmoutheverytime

Events calendar:

Brixham Heritage Society Regatta     28-29 May

Salcombe Town Regatta                    31 July-6 August

Torbay Royal Regatta                         19-24 August

Dartmouth Royal Regatta                   25-27 August

Dartmouth Food Festival                    21-23 October

The UKs best beach cafes....from Chichester to Salcombe

 The UKs best beach cafes contd…. South West

  

 We covered the stretch from East Sussex to Lyme Regis last time, concentrating on cafes open through the winter months, yes, the tough ones: but a couple of new ones have popped-up since, so we’ll just add them before we continue west from Lyme.

Chichester Harbour - Quarterdeck in the boatyard at Itchenor. Dog friendly, cosy café in the yard, perfect for passing yachtsmen and hikers https://www.facebook.com/quarterdeckcafe/

  

Hampshire - Noisy Lobster at Mudeford’s Avon Beach

Cracking stop for breakfast, where the kids can tuck into a decent stack of proper fluffy pancakes, and then run it off on the beach. I can recommend the Force Four breakfast.  www.noisylobster.co.uk

The Anchor at Seatown

The Anchor at Seatown  www.theanchorinnseatown.co.uk

I don’t know how I left the Anchor off my earlier list, as it makes a wonderful stop when you’ve made the decent from Golden Cap on the coastal path along this Jurassic stretch, but for boaters it’s more suited to a short stay for smaller motor boats:

Nestled into the small bay at Seatown, on the edge of the Jurassic coast, serving excellent pub food. Try the burger or grilled mackerel, frisky from the sea. One of our best local chef’s Jean-Paul de Ronne is here now, so put it on your list.

Now on to Devon

Exmouth - The River Exe Café – opens April 1^st – www.riverexecafe.com

On a floating restaurant just off Exmouth. They provide a water taxi to get to it if you don’t come by boat, some visitors moorings on pontoons alongside. If you come by bike (nice route from Topsham to Exmouth) padlock up at the marina and catch the ferry over tel 07970 918418

River Exe Cafe

Teignmouth – The Crabshack on the beach crabshackonthebeach.co.uk

Alongside the café is the Crab Shack Deli offering freshly made take away sandwiches, wraps and paninis, whole crabs, lobsters, oysters, cockles, winkles, whelks, and seafood hampers

Shaldon - The Clipper  – theclippershaldon.co.uk

Right on the beach, looks like a standard café but service is great and the food excellent quality, with wonderful views.

Beautiful position for the Cary Arms overlooking Babbacombe Beach

The Cary Arms, Babbacombe Beach. This was once a traditional, posh seaside hotel but now sports beach hut sleepovers and a spa, along with decent food options and in the summer it’s possible to pick up a mooring and relax whilst having lunch, dinner or high tea, gazing across green lawns to Babbacombe Bay. Call ahead for details on 01803 327110

www.caryarms.co.uk

Brixham: Poopdeck - poopdeckrestaurant.com

Close enough to the market to ensure quality fresh flappin fish. Great supporters of the RNLI so here’s one for the diary if you are in the vicinity.

Event RNLI Charity Dinner & Wine tasting 12th April - Charity 6 course dinner & wine tasting

Brixham cont. Berry Head - The Guardhouse on Berry Head promontory – voted best cream tea in Devon. Past Shoalstone Lido and the beautifully positioned Berry Head Hotel, you’ll find the Guardhouse Cafe guardhousecafe.com

Best cream tea in Devon? The Guardhouse Cafe, Berry Head

 DARTMOUTH – see full feature in the next issue, but either side we have:

Travelling up the River Dart; see www.tidetimes.org.uk/dartmouth-tide-times for access;

Ferry Boat Inn at Dittisham. Beautiful Devon rose coloured pub on the water, some space outside on the dock, gets busy on sunny weekends. Live music, good beer, decent food. Rock on the beach the 1st Sunday of the month from April to September  http://www.ferryboatinndittisham.pub

  

Pull up at the Maltsters Arms

The Maltsters Arms, www.themaltstersarms.co.uk

Then further up river, left a bit, travel along Bow Creek to Tuckenhay, once owned by jolly Keith Floyd so always holds a warm place in my heart , convivial pub in idyllic setting and with pontoons outside, well worth a visit (check the tides) tel 01803 732350   http://www.tuckenhay.com/getting-here-by-boat/

Venus Cafe – Blackpool Sands; www.blackpoolsands.co.uk/cafemenu.htm

This lovely café is on the perfect golden sand, sheltered beach, tucked away on this privately owned wooded estate, south west of Dartmouth. This outfit also runs the Venus Café at Watergate Bay, amongst other venues:  www.lovingthebeach.co.uk

Salcombe;  New Crab Festival - May 1st

Crab catching, crab pot making and crab cooking demos

Watch this space………New gin school – www.salcombe-gin.com

Distillery, bar and school in old boathouse with a few visitors moorings, aimed more at tenders than the mother ship, so you can come up the creek to visit the distillery when the tides allow. Tours £15.

Next time we will pick up the route past Salcombe and on to Cornwall, surely masters of the beach café culture? Anyone want to join me on the hike? Bike? RIB, sail or motorbike?