South Sands Hotel, Salcombe, Devon

South Sands Hotel, Salcombe, Devon

South Sands view

Pan seared scallops

This contemporary boutique hotel is situated right next to the beach in South Sands Bay just over a mile from Salcombe. 

The beautiful beachside restaurant serves fresh local seafood expertly prepared and presented.  An emphasis on local produce ensures freshness and quality in their flavoursome dishes. 






For starters I opted for the pan-fried scallops with minted pea ketchup, Parma ham crisp and lemon pea dressing.  The lightly seared scallops were fresh and succulent and melted into the subtle flavours of the pea and lemon. 

Pan fried turbot

River Exe mussels

For main courses we ordered the River Exe mussels and the 'fish of the day'. The mussels were described as 'mariniere style' and the chef certainly produced a delicious variation of the French classic dish.  The sauce was creamy, almost Béchamel in texture, and packed with flavours of garlic, ginger and herbs.  The 'fish of the day' was pan-fried Turbot with a sweet chilli chutney.  Always a favourite of mine this did not disappoint.  The meaty fish was white and moist with a  crispy skin which was a tasty treat.

Fish sharing tapas plate

Grilled sardines

Other dishes worthy of a mention included the beachside sharing tapas fish dish which comprised calamari (in a light batter), smoked salmon and char grilled prawns along with the grilled Cornish sardines with tomato chili and lime dressing.  Both superb as starter, main or just to share with a beer or glass of wine.







These are just a few examples of the wide range of excellent seafood dishes on offer at the South Sands Hotel.  We look forward to returning to enjoy some more of them. 

Axis, One Aldwych, New Years Eve 2013

Axis, the flagship restaurant at One Aldwych in London, is run by Executive Chef Dominic Teague (previously of l'Escargot and Sandy Lane Hotel Barbados) so I was quite excited at the prospect of experiencing his special NYE menu. 

NYE 2013 menu at Axis, London

Lobster Bisque

Canapés of crispy cod fritters, hand made cheese straws and mini-quiches were presented on arrival at our table. A glass of fizz would have been a nice touch but all drinks were excluded for the £85 per head price. We opted for a nice bottle of Sancerre at £48 which carried us through the meal.

First course for me was the Crab Bisque which was beautifully crafted to combine the delicate flavour of fresh crab with Montgomery Cheddar, crunchy croutons and Saffron Aioli. 

Lobster Cocktail

Next choice was Scottish Lobster Cocktail - claw meat with finely shredded leaves in a light citrus dressing and a touch of coriander. Very fresh lobster from the cool waters of Scotland,  perfectly cooked as this was, is moist and flavoursome and makes for a perfect intermediate dish. 


The main course of Pan Fried Wild Turbot Fillet was a change from the original menu of Halibut and a positive one in my book. Don't get me wrong, I like Halibut and I am sure that a chef like Dominic would have done it proud, but Turbot is 'the king of fish' and my particular favourite. Apparently the change was made due to our extreme weather conditions over the festive period which decimated the Halibut catch.  What a substitute ! (This must be how Man City boss, Manuel Pellegrini feels when he has to take Dzecko off and replace him with Aguero).  Presented on a bed of spinach with salsify, onions and a red wine jus ( Turbot is meaty enough to take this ) it was superb. 

Rounded off with a selection of 8 small desserts this was a delightful experience. 

Service and food quality were all top-notch thank you, One Aldwych and Axis.

Fine Dining in Porto de Mos

Senses restaurant is situated at the Cascades Hotel near to Porto de Mos. Chef Luis Batalha produces stunning combinations of flavours and colours.

Our starters included, lime and papaya soup with scallop ceviche, hot and cold tiger prawn with sesame and asparagus salad. For main we tried the turbot in crispy herb blanket with spinach risotto and a canneloni of chickpea pure in roasted red pepper. All were beautifully presented in this stylish restaurant with good service.
Our waiter kindly provided us with a range of wines to try before we decided on a bottle of 2010 Casa de Santar Reserva from the Dao region. This white wine was dry with a mineral finish and worked well with the fish.

Fresh Fish in Lagos, Portugal

Fresh fish in the market at Lagos

The fishing port of Lagos in the Algarve region of Portugal offers some of the finest quality fresh fish and shellfish much of which is landed and sold within 24 hours.  Many local day boats fish the productive Portuguese waters which are rich in nutrients due to the upwelling of cooler waters from the deeper Atlantic Ocean.  Locals and visitors flock to the Lagos fish market to take in the sights of a range of interesting fish and to buy for home cooking, barbecues and restaurants.




One of the restaurants which specialises in high quality seafood is O'Cantinho Algarvio in Rua Afonso de Almeida (just up from the square).  Proprietor, Carlos Ramos, can often be seen in the market choosing the best fish for his menu that night.  One of his 'secret' specialities and my particular favourite is the fillet of Turbot which is coated in a light flour and pan-fried. He also has a live-tank for the freshest lobster and crab.

Attention to detail is the key to high quality cuisine.  Here, Carlos is choosing a large Corvina which he will cut into steaks and store vac-packed in the fridge to ensure maximum freshness.  I noticed that his chosen fish had a hook in its mouth and he explained that line-caught fish were of better quality than those caught in trawl nets.  Generally speaking line-caught fish are preferred environmentally as hand-lining has minimal effect on seabed habitats.


Corvina ( Argyrosomus regia ) is known in English as the Meagre, and is one of the most traditional and valued fish on the Algarve.