| The Castle Restaurant Bude A review by Terry C Jenkins of The Top Ten Site |
The Castle is Bude's finest landmark building - but until recently, it was closed to the public. It was used by the local authority as offices, and to run training courses - what a waste! Happily for Bude, in 2007, the bureaucrats moved out and The Castle was given a new lease of life as a heritage centre, an art gallery and a restaurant. The Castle Restaurant is run by Kit Davis - I'd heard good things about him. I'd heard that he was a talented chef, and that he had spent 12 years working in some of London's busiest kitchens. In 2007 he returned to Bude to fulfil his dream of running a first-class restaurant in his home town. My friends were telling me that his restaurant was top-notch - and that I should check it out. So I did! My dining partner for the evening was The Top Ten Site's research manager, Caroline. We booked a table by the window, and arrived at 9 PM - just in time to watch a perfect sunset over Summerleaze Beach. The restaurant was almost full, and there was a nice buzz of contented customers, chatting and enjoying their meals. The Castle Restaurant is small enough to be cosy and intimate, but big enough to have "atmosphere". Despite being busy, the staff were relaxed, welcoming, and in control - all signs of experience. Our waitress was lovely - she was efficient, friendly, attentive, and she made us feel important. A good thing about dining in a busy restaurant is that you can take a peek at what other people are eating. And you can get a pretty good idea of the quality from their expressions and their comments. It's rude to stare, of course, but a brief glance around the room told me that I could expect the food here to be excellent. And from somewhere to my left, I heard that the Lemon Sole was "Perfect!" The menu was just right - offering a variety of dishes, without overwhelming us with too much choice! Caroline started with poached egg and asparagus - which she described as "Superb!" And I went for the thinly sliced, rare beef - which was excellent, setting me up perfectly for my main course. For the main course, Caroline chose fish, and I had a sirloin steak. The restaurant was busy, so we expected some delay - but our food arrived quickly - and it was absolutely delicious. And dessert was a sensation! "Chocolate Boca Negra with Creme Fraiche" Caroline is still talking about it - a week later! Our verdict: My friends were right! This is a top-notch restaurant, and Kit Davis is a brilliant chef. The food is wonderful, the staff are great, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the prices are excellent. The Castle Restaurant Bude is Highly Recommended! The Castle Restaurant For enquiries and reservations call 01288 350543 |
