The Herring Cornwall

The Herring at Bedruthan Steps is everything a foodie visiting Cornwall could hope for. Inventive dishes, locally sourced ingredients, perfect sea views and a calm, stylish ambiance.

Bedruthan Steps is impressively family-focused, however its informal fine dining restaurant is solely for adults and supervised little darlings of 12 years old and older.

The chefs behind The Herring are Mick Smith and Ryan Venning from the renowned Porthminster Beach Cafe in St Ives. The menu is all about Cornish seafood and locally-sourced meat with an Asian twist. The sustainably caught fish reflects Bedruthan Steps’ dedicated eco philosophy.

The light wood furnishings with highlights of red are subtle and bright and the stunning views over Mawgan Porth beach make it the perfect place to enjoy a Cornish sunset.

Like the restaurant at sister hotel The Scarlet, The Herring offers a choice of two or three courses (£30/£35) for dinner. I started with Pork Cheek and Tempura Cod Cheek, pea and wasabi puree with toasted peanut, sesame dust and crispy wontons. It was an absolute delight from start to finish, with a complex combination of Asian flavours. The cod cheeks were exceptionally fresh and the pork cheeks were sticky, sweet and succulent. The sesame dust was a subtle, interesting addition and there was plenty pea and wasabi puree and crispy wontons to smother onto each bite.

Steven ordered the Confit Pork Belly, spiced honey glazed carrots and dauphinoise potato. The pork belly was soft and moist, with a crispy top layer and pieces of crunchy crackling. The dauphinoise potato was buttery and laced with garlic and the one solitary carrot was roasted and glazed, but not enough to balance the dish.

The star of the meal was my spectacular Organic Cornish Confit Duck Leg – Puy lentils, peppered spinach and roasted shallot. The duck leg was flaky, plump and tender with a layer of crackled, crispy skin. It came served on a bed of rich, slow-cooked lentil stew and topped with a ball of well-seasoned spinach and pretty, edible flowers.

Steven tried the Slow Cooked Lamb Loin – Steamed new potatoes, caponata, broad beans and peppermint. The lamb was very soft, succulent and flavoursome and was served with a scattering of broadbeans, rich caponata, tiny cubes of roasted potato, torn fresh peppermint and edible flowers. This came served with buttery, creamy mashed potatoes and a rather unseasoned creamed broccoli. There could have been more lamb offered, to be consistent with the other main of Cornish Duck.

The menu was slightly limited for vegetarians, with just one vegetable-based option per course, however for those who don’t eat seafood or fish, there are plenty of meat dishes.

For dessert, I ordered the interesting sounding Wattle Seed Meringues, Brandy caramel sauce, caramelised banana and candied hazelnuts. If you’re not familiar with wattle seed, like me at the time, it consists of the seeds of Australian Acacia and has various health benefits. The flavour is earthy and nutty, which made the perfectly light and chewy meringue even more interesting.

The bananas weren’t quite caramelised enough, but I loved the candied hazelnuts and the brandy caramel sauce worked well with the meringue.

Steven’s Hot Chocolate Fondant, Macaroon, coconut dust and avocado sorbet was exceptionally good. The molten chocolate fondant was rich with a soft cake texture and topped with home-made shortbread. The avocado ice cream was deliciously refreshing and lifted the decadent chocolate flavours. The coconut dust finished it off perfectly and brought an Asian element to a typically French dessert.

To end our meal, we shared a pot of fresh mint tea and were brought a plate of petits fours consisting of a delightful vanilla creme tasting spoon and hand-made white chocolate and pistachio Cornish fudge.

The excellent standard of food, interesting menu and friendly service makes The Herring a must when visiting Cornwall. Be sure to book ahead, as it’s a popular choice for hotel guests and visitors in the summer.

Double rooms at Bedruthan Steps start at £140 per room per night, including breakfast. For more information and booking, visit: www.bedruthan.com

Advance single fares from London Paddington to Newquay start at £15 one way. To qualify for the best value tickets and offers buy your ticket in advance. Here’s how you can buy before you board: Online at www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk or telephone 08457 000 125

Photos by Chérie City (interior by Bedruthan Steps)

Chérie City was a guest of The Herring

Bedruthan Steps is a Cornwall spa hotel like no other. It’s stylish and calm yet family-focused, with outstanding facilities and spectacular views over Mawgan Porth Bay.

Opened in the 1960s, Bedruthan Steps has always been a family-run business and now the managing trio of sisters also own nearby hotel The Scarlet. Both hotels are located just five miles from Newquay and a short drive away from Watergate Bay and Jamie Oliver’s casual fine dining restaurant Fifteen.

We travelled by train in First Class from London Paddington to Newquay with First Great Western. The journey time of approximately five hours flew by with the help of the beautiful scenery, comfy leather seats and plenty tea and snacks. From Newquay Station, it was a 15 minute taxi ride to the front door of Bedruthan Steps – it couldn’t be easier!

The sprawling white exterior of Bedruthan Steps resembles a nostalgic seaside resort, but inside is a colourful array of contemporary and retro interiors – think Orla Kiely and Missoni-style furnishings. The collection of vibrant artwork throughout the hotel is also suitably eye-catching.

On arrival, the atmosphere felt chilled out and informal and the friendly staff glided around in posh yoga wear, looking ready to strike a pose at any moment.

Bedruthan Steps offers a range of hotel bedrooms, villas for a family of four and apartments for up to six guests. We spent two nights in a villa on the ground floor with French doors leading out onto our own private patio overlooking the sea.

The spacious villa was designed in a neutral colour scheme with pink and orange highlights and filled with lots of natural daylight. It featured a double bedroom and an area with bunk beds that can be partitioned off to make a separate bedroom for children. Room facilities include two TVs, fridge, tea and coffee making facilities and complimentary internet access (using a cable).

The double bed was extremely comfortable and luxurious with crisp, fine linen and supportive pillows, making for a peaceful night’s sleep. There is no air-conditioning in the rooms, which takes some getting used to, however guests can open the door or use the electrical fans provided.

The bathroom was petite but attractive and the shower had very good pressure. I wasn’t keen on the natural shampoo soap bar, which made my hair feel rough and unmanageable, nor the lack of conditioner, although the body soap bar was absolutely fine. This was clearly an eco initiative, however wall-mounted products with little packaging waste or a selection of affordable natural products by Weleda or A’kin might have been better.

There are three eateries (and room service) at Bedruthan Steps – the fine dining restaurant The Herring, the informal Wild Cafe and a summer cafe in the grounds serving coffee, pastries and lighter snacks. The buffet breakfast, served in the Wild Cafe, is a real treat, with everything you could possibly want to start the day, whether you’re keeping it light and healthy or filling up for an action-packed day.

We made up our own Full English breakfasts with excellent quality local sausages, Old Spot bacon and farm-fresh eggs. We also loved the stewed fruit compotes served with plain yogurt, the fresh cloudy apple juice and the home-baked strawberry and banana bran muffins. The morning staff were all chirpy and efficient, swiftly bringing us toast and pots of tea with Orla Kiely mugs.

The hotel’s Ocean Spa is a sleek, tranquil haven designed in deep purple and neutral shades with pebble walls, irridescent mosaics and stone floors. Start with an energising swim in the 12.2m indoor heated swimming pool and then move on to the Ocean Spa with a panoramic view of the sea. Then, detox in the cedar sauna, eucalyptus steam room and lavendar caldarium.

My favourite part of the spa journey was the enormous mosaicked infinity jacuzzi with various whirlpool and massage jet settings. Continue the relaxation and recline on a lounger with a magazine or book and watch the waves.

To really unwind, the spa offers treatments such as a traditional hammam bathing ritual, bespoke facials and hot poultice body massage using natural products by REN, Voya and Mama Mio.

In the warmer months, guests can use the three outdoor pools with colourful loungers, cabanas and outdoor hot tub or relax in the coastal garden, which encourages natural wildlife.

Bedruthan Steps has its own surf school, so it’s the perfect place to come and learn how to surf or brush up skills with a few lessons. Other exhilarating activities include cycling, kite-surfing and tennis on the hotel’s own courts.

Impressively, Bedruthan Steps manages to cater for families with children of all ages without sacrificing the liberty of adult guests. There is a separate family dining room at the Wild Cafe, adult-only swimming sessions, relaxation room and a stylish adult-only bar. When parents want a bit of time to themselves, Bedruthan Steps provides baby sitters, a baby listening service and a daytime and evening Children’s Club.

Bedruthan Steps has so much charm and soul and is an ideal retreat for all ages in Cornwall. The excellent staff always asked about our day and remembered where we had been, making us feel like locals.

To get the most out of a stay at Bedruthan Steps, try one of their themed breaks with tuition. Learn various skills including bread making, knitting, bee keeping, yoga and pilates or shoe making.

Cornwall isn’t always the easiest region to navigate by foot, so having such wonderful facilities on the doorstep at Bedruthan Steps was very convenient. With the rolling waves, fresh sea air and restorative spa, you might not want to leave.

Double rooms at Bedruthan Steps start at £140 per room per night, including breakfast. For more information and booking, visit: www.bedruthan.com

Photos by Chérie City (spa by Bedruthan Steps)

Chérie City was a guest of Bedruthan Steps and First Great Western.

The Herring at Bedruthan Steps, Cornwall

Bedruthan Steps, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall