The Angel
Dartmouth, Devon
On the quayside at Dartmouth, this venerable venue has gone through a fair few evolutions since the late Joyce Molyneux presided over one of Devon's best-loved addresses. Under the aegis of the Holland Group, with the extravagantly talented Elly Wentworth at the kitchen helm, it looks set fair to become a notable destination once again. In a sparely designed room, with quality furniture, lushly linened tables and a rectangular crystal ceiling ornament that could best be described (through gritted teeth) as 'interesting', it still enjoys picture-window views over the busy Dart to the rising hillside cottages on the far bank. A tasting menu on Friday and Saturday evenings will be the main draw, but there was no lack of culinary energy on a bargain winter lunch menu. A cubic chunk of cured Loch Duart salmon is lightly cooked and served with a butter sauce of smoked cucumber, purple shiso leaves and pickled mustard seeds for a dazzling opener, before majestically flavoured Creedy Carver chicken breast is furnished with variations of both kinds of artichoke – poached baby globe and brown-buttered, puréed and crisped Jerusalems – all doused in a sauce piquante of immaculate stock with diced gherkin, onion and wine vinegar. Otherwise, there might be loin of fallow deer with glazed salsify, hazelnuts and cocoa nibs in red wine jus, or brill in mussel cream with charred leeks, fennel and caviar. Elly Wentworth's signature dessert, given a perfect 10 on Great British Menu in 2021, is a spectacular tribute to the inventor of the Uniform Penny Post, Sir Rowland Hill. Surmounting a sesame cake layered with chocolate marquise and banana bavarois is a flawless imprint of the Penny Black stamp, with a sesame-seed tuile and banana sorbet on the side – the banana elements rendered not in fairground-yellow but, rather bravely, in cement-grey. Service is entirely charming, and the wine list, while seemingly still at the developmental stage, has some excellent selections including a fine Sancerre Rouge and Charles Heidsieck, no less, as the house Champagne.
Dining Information:
Accommodation, Wheelchair access, Family friendly, Credit card required
South Embankment, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 9BH
01803 833488
