The restaurant at The Pig at Combe, in Devon, offers guests the option of dining either indoors or outside on the front terrace. On the occasion we decided to make the most of the rare British sunshine and dine on the terrace. We’re extremely pleased we did so, as the views of the surrounding grounds were stunning.
To begin our culinary experience, I chose to start with the garden spinach and nettle soup which was served with roasted pumpkin seed, soured cream and chive. This soup was delicious, and wonderfully green in colour. My partner chose the Combe’s crispy pig cheek and homemade pasta, complete with fennel and golden tipped marjoram. The crispy pig cheek was beautifully tender and bursting with flavour. We love The Pig’s ethos of what cannot be grown in The Pig’s kitchen garden will be sourced within a 25 mile radius, which is evident in the quality of the food served.
For our main courses, I chose the Texel lamb rump which was served with confit jersey royals, charred spring onions and wild garlic. The lamb was exceptionally well cooked complete with a wonderful marriage of flavours. My partner decided on the whole roasted John Dory served with foraged shore veg and charred lemon. The delicate flavour of the fish was perfectly highlighted by the foraged shore veg, making for a wonderful, stand-out dish.
“Everything from the setting to the food and the service was absolutely wonderful and we simply cannot wait to return.”
With so many tempting side dishes on the menu it was difficult not to overindulge, so we opted for the salt baked beetroot and sea beets as well as the buttered greens. We also chose a bottle of the 2013, Château Saint-Aubin Médoc, France to accompany our meal, which was well balanced, fruity and easy drinking.
For our desserts, we both opted for the foraged gorse flower and lemon set cream, which came served with bee pollen and brown sugar crisp. This was a wonderfully indulgent dessert, that finished off our meal perfectly. We also decided to sample a couple of their cocktails as a digestif. My partner went for the expertly created Espresso Martini which was mixed with Chase vodka, homemade coffee liqueur, creme de cacao and espresso. I chose a classic Negroni which was nothing short of perfection.
Overall we were thoroughly impressed with our visit to the restaurant at The Pig at Combe, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a superb dining experience in the area. Everything from the setting to the food and the service was absolutely wonderful and we simply cannot wait to return.