During our recent week-long stay in Padstow, Cornwall we enjoyed a really beautiful traditional Sunday lunch at Rafferty's Cafe Wine Bar, St Merryn, which was in very close proximity to where we were staying in Constantine Bay.
There were six adults and two children and they squeezed us in on enquiring, just about, as the last sitting of the afternoon. We wanted to try the restaurant as we’d had a couple of good experiences, on returning to Penrich late in the evening after a full day of sight-seeing, with the takeaway outpost of Rafferty’s Pizzeria, the sister restaurant.
We were welcomed by a friendly and knowledgeable waitress and the continued warmth throughout our meal from the staff was appreciated, especially with our young charges (plus two sleeping children).
The menu was small but rather well formed - I chose the fish tostada to begin which were really tasty - sharp pickled red onion with a little refreshing tomato salad pepped up with coriander complemented the delicately flavoured soft white fish (cod so I believe) and the satisfying crunch from the baked tortilla made for a very pleasing start to the meal.
Another appetiser among our group was the patatas bravas - spicy tomato sauce coated fried potatoes which went down well with several around the table.
For our main, we, all of us, opted for the traditional Sunday roast dinner - a mixed sirloin of Cornish beef with pork belly and we were glad we did.
Presented to the table on two big china serving dishes, everything looked incredibly appealing dished up this way and meant we could each take a little (or in some cases, a lot) of what we fancied. The sirloin was just a little pink in the centre, which was perfect for our group and the pork was lovely and tender to the bite.
Duck fat roast potatoes were deliciously crisp on the outside with fluffy middles and the perfect amount of seasoning and light and fluffy homemade Yorkshire puddings to soak up the deliciously beefy gravy were very welcome too.
The vegetable selection was fantastic - a rich and creamy cauliflower cheese, roasted heritage carrots of many hues and that were deliciously sweet, curly kale that still had some bite and not the sometimes-over-wilted excuse for greens that comes from overseeing this many covers and a particular favourite of mine, roasted beetroot that was rich, earthy and beautiful in both colour, appearance and taste, just wonderful. Being the only person in our household that likes beetroot this was a real treat.
The children's mini roast dinners came up already portioned and were a good size.
The desserts were equally enchanting, simple but gorgeous Cornish ice creams for the girls. I had a delightful vanilla panna cotta with the perfect amount of both sweetness and wobble plus plenty of pretty specks of vanilla. This was served with a homemade shortbread biscuit and some balsamic glazed strawberries.
Another dessert was the chocolate torte served with Cornish clotted cream which also went down very well.
The three course option for adults was priced at £23.50, or two courses for £18.50 which I thought, given the top notch quality of the food, provided excellent value for money. Children's mini roasts were £6.50. Our entire meal for the eight of us came in at just under £200 before service - and was well worth the price.
If we venture back to this area of Cornwall again then we would return in a heartbeat to Rafferty's for the excellent food and warm, welcoming service.
We were welcomed by a friendly and knowledgeable waitress and the continued warmth throughout our meal from the staff was appreciated, especially with our young charges (plus two sleeping children).
The menu was small but rather well formed - I chose the fish tostada to begin which were really tasty - sharp pickled red onion with a little refreshing tomato salad pepped up with coriander complemented the delicately flavoured soft white fish (cod so I believe) and the satisfying crunch from the baked tortilla made for a very pleasing start to the meal.
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| Fish tostada, Rafferty's |
Another appetiser among our group was the patatas bravas - spicy tomato sauce coated fried potatoes which went down well with several around the table.
 |
| Patatas Bravas, Rafferty's Wine Bar |
For our main, we, all of us, opted for the traditional Sunday roast dinner - a mixed sirloin of Cornish beef with pork belly and we were glad we did.
Presented to the table on two big china serving dishes, everything looked incredibly appealing dished up this way and meant we could each take a little (or in some cases, a lot) of what we fancied. The sirloin was just a little pink in the centre, which was perfect for our group and the pork was lovely and tender to the bite.
 |
| Roast Sirloin of Cornish Beef and Pork Belly at Rafferty's Wine Bar |
Duck fat roast potatoes were deliciously crisp on the outside with fluffy middles and the perfect amount of seasoning and light and fluffy homemade Yorkshire puddings to soak up the deliciously beefy gravy were very welcome too.
The vegetable selection was fantastic - a rich and creamy cauliflower cheese, roasted heritage carrots of many hues and that were deliciously sweet, curly kale that still had some bite and not the sometimes-over-wilted excuse for greens that comes from overseeing this many covers and a particular favourite of mine, roasted beetroot that was rich, earthy and beautiful in both colour, appearance and taste, just wonderful. Being the only person in our household that likes beetroot this was a real treat.
The children's mini roast dinners came up already portioned and were a good size.
The desserts were equally enchanting, simple but gorgeous Cornish ice creams for the girls. I had a delightful vanilla panna cotta with the perfect amount of both sweetness and wobble plus plenty of pretty specks of vanilla. This was served with a homemade shortbread biscuit and some balsamic glazed strawberries.
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| Vanilla Panna Cotta, Raferty's Wine Bar |
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| Chocolate Torte, Rafferty's Wine Bar |
If we venture back to this area of Cornwall again then we would return in a heartbeat to Rafferty's for the excellent food and warm, welcoming service.
Glen, Bridget and I enjoyed a lovely late afternoon family walk from Constantine Bay to Treyaron Bay to walk off the excesses of Rafferty's which proved absolutely delightful. Cornwall really is beautiful.
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| Constantine Bay |
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| Fun on Treyarnon Bay Beach, Cornwall |
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| Trayarnon Bay, Cornwall |
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