Bay, The

Looking for interesting, seasonal and light, well-prepared food in a galleried setting with stunning views? The Bay, at Penzance, helped establish the now well-tried tradition of combining culture, in the form of a serious art gallery, with cuisine and rooms - and succeeds. The setting is chic, unstuffy, with superb views above the rooftops of Penzance to Mount's Bay. An excellent place to kick back and relax.

Throughout the whole year look forward to eating the best of the local produce, in an imaginative and attractive form and calling on an impressive list of local suppliers from Cornwall, where the environment is naturally fresh.

During the day a fixed price excellent value lunch menu offers such dishes as bacon and walnut salad with blue cheese and herb dressing, steamed River Exe mussels in a shallot, garlic and white wine sauce, or fillet of Cornish beef with caramelised red onions, Savoy cabbage and beetroot jus. At The Bay it's always worth asking what the boats have brought in; fish does not come any fresher than this.

Or try a roast breast of chicken, puy lentil and a white wine cream sauce, a local handpicked white crabmeat open sandwich on homemade granary bread with lemon mayonnaise. For vegetarian tastes there could be pan-fried polenta cake, baby bok choi and a coconut cream sauce.

In the evenings the menu expands and starters could include sesame seared tuna with sauce vierge and mizuna leaves, or pressed ham hock terrine with duck rillettes and an oat and black peppercorn biscuit.

Main courses follow the same pattern with a seafood platter - the seasonal fruits de mer - with whole grilled lobster, that much under-rated fish, with fresh herbs, garlic and butter or Thermidor, baked local fillet of cod with baby brown shrimps, fennel bulb and red vein sorrel and pan-fried breast of guinea fowl and confit of leg with braised little gem lettuce, almond and kumquat jus.

As you watch the sun subside into the light mists of a velvet Cornish sea evening my guess is you will find the desserts even more beguiling than usual, headed by the white chocolate and red chilli iced parfait with mango coulis and a dark chocolate brandy snap, and closely followed by the vanilla crème brûlée with summer berries and elderflower or assortment of miniature desserts.

Local wines, beers, ciders and an elite list offer further variety and choice, and, with at least eight available by the glass or 1/2 bottle, you can change wines with each course. Dessert wines are encouraged and include Orange Muscat and Flora, Brown Brothers Half bottle from Australia made by an old family firm.

The Bay is quality eating amidst beautiful surroundings both in and out, at prices that will leave room for you to contemplate further indulgence amongst the many pictures tastefully displayed in the Gallery.

The past years have firmly established the Bay, in the diners Awards of the Region, they were named West Country Restaurant of the Year in 2002, and Restaurant of the Year 2006-8 in the Cornwall Tourism Awards. Consistently awarded 2 AA rosettes annually, and listed in the Michelin Guide, The Good Hotel Guide and The Good Food Guide.

For those of you wanting further information about The Bay, a visit to their Website would be a sensible idea.