Harris Arms, The

The Harris Arms is the sort of place that gives a good name to that badly mauled word 'gastropub'. More than that it encapsulates the story of two distinctive people with a love for life, and tireless enthusiasm.

The story of Andy and Rowena Whiteman is a notable one that has taken them both round the world until in 2003 they bought the pub and mapped out their future, which was 'to serve fantastic food, with great wines at fair prices along with lovely local beers'. They chose a promising location in which to do it - Devon has a rather independent attitude towards life, which makes an assumption that what may not succeed elsewhere has a much better chance of doing so amidst its fertile acres and sun-washed beaches.

Perhaps this is what drew the Whitemans to their Devon/Cornwall borders inn with its sweeping views over the Devon countryside, and has resulted in a string of Awards and a steadily growing reputation for excellence and value.

Amongst their suppliers are some of the leading West Country names, such as County Cheeses of Tavistock, fish from Dennis Knights of Port Isaac, and beef, lamb, pork and poultry from Philip Warren of Launceston and Palmers of Tavistock. Supplies from legendary names such as these possess the quality of honesty and under expert hands in the kitchens yield dishes that restore faith in the enjoyment of food.

A starter menu serves for lunch and dinner, with home made fish-cakes, home-cured gravadlax, six English snails cooked in garlic and parsley butter, or one of their home-made soups. Main courses at lunchtime follow a brasserie inclination with home-cooked ham, local free range eggs and chips, The Harris Arms Pie of the Week, with full details on the specials board, or their own particular brand of meatballs served in rich tomato sauce and spaghetti.

In the evenings a griddled Devon rib-eye steak, selected from local herds, takes pride of place, served with cherry tomatoes and chips or new potatoes in season. Should this not be to your taste a prime Devon fillet steak from local Devon grass-fed cattle, hung for two weeks could hardly fail to please the dedicated carnivore.

Amidst all the chatter about the sourcing of chicken it is refreshing to find the Creedy Carver version here, roasted breast served alongside braised seasonal vegetables, wilted spinach, crispy thyme and onion potatoes, and red wine jus made with mushrooms. In winter customers are wont to brace themselves for the icy blast, however imaginary these are now becoming, by ordering up the winter cassoulet, a potent combination of pheasant, chicken, rare breed pork, Merguez sausage and herbed foccia bread

Devon cream, clotted or otherwise, is synonymous with luxurious eating, and personally I could think of few more dishes-to-die-for than ginger pudding with butterscotch sauce with an ample pouring of same. But then I might be equally diverted by their West Country cheeses, which include Sharpham, the Brie-style soft cheese made near Totnes, some good honest Montgomery cheddar or the quite exceptional Exmoor Jersey Blue, made at the foot of the Quantock Hills in Somerset.

All this largesse would be to little avail without some decent wine to provide support, and fortunately both Andy and Rowena are by way of being qualified award-winning winemakers. Their wine list reads like a litany of perfection and as if that was not enough, value for money shines through as a beckoning beacon.

Their cheerful, chatty Website will tell you more, with useful links and hints.