Restaurant at Browns Hotel

If I was to tip an outsider for a new restaurant mini hot spot it could well be in slightly sleepy little Tavistock, only a few miles from Plymouth, home to one of the best pannier markets in the country, and surrounded by some of the finest scenery in Britain, though I must confess also to a certain personal interest. My only concern would be a slight lack of people but that has not prevented other less likely locations taking off.

Tavy, as it not infrequently gets called, already has a number of attractive restaurants, amongst which Olga Polizzi's Hotel Endsleigh, and The Horn of Plenty could be said to lead the way. Others are following, and the 2006 Michelin Stars shine brightly in the area, with two new awards at Torquay and another at South Molton. Not far away at Dartmouth, John Burton Race is packing them in at the New Angel.

So I have no hesitation in waving the banner for Brown's Hotel in Tavistock. Tempted there by the excessive warmth and resulting thirst caused by attendance at an excellent Steam Fair nearby one Sunday afternoon, we were warmly welcomed, and collapsed into large stripey welcoming sofas and armchairs. From there it was a fairly short step to the subject of food and we were easily seduced into the sunny courtyard where a simple but very tasty barbecue fed the inner man against the background of a professional jazz group.

Browns has been recently completely refashioned from the old coaching inn built by the 7th Earl of Bedford, in a way that has retained the best and cleverly adapted the rest. The local granite features largely, a friendly and welcoming conservatory has been built in space regained from what used to be the entry to the stables.

A seasonable menu, this one following the summer path, offers for starters baked Ragstone goat's cheese in crisp pastry with caramelized apricots, honey and truffle dressing, a terrine of quail, rabbit and foie gras with a vinaigrette of baby broad beans, or a delicious shellfish and cognac bisque with nutmeg cream.

Main courses offer a fillet of Devon Ruby beef, braised fillets of turbot and Dover sole with asparagus, and shellfish and soft herb fricassee, or breast of guinea fowl roasted in butter, all prepared with care and the best of local produce where possible.

Let's draw a veil over the dark chocolate fondant with banana ice cream and honeycomb; seldom has the temptation to ask for seconds been more persistent. Other members of the party became involved in things like braised peaches with rum and raisin ice cream, not to mention a selection of cheeses, the collecting of which must have been a labour of love for some lucky soul. The wine list, likewise, was clearly a document compiled by some dedicated souls over a period of time, under the guidance of Master of Wine Liam Stevenson, who had sweated to produce choices that have not shied away from venturing into the higher price ranges, whilst making plenty of room for quality quaffing at the lower end of the scale.

Friendly and knowledgeable staff made our entire stay a real pleasure - just a shame there were not more people there to share it.