Before I even got on the train to Cornwall I made a mental note of all the things I knew I had to eat while I was there: cream teas, fudge, Cornish ice cream, pasties, Yarg, and lots and lot of fresh seafood.

So last Friday evening the boy and I got all dressed up for my birthday dinner at the Scarlet (if you missed it here’s my review of the hotel), a very chic restaurant with charming staff, moody lighting and stunning views over Mawgan Porth bay.

The menu really got our mouths watering and I could’ve happily eaten all of the options; I eventually decided to start with a mackerel and crab salad, followed by sea bass with green vegetables and bacon, and a lemon posset with fresh berries and strawberry sorbet for dessert.  Each and every course was completely delicious and made with the freshest of locally-sourced ingredients.

A particularly impressive note is that the chef was able to prepare my man’s dessert of choice, a rich chocolate, ice cream and honeycomb concotion, in a way that made it 100% safe for him to eat as a nut allergy sufferer – if you know anyone with this type of allergy you’ll know how rare that is.  Not only that but the boy must’ve told me at least 3 times that it’s the best dessert he’s ever had!

We started our Saturday with berry smoothies, gorgeous fresh apple juice, and pastries (me)/toast (him), while huddled in a cosy booth overlooking the sea.

Some form of pancake was always going to be on my breakfast agenda after the griddle cakes I had for breakfast at the Llawnroc during my last trip to Cornwall (a.k.a. my best breakfast ever), so we both opted for the buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and strawberries.  They were ever so slightly on the dry side so we requested a small jug of cream and each added a drizzle over the top – totally scrumptious.

{ The boy and I were guests of the Scarlet but as always all views are 100% our own.  Thanks so much to the Scarlet for having us! }