A Taste of Dartmoor: Exploring the Local Flavours On Our Menu
Let me take you on a journey of flavours as we explore the food and drink locally produced in Devon and Cornwall that finds its way onto the menu of Bearslake Inn. We also hear from the chef Dolton and he waxes lyrical about the delights of local produce. Bearslake Inn boasts one of the finest restaurants in Dartmoor.
The Village of Two Castles
As we start our culinary journey, we first visit the beautiful village of Lydford and its two castles. Lydford began life in the Dark Ages and in the Middle Ages it thrived as ‘the administrative centre for the Royal Forest or royal hunting ground of Dartmoor.’
Our popular Devon Venison dish comes from Lydford and local hunter Geoff Reynolds shoots in Lydford and Halwill villages. Our delightful dish is:
Roast Red Deer Saddle, Braised Deer Boulangère, Chargrilled Broccoli & Port Jus.
Coastal Fare From Brixham and Newlyn Market
Heading south across Dartmoor down to the coast, we find the fishing port of Brixham. Heading in the opposite direction, we end up in England’s largest fishing port, Newlyn in Cornwall. We source our tasty fish from these two ports. They help make us one of the most popular restaurants in Dartmoor with dishes like:
Brixham Scallops, Peas, Broad Beans, Roast Chorizo and Caper Vinaigrette
Cold Meat, Cheese, And Other Yummy Things!
From Palmers of Tavistock, we source some classics for our pub food menu. You can savour our meat dish:
Cold Cut Slow Roasted Ham, Fried Hen’s Egg, Pineapple Chutney & Chunky Chips.
For all you cheese lovers out there, we have the wonderful Country Cheese Company of Tavistock on our doorstep. Their produce helps make up the next sensational dish:
Cornish Blue, Wild Garlic Yarg, Cornish Brie, Selected Accompaniments & Crackers
Fruit, Vegetables, And Dairy From Cornwall And Devon
Total Produce and Goosemoor Food are small producers, the former in Cornwall and the latter in Devon and the South West. Their local ingredients are what Chef Dolton uses for our next yummy dish:
Roast Chicken Breast, Dawlish Mushrooms, Charred Leeks, Smoked Potato & Truffle Sauce
Homegrown Fruits
We pick and use homegrown blackberries, apples, and nasturtium edible flowers. Enjoy our wondrous hedgerow bramble blackberries in our Homegrown Apple and Blackberry Crumble this autumn and winter. It is dishes like this that make us one of the sought after restaurants in Dartmoor.
Chef Dolton Celebrates Local Produce
We caught up with Chef Dolton and he spoke enthusiastically about the local produce in Devon and Cornwall,
“Devon and Cornwall have fantastic bountiful larders that are diverse and seasonal. Down here in the Southwest of England we have diverse weather conditions that create ideal soils and growing environments for many fruits and vegetables. Devon and Cornwall are surrounded by an amazing coastline for harvesting wild seaweeds and fantastic line-caught fish and shellfish.”
He also praised the livestock producers and butchers in the region that add some of the succulent meat dishes to our pub food menu,
“The rolling hills of the Devon countryside create some of the best livestock and cattle. We work closely with Palmers of Tavistock and the butchers at Goosemoor to source some of the best meat available to us from Devon/Cornwall, including some cattle raised on Dartmoor where our beautiful 13th Century thatched Inn is located.”
Tipples Of The South West!
With such a fine menu of food, you’ll need to sample some of Bearslake Inn’s amazing locally sourced drinks to wash it down!
Hedgerow Bramble Cocktail
If you fancy something sweet with a twist, the Hedgerow Bramble cocktail is the one for you. Made using local Tarquins Blackberry & Honey Gin, and garnished with fresh blackberries picked from the Bearslake Garden, this is a refreshing drink!
Blue Lagoon Cocktail
If you are feeling exotic, a Blue Lagoon Cocktail featuring locally made Tors Vodka , distilled in Okehampton, will give you a tickle after a long walk.
Dartmoor Bordeaux Casked Whiskey
For the whisky connoisseur, Dartmoor Bordeaux Casked Whiskey is a remarkable local whiskey that gets you firing on all cylinders.
Local Classic Gin & Tonic
If gin is your thing, we have a classic G&T featuring locally distilled Gotland Gin paired with a fresh Luscombe Tonic.
Golden Ale From Tavistock
If you’re a beer drinker, then a pint of Golden Ale from our new local Tavistock Brewery will go down a treat!
All of these drinks go well with some of our nibbles or the main dishes.
Come and sample the fine local fare at Bearslake Inn. One of the finest restaurants in Dartmoor!