This round of Food Porn is brought to you by Cornwall and Rick Stein‘s The Seafood Restaurant. G and I escaped to Tregenna Castle Hotel in St. Ives, Cornwall for a few days last week. The weather was nothing short of amazing. I say this because last year in May when we went to Cornwall and drove all over the county, we were hit with so much wind, rain and cold that I actually got wind burn on my face. The only pleasant day that year was the day we drove to St. Ives. I freakin’ love that place! The photo you see is pretty much an accurate picture of the place. It’s like a little island of sunshine–somewhere other than the British Isles–free of the usual tat of English seaside towns. But this is not a review of St. Ives, so let me get to the meat, er, fish.

Rick Stein, chef and restaurateur extraordinaire, does not need me to review The Seafood  Restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall. But I will anyway. Although–truth be told–if you asked me about Rick Stein a year ago, I would have said “Rick, who????” From a fish and chip shop to the very upmarket Seafood Restaurant and everything in between, Stein’s stamp is all over Padstow and its economy! If you’re wondering, yes, I did buy cupcakes from his bakery (7/10).

G surprised me with reservations for a 3-course lunch at £37 a head. The restaurant is separated from the sea by a car park. So technically, you can see the water. The decor is more Cape Cod than Pirates of the Carribean: lots of white and pale colours that recall an upscale beach cabana, surrounded by windows. When you walk in you are greeted by a stellar and large lighting fixture that recalls a massive school of fish swimming below the ocean. Gorgeous. The dining area, however, was like a noisy cafeteria filled with mostly middle aged people (who else has that kind of money and 2 hours to spend at lunch on a week day?!). Totally devoid of atmosphere. Enough of that. What about the food? Read on.

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