One Beaufort
Suffering a heavy dose of cabin fever resulting from the wintery weather, a recent break in the gloom presented a perfect opportunity for Sarah Hurn to take a short stroll out of Bath centre on the main East artery, to sample Sunday lunch at a very welcome addition to the dearth of eateries on this side of town.
Close to Larkhall, a village attached to Bath that has been eulogised in earlier editions, OneBeaufort occupies premises with a long and sometimes infamous history - but that is set to change. Branding itself a café/restaurant but with the welcome addition of an inviting bar, (made of solid beech with an intriguing carved inscription after the Duke of Beaufort) it hasn’t fallen into the trap of the over-hyped gastro pub. Conversely, it quietly speaks for itself and lets the subsequent bush telegraph get to work.On the day in point, the restaurant was busy with what my companion described as ‘inter-generational groups’ but by no means was it a ‘licensed crèche’- the ambience was little more than an audible hum and its roominess left ample space between tables. There is also a comfy semi-banquette that helps form and divide the main dining area. The finishing touches are bleached wood and granite floors with modern contrasting aubergine and sage tints with detail down to the table furniture. Two overlarge ornate mirror frames hold the specials and the puds.
Like any hostelry worth its salt these days, OneBeaufort proudly sports an impressive list of locally sourced produce; lamb and pork from the renowned butchers in Larkhall and Angus beef from the Duchy of Cornwall farm in Newton St. Loe, hung for a minimum of thirty days. The Thoughtful Bread Co. supplies the delicious bread and even recycles their used cooking oil as bio-fuel for their delivery vans.
So to the food. We started with a Bloody Mary, perfectly dressed and with just the right amount of punch to get the juices going. From a comprehensive list of starters, we opted to share the ham hock terrine with homemade piccalilli, which arrived promptly and made a picture on the plate. It delivered on taste too, with tender, meaty subtleness and a herby follow-through perfectly complemented by the relish and mustard dressing.
To follow I opted for the pancetta wrapped braised chicken fillet with salad and roast potatoes; often this can have a tendency to overly salty dryness, but no such problems, it was moreish. My companion declared her grilled hake with lemon mash and white wine sauce “melt-in-the-mouth”. The accompanying vegetables were also perfectly cooked. We pushed the boat out with a bottle of Viognier (£25.95) but there were cheaper options, a Pinot Grigio at £14.00 or a Chilean Merlot at £15.00. Our pud was a shared lemon curd tart with a raspberry and elderflower sorbet, which hit just the right note and we finished with a small selection of British cheeses.
Wonderfully replete, we sat back to contemplate a gentle meander home, after a faultless meal with charming attentive service in a venue that deserves every success. Having also sampled the weekday lunchtime fare, though with a different clientele and menu, it was an equally satisfying experience. Owner Rupert Adams who manages the front of house and Alex Bärjstätt who runs the kitchen clearly have a strong shared ethos regarding food and an eating environment. They’ve pitched perfectly for not just local residents that up until now have been in a virtual culinary wasteland (bar a wondrous local deli!), but also to visitors from further afield too.