Eden Project, Cornwall 05-2021

After a pasty lunch, it was time to wander through the giant geodomes of the Eden Project. The tropical humidity meant that the exit past the Eden extraordinary icecream store was tactically positioned.

Even though I didn't necessary want an icecream, the unusual flavour of Coconut, baobab and pineapple (top scoop in the photo, can't remember what the bottom one was) appealed to me and so it turned into a must. It had a very minimal (if any) coconut flavour, pineapple and what I assume was a sweet tartness from the baobab. It is difficult to remember specifically several months on but I do recall enjoying it and even considering purchasing a bag of baobab powder from their gift shop later. But as we were leaving the UK soon, it didn't seem like the best idea.

The Cornish Bakery, Tintagel 05-2021

What would a Cornwall visit be without a pasty? I adore pasties and the thick crusted Cornish versions are simply the best. I spent a good amount of time on Google researching where the best ones were to be found, and came up with names such as Over The Top, Ann's and Sarah's. Unfortunately with limited time and great distance across the region, it became more of a matter of finding what was nearby than dedicatedly seeking them out.

The first was upon arrival to Exeter and a little meander in town. It was the Cornish Bakehouse with it's "award winning" sign. And yes it was a good one to start the trip off. Next was at the Eden Project foodcourt and similarly was nice too. This last one was a welcome sign walking toward Tintagel Castle and making a mental note of the lovely location and the "Voted World's Best Cornish Pasty" notice at the front. I'm not sure who the votes were from, but it was enough to pique my Cornish pasty curiosity and hunger to have one more before driving back toward Exeter train station.

I couldn't go past the Award Winning Traditional and it was the best of the lot, with a crisp but also buttery case and a delicious meat and chunky vegetable core. If it wasn't for the queue forming outside, I would have been tempted to go for another. The scone with clotted cream was also a smooth soft delight. But all hail the pasty.

Lanivet Inn, Bodmin 05-2021

Given the reputation for The Mariner's being one of the best pubs in the UK, I really wanted to eat there. Unfortunately given it was the weekend that indoor dining started it had been fully booked well in advance. There were outdoor tables saved for walk-ins but I wouldn't expect it would be easy to get this under the circumstances, particularly with decent weather. And it was a reasonable drive from the accommodation so going there off the cuff wasn't likely to be fruitful.

Instead we somehow came up with Lanivet Inn, more from a Google search than anything else. And even though it's located on a busy looking road, it was still a quiet evening in Cornwall.

We were tucked at the back area in a nice little corner.

- Seafood jambalaya (traditional jambalaya with monkfish, salmon, cod, mussels, prawns) £14.95 - I didn't realise this would come with rice. It was a huge serving of warming broth and bits of seafood. I hoped for mussels as good as in St. Ives, but these were more standard;
- Baked crab au gratin (white crab meat, cheese sauce, baked in its shell, parmesan crust, served with salad and buttered new potatoes) £14.95 - not too bad but didn't have as strong a crab flavour as hoped;
- Chunky chips £3.7 - a tiny serve for the price but the chips themselves were really excellent, perfectly crisp and seasoned;
- Sticky toffee pudding - can't remember the price, but it was a warm sweet delicious thing.

A pleasant dinner enjoying some of Cornwall's seafood. I wouldn't specifically go back here but if in the area would be happy to stop again.

Caffe Pasta & Pizzeria, St. Ives 05-2021

In Cornwall's most famous, most expensive and possibly most beautiful town, it was a busy weekend and with restaurants only just opening from lockdown most places were full. It only left a few options of joining some short queues at these fine looking and oil smelling fish 'n' chipperies, or grabbing a lucky outside table along the windy but sunny scenic walkway. Views of the tucked away ocean alcove and people walking along the low tide beach made for a pleasant setting.

- Crab & prawn pasta bake (local crab, prawns, penne pasta, parmesan crust) £13.95 - tasty dish with little bits of crab meat, some prawns and a whole lot of cheese;
- Steamed mussels mariniere, St. Ives Bakery bread £9.5 - big juicy mussels that really filled the shell. Better than I expected.

A nice meal in a nice setting and lucky didn't have to wait for a table, albeit it 17.45pm on a Sunday.