14 TIMES
Assiette of pudding was a revelation
NIGEL CANHAM revisits The Owl and The Pussycat – he was not disappointed
TIME to ‘fess up – it’s four years since Mrs C and I last visited the great little restaurant that is The Owl and The Pussycat, one of the district’s gems.
That’s partly because Teignmouth is an hour’s
drive from home and also because we didn’t want the bubble to burst. You know what it’s like, discover a great eatery and tell all your friends, then go back only to dis- cover that actually it’s really quite average – or worse.
Helga Stephenson and head chef Douglas Hal- stead were at the helm back in 2006 and had crafted an excellent, short menu featuring the best of local and seasonal produce. When Mokhless (Moky to his friends) and San- dra Bouzayen took over three years ago they made the wise decision not to alter a thing, except to bring Adam Blackmore in to take control of the kitchen.
As a result, the choice of just five starters and six mains offers a simple but bold message – our food is good and we don’t mess with it. Adam told us his goal was excellence he can repeat consistently and that the offer changes every six weeks to reflect market availability. My duckling terrine to start was delicate and well seasoned, set off nicely with a balsamic jelly.
My wife’s pumpkin soup, run through with a little pesto, was disappointing only because, as a keen soup maker myself, it showed how much I have yet to learn. A real chef’s advantage of always having a great stock pot on the go was as plain as day.
Our mains were a roast supreme of chicken and rump of lamb, again both superb. The bird was served with a cauliflower puree and some fab fondant potatoes, another chefy food I’ve tried to cook a dozen times with mixed results.
Adam said his trick was to aggressively boil the stock and butter until it emulsified, then stand the spuds half in and half out, finishing them in the oven with a turn half way through.
& Diary
PICTURES BY TJ MACLEOD
151210TJ-5881
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