Restaurant K Dartmoor
SARAH FEELEY samples top-quality food and lovely service in the heart of Exeter
I t’s 2004 (oh all right, I know it’s
actually 2012, but bear with me – I’m going somewhere). On an organic farm near Chagford, a young local passionate entrepreneur from a foodie
family is toiling away in an old barn to realise his dream – to make Devon as famous for its pies as Cornwall is for its pasties. Eight years on, he – Tom Cull – is now
head chef and director of award-winning catering company Dartmoor Kitchen. Not only that, Tom’s Pies – his range of gourmet pies, tarts and cakes – are a roaring success. His vibrant, contemporary approach and
commitment to hand-making exciting and tempting “honest” flavoursome food using only the best responsibly-produced local and seasonal ingredients is a winning formula. Awards and accolades just keep on coming.
To name but a few, Dartmoor Kitchen has just been named Wedding Matters Westcountry Wedding Caterer Of The Year for the fourth year running, and Tom’s Pies (which is a part of Dartmoor Kitchen) last year won gold in the Taste Of The West awards, two stars in the Great Taste awards and silver in The British Pie Awards. A mark of Tom’s considerable
achievements so far is that when you log onto Dartmoor Kitchen’s sleek and stylish website, a quote floats onto the screen from Hollywood actress Sienna Miller describing
Kitchen is catering an event, you’re in for a serious gourmet treat. But that’s not the only way you can taste
Tom’s fabulous food. You can buy his pies from local stockists such as Chandos Deli in Exeter and Darts Farm in Topsham, or through the website
www.toms-pies.co.uk. And as Dartmoor Kitchen does the catering
there, you can also pop along to the café inside Exeter’s newly-refurbished Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (or ‘RAMM’ for short) in Queen Street. Having eaten there – you really should. The museum itself is such a multi-sensory
“Deeply flavoursome and satisfying without being at all heavy. Pie perfection.”
the firm’s food as “amazing and gorgeously dramatic” followed by a quote from her fashion designer sister Savannah calling it “outstanding – the highlight of our wedding”. Make no mistake – it’s A-list-worthy food. From the most delicate and sumptuous canapés to a full-on feast, if Dartmoor
56 Exeter Living
www.mediaclash.co.uk
experience packed with fascinating exhibits and multi-media displays that the bright, fresh café, with its white walls, clean lines and simple décor, is a refreshing rest for your eyes and buzzing brain, allowing you to inwardly digest the wonders you’ve seen. Chatting to the café’s friendly staff,
they are all knowledgeable and highly experienced in the trade, and quite simply they treat their diners the way they like to be treated while eating out. So it’s prompt, attentive service
with a smile, but they don’t bug you every two mouthfuls by darting over asking “is everything OK with your meal?”. The chalkboard menus offer a chic
Dartmoor Kitchen twist on café classics, such as Tom’s Tart (£2.95) with organic salad (£5.95) which comes in daily flavours, soup of
the day (£3.95 – cream of cauliflower when I visited), Hobbs House organic rolls with ham, cheddar, tomato and salad (£3.50), smoked salmon and cream cheese (£3.50), and egg mayo, capers and rocket (£2.95), cold cut raised pork pie with chutney (£2.95), spinach and sage lasagne with salad (£6.95), specials (such as, when I visited, pot roast beef served with mash and rosemary, plus garlic carrots, £5.95) and kids’ dishes (all £2.95) of sausage and mash, cheese and ham rolls and vegetarian lasagne. But for me, knowing the Dartmoor
Kitchen and Tom’s Pies pedigree, I wanted a pie. I’d been dreaming about a pie. It was pie or die. That day, I had a choice of steak, parsnip
and horseradish; potato, garlic and cheese; and lamb with chorizo and chickpeas (all £3.50) with mash, peas and gravy or salad (£6.95). I plumped for the lamb pie with mash, peas and gravy – and it was so good; deeply flavoursome and satisfying without being at all heavy as pies so often can be, and everything was perfectly pitched. You could taste the quality. Absolute pie perfection. I rounded off my meal with a lusciously
moreish brownie washed down with a delicious Luscombe ginger beer, but could have chosen carrot cake, lemon polenta cake or bakewell tart (all £2.25). These are kept in a huge see-through fridge cabinet near the counter which keeps them lovely and moist. What a great meal. Dartmoor Kitchen and Tom’s Pies – I salute you. EL
Visiting details Opening hours Tues to Sat 10am-4.30pm; from 10.30am on Sun Prices Tom’s Pies £3.50, Tom’s Tart £2.95, rolls from £2.95, soup £3.95, pork pie and chutney £2.95 Child friendly? Yes Disabled access: Through the museum’s garden entrance near Exeter Phoenix Vegetarian choice Tasty options Service/atmosphere Warm and welcoming
Dartmoor Kitchen at RAMM, Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street, Exeter EX4 3RX
www.dartmoorkitchen.com
itchen at RAMM
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