Paradise... in a nutshell
restaurant for that evening, we were shown to our room, one of five stylish individually designed bedrooms.
Situated right next to that handy guest pantry, it had a double bed with complimentary toiletries laid out either side, a large flatscreen TV and a modern ensuite bathroom with a very powerful shower above the bath.
Before we enjoyed a great night’s sleep in the comfy bed, it was time to freshen up and take the short walk downstairs for dinner.
The ethos at the intimate restaurant, which also has a private dining room,is to deliver great-tasting food, made using the best locally sourced ingredients and served in a relaxed environment. This may be fine dining but there’s absolutely no pretension.
The mains are priced from £13.95 (vegetable lasagne) to £23.95 (28-day matured fillet steak) but the food is of such a high quality that it’s worth it.
Starters included pink gin cured salmon and goose foie gras with cider-pickled quails eggs and pancetta marmalade, while mains included wild sea trout and seared rump of lamb.
I couldn’t resist the scallops, which were fat, juicy and served with pancetta, celeriac purée and crispy leeks, which all added to the texture and flavour.
My partner tried the house-smoked duck breast with roasted orange purée, pickled walnut, baby watercress and honey dressing.
It looked as pretty as a picture and was a really refreshing start to the meal.
The specials were marked on a chalk board on the wall and it was one of these that I went for – the lobster, which was cooked three ways and one of the best seafood dishes I’ve ever had. My boyfriend’s steak was cooked just as he likes it (medium to well) and served with a peppercorn sauce, vine cherry tomatoes and delicious celery salt and truffle oil chips.
For dessert we opted for the sticky date and ginger sponge with ice cream (sweet, gooey and surprisingly light) and the white chocolate and strawberry parfait (fresh, summery and delicious).
After such a great meal – the service was spot-on, too – we didn’t expect to be feeling hungry the following morning but the smell of bacon had our tummies rumbling.
The breakfast menu, available to non-guests Tuesdays to Sundays from 8am to 10am, includes smoked salmon and scambled egg, eggs florentine and eggs benedict.
But it was the full breakfast we went for – and it was probably the most beautifully presented I’ve ever seen. The eggs, bacon, pork sausage, flat mushroom, vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, sautéed potatoes and baked beans set us up for a packed day of adventure as we decided to drive to the coast.
Bampton may be inland but, in around an hour’s drive, mainly through country lanes, you will get to some of the most gorgeous beaches and we visited Croyde Bay (a surfers’ paradise), Woolacombe (a compact seaside resort) and Ilfracombe (a great harbour area), which are all near to each other and well worth exploring.
On the way back, we took a mini-detour to the Red Lion in Tiverton for a cool drink in the cutest little beer garden after a recommendation from The Ginger Peanut staff – a lovely way to round off the day before heading back to our base for a nightcap and a sleep.
After another stupendous breakfast the next day, it was time to leave for home via a quick visit to the nearby pretty little town of Dulverton.
The Ginger Peanut is a brilliant base for exploring North Devon and every self-respecting foodie should add it to their list.
Just make sure you leave room for a few treats from that guest pantry...