No. 6, Padstow

[Duncan]

I'm slightly surprised not to find a thread already existing for No. 6 Restaurant in Padstow (or did I just miss it? eGullet search doesn't like searching for 'No 6'). Judy took me for my birthday this year, and we had an excellent meal. Stars of the show were a lobster risotto and a rabbit and venison torte, but everything was nicely cooked and well presented. I've written up a more detailed description and photos on my blog.

Anyway, definitely one not to miss if you are in the area.

[Gary Marshall]

i had a mixed evening there over easter which was a very busy saturday night and there were long delays between courses, dos hermanos seemed to have similar issues on a seperate evening. Looks like a quieter evening is the one to go for.

[Bapi]

I ate here last year as part of a big party which Slacker organised. I really liked the operation and thought Paul was a very aimiable chap and I wish them well.. In the main- I rather liked what we were served apart from one dish- scallops and black pudding. This is a partnership that will just never work for me. Nor did it help that I was sat opposite from one of the ugliest men in the Northern hemisphere.

[Duncan]

i had a mixed evening there over easter which was a very busy saturday night and there were long delays between courses, dos hermanos seemed to have similar issues on a seperate evening. Looks like a quieter evening is the one to go for.

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That or perhaps they've just got their act sorted out, or maybe they have more staff on as the summer season ramps up? I think all the tables were full when we were there (which isn't bad going for a Monday), although I have no way of knowing if they had anyone in the private rooms. I wonder if it also matters what proportion of people go for the tasting menu as opposed to a shorter 2-3 course a la carte: it did rather look as though a fair proportion of the people there were a bit intimidated by the menu.

We still have the visit to Margot's to come, so I'll report back how we find the comparison. Thanks BTW for the pointer to the hermanos visit: I hadn't read their report so hadn't realised I was in danger of getting told off for using my camera!

[Basildog]

Bapi, i think you sat opposite me, so your memory is completley wrong on this matter.

[Bapi]

Bapi, i think you sat opposite me, so your memory is completley wrong on this matter.

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Indeed I did and I am still requiring therapy.

[SideBurns]

I'm curious as to the prices at No. 6? Their website is currently under construction so the menus and prices aren't showing.

[JudyB]

I'm curious as to the prices at No. 6? Their website is currently under construction so the menus and prices aren't showing.

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I don't have the full prices, but the "Menu Prestige" which Duncan and I had last week was £60 per person including coffee and petit fours and we paid the extra £30 each for the matching wines.

From memory I think that the optional cheese course (which we didn't have) was £7, or £10 including a matching glass of wine.

The a la carte was a fixed price for 2 or 3 courses, but I can't remember how much. It appears that the pre-dessert and petit fours seem to be "part" of the a la carte since some people at a nearby table were surprised to get both of these (with the bill) even though they declined both dessert and coffee.

[Matthew Grant]

I arrived, unplanned, in Padstow on Sunday. Despite a note indicating that they were closed next Sunday the lights remained off and the doors firmly locked so I never even got the chance to try and squeeze in at short notice, lazy bastards . That lazy Basildog was also shut though I'm pleased to say I was able to do a mystery shopper visit to Slackers BinTwowhere we spent a pleasant afternoon on the Terrace. Come to think of it, no sign of Slacker so he also goes on the lazy list

Does anybody else think the dining options in Padstow are limited? Aside from Basildogs and Number 6 it seems to me that you are left with Rick's joints (all of which seemed to be packed on a Sunday evening), the fish and chip place on the harbour where I once sent my fish back it was so greasy, a couple of pizza joints and the pubs (Braised Lamb shank with parsnip puree in June )

Incidentally, tried the cod and chips from Steins and it was quite superb, great chips and two of the best pieces of cod I have seen, they wouldn't have been out of place in a fine dining establishment. Thick and flaky, perfectly steamed within the batter. Cooked in beef dripping as well. It would have been outstanding at twice the price. Maybe the trick is to go when it's busy?

[Gary Marshall]

on previous trips we have ventured out of padstow to the likes of ripley's, black pig etc but it does require a bit of organisation.

only places to my mind you get what it says on the tin in padstow are margots, steins F&C's and the bintwo terrace, rest is a bit of a lottery/questionable qual/prix etc

thus my last 2 day trip was steins/bintwo/margots, margots /bintwo/ no 6

but don't expect to turn up to margots unnanounced and get a table!

[Basildog]

I was shut for 3 days this week, an extra day as Paul Weller was playing at Plymouth, and some things are more important that Bistros

[Basildog]

Funky New Website

[slacker]

Had a brilliant Tasting Menu at Number 6, Padstow on Saturday night, celebrating two friends' birthdays. The cooking was so neat and precise.

I didn't keep a menu, alas, or see the bill, though we paid about £90 each. We were 8, so I chose a wine with each course.

Amuses

Pumpkin Soup

Prawn Risotto

Duck & Foie terrine (many stars, though am still struggling with foie gras)

Scallops and Black Pudding

Venison (excellent)

Cheese (outstanding - esp with truffle honey)

Pudding 1 - battenburg something (erm...)

Pudding 2 - something else Tart

vg truffles

Can't wait to eat here again. Unfussy, well flavoured, accomplished. I don't know what the Michelin guys are up to, but it gets a slacker star.

PS Do any of you Number 6 guys have a menu from Sat you could post please?

Edited February 18, 2008 by slacker (log)

[Gary Marshall]

was it very busy? When we went they were just rushed off their feet and it blighted our meal badly, which was a shame as the food looked very good but we just lost interest in the end. I imagine if they aren't too busy a much better time would be had.

[Big Bud]

I really rate this restaurant and it's food, but must agree with Gary. Sometimes it just gets really busy and you wait a bit to long. It is certainly worth a star though, but lets not get in to that. Paul is a great chef and his food is really tasty. There is no doubt the awards will come!

[slacker]

We had the library, so am not sure how busy they were. There was a good bit of coming and going.

A good thing to air this criticism I think - but not a problem for us.

[Gary Marshall]

This was our second visit to no6, our last 2 years ago wasn't great, easter saturday night the place was full and although what we ate was good they simply couldn't cope with the numbers for such complex food. However i was told by both Adrian at Margot's & Slacker at Bin two that since the new year chef paul ainsworth had taken over the restaurant himself, and it was a simpler, more relaxed affair than we had previously experienced, and we should try it, so we booked for easter saturday lunch.

what hasn't changed is that it is intrinsically a very pretty restaurant, chic-eley decorated. Front of house was very able and accomodating, i firstly popped in to move our table back half an hour as we needed a long walk along the beach to see off breakfast - this was no problem, and i later checked to see if they'd allow corkage on a nice bottle of white burgundy i'd brought in anticipation of a some good seafood to enjoy with it, again yes, not a problem, £10 corkage.

the recession is throwing up some bargains for diners and i'd say that the £13 that no6 were asking for 3 courses at lunchtime looked just that, they were also available at £5 each too. Naturally being a glutton we went a la carte but the mackerel and poached egg starter, confit lamb shoulder, and moulleux du chocolate we saw delivered to the next table all looked bang on the money.

but anyway back to our lunch, we both had the same starter, salmon scotch egg with curry. How could i not have this?

we each got 3 half balls of perfectly crisped spherical scotch eggs with a still runny quails egg in the centre, you can see the years spent working to michelin standards aren't lost in cooking simpler food. these were sat upon a smear of basically coronation chicken sauce - which l love. A great starter perfectly executed.

I forget there was also very good bread and butter too, to start with and despite thinking mustn't go mad already had cooked breakfast, just about to have lunch and dinner to come but it was too good to leave so we scoffed it all in the end.

my main was a day boat caught halibut with brown shrimp butter and purple shouting broccolli. a nice dense piece of fish, tons of shrimps, a few heads of broccolli, a quenelle of purreed pomme and with my '96 levflaive burgundy, sounds not unreminiscent of 'that' scene in 'when harry met sally'.

mrs m had a goats cheese, beetroot & caramelised red onion and filo dish that she seemed very happy with.

they didn't disappoint with dessert either this was billed as 'espresso' creme caramel with fairground doughnuts, again how could i....etc i won't spoil the exact format of the dish as it was very nicely done, again with a couple of michelin touches, needless to say it was excellent, an intruging take on creme brulee with lovely doughnuts to dunk.

mrs m's choccy moulleux and peanut butter ice cream was suitably oozy but not quite peanut buttery but a minor quibble.

i had a coffee and calva to finish , the coffee the only real bum note of the meal, i was offered filter but i think what came was more an espresso watered down with hot water americano style but a minor quibble.

so it would appear that the change of style is working for number 6, at our lunch there were several regulars in who all seemed very enthused with the cooking and definitely the place seems less formal and starchy than it's original incarnation. Hopefully there'll be enough savvy visitors to padstow to keep the independents like no6 and margots going for many years.

[CaptainJack]

Hopefully there'll be enough savvy visitors to padstow to keep the independents like no6 and margots going for many years.

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I don't see any franchise restaurants in Padstow, but I digress.

I have noticed the change from the very high brow type food they opened with till now, and I think it is for the best. Hopefully this will ensure their longevity, giving all visitors as wide a choice of food as possible when they make the effort to come here.

[Gary Marshall]

Hopefully there'll be enough savvy visitors to padstow to keep the independents like no6 and margots going for many years.

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I don't see any franchise restaurants in Padstow, but I digress.

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I think the bigger threat to the smaller operators is the clothes shops that can pay the rents that small restaurants can't.

Seafood looks very swish now post renovation, i didn't realise there were rooms there too, and the fish & chips were up to usual standard.

Actually i saw 'jacks' and thought you'd opened your own place but i understand not.

[PhilD]

A visit to Padstow to do a couple of sections of the South Coast walk. A gruelling way to work up an appetite, especially the St Isaac to Rock section. We were in a pretty grim mood after missing the ludicrously early 5:30, and last ferry, from Rock by a couple minutes; then watching the ferry drop off passengers from Padstow before returning empty to Padstow and then having to wait until 7:00 until the water taxi started. I have little sympathy for the woes of the UK tourist industry after experiencing such great customer centric service!

However, the trip to "Paul Ainsworth at No 6 Restaurant" restored our confidence in human nature and put really big smiles on our faces. I agree with Gary's comments; it is a very fine restaurant and deserves to do very, very well.

The greeting is very friendly from a young waiting team , and the service is generally good, although they are a little inexperienced so there were a few slip-ups with punters waiting for plates to be cleared and delays ordering. We, however had no problems at all and I think when they get a little more confidence it will settle down. The restaurant is spread over a number of very modern, stylish and tastefully decorated rooms creating a good relaxed space. We found it difficult to choose from the menu as everything looked so good; so difficult I had to have two entrees. Every dish was really great, great flavours, good combinations and really well cooked. Paul Ainsworth delivers the plates to the tables himself, it is a very nice touch (hopefully not because he is short of staff).

This restaurant is a "must try" for any visitor to Padstow, it is very good and up there with many one stars. Here is what we had (sorry the photographs are poor - low light):

Asparagus soup with wild mushrooms and poached egg (£6.00):

Pearl barley risotto with prawns, sweet-corn and parmesan crisps (£7.00):

Salmon scotch eggs with a curry sauce (£8.00):

Newlyn Cod with chickpea and chorizo salad with cockles and, I think garlic flowers (£14.00):

Cornish Sea-bream with brown shrimps, mashed potato and spinach (£15;00):

Espresso ice-cream (with space dust) with cinnamon doughnuts (£6:00):

Chocolate mouse, caramelised banana and peanut butter ice-cream (£6:00):

The previous night, we were also stuffed from another walk, but followed Gary's advice and had drinks at "Bin 2". The couple who run it are really friendly and made us feel very welcome. They have some good wines by the glass, plus you can have any bottle in the shop for a £6 corkage. We enjoyed a bottle of Givry which set us up very well.

Dinner that night was at "Custard" (we always book so late we never get into Margot's) and it was fine; some really good bits, but a few misses in the cooking. A great mussel starter in cream and cider, asparagus and crispy poached egg that wasn't crispy with a mean serve of asparagus (4 stalks); for mains a good lamb loin but accompanied by a dried out confit of the shank, and my cod was overcooked but with nice peas and potatoes. A fine welsh rarebit to finish. The bill was £70 including a £20 bottle of wine, so it isn't too expensive; the food hits the spot, but they either need to take a little more care or be a little less ambitious in the menu.

[lapin d'or]

I had the bargain lunch at No 6 yesterday and we were looked after extremely well. They were not very busy which is a pity but the weather was bright and sunny so perhaps a lot of visitors had headed for the beach.

The bargain menu was £5 a course or 3 courses for £13.50 with a choice of 2 dishes for each course. I had an excellent starter and dessert and the main course was fine, just not memorable; but at these prices it was some of the best value food I have had all summer.

The staff were incredibly polite even when a table of four who were only ordering a £5 main course each and water (no wine, no coffee) got sniffy about the choices on the bargain menu. The staff were also extremely courteous when the wonderous uk banking system would not accept somebodies card without a phone call and much questioning.

We went for a nice walk along the Camel Trail afterwards which was a lot quieter than walking around Padstow.

It is about a 1hour 40 mintes drive for us but well worth the day trip on a bright day. Hope to go back soon

Lapin

[slacker]

Had a lovely lunch last week at 'Paul Ainsworth @ No6' with a chum. A right bargain at £13.50 for three. They're not especially grown-up choices at main (and I don't blame them) but the starter and pud were top-whack dishes - outstanding mackerel with sauce vierge bruschetta-type-thing and berry'd panna cotta. Main of caramelised onions, goat's cheese and beetroot was really delicious too, with slivers of shortcrust woven in somehow; the costing note above is no criticism.

Paul was most amiable (and generous with the Prosecco ;-)) and with an iced bottle of Rioja Crianza (staff most obliging here), an extra starter (the scotch egg thing: v.v.g.) and bottle of fizzy water, we walked away really well fed for £60 inc service.

A must, I think!

(Thanks all of you for your jolly praise of binTwo: weather seems to be favouring us this year - we've had more sunshine already than 2007/8 put together.)

[Matutu]

Anyone been here lately? Thinking of popping down in a few weeks time for dinner.

Thanks

[Prawncrackers]

Last report for this place was in this thread here, I really enjoyed the place. A real gem.