Devonshire Oct to Dec 17

The FOOD Restaurant and DRINK Inspector
Visits:
The Five Bells Inn
Clyst Hydon, East Devon
Five Bells Inn
at Clyst Hydon
Fine
Dining
g ol d awa r d
menu sampled
Starters
Grilled Capricorn Goats
Cheese Salad, beetroot
purée and horseradish
Wye Valley Asparagus, poached
duck egg and hollandaise
Mains
Pan-Roasted Brill, scallops,
crab and mussels, fennel,
saffron & basil
Dartmoor Lamb Haunch,
broad beans, mushroom,
almond and mint
Pudding
Custard Tart, local
strawberries, elderflower
and strawberry sorbet
Chocolate & Garden Mint, mint
ripple ice cream, chocolate
mousse, yoghurt & mint sorbet
Drinks
Monbazilliac, Chateau Vari
Delicious homemade bread selection
Grilled Capricorn Goats Cheese Salad, beetroot purée and horseradish
Culinary magic
We visited the Five Bells in August
on one of those lovely summer
evenings where you could enjoy a
drink in the garden before retiring
indoors to eat. It’s situated in
sleepy Clyst Hydon and you are
very grateful for the satnav here
as it’s a little off the beaten track.
The garden’s lovely, with fields
and trees all around.
Devon has many fine eateries
that’s certain, the standard of food
delivered to the table these days
can be impressive, although there
are still many pubs/inns aspiring
to the ‘gastro’ dining label, which
fail dismally, delivering overpriced
and pretentious food that can
disappoint on many levels. I think
I’m right in saying that none of us
mind paying the extra for proper
high quality, but when the food
is just mediocre, it can ruin your
experience.
A cursory glance at the menu can
be quite revealing, sometimes you
get the feeling that it’s contrived
to tick the usual ‘gastro’ boxes, and
there’s a level of lip service being
paid to make things appear what
they’re possibly not.
Pan-Roasted Brill, scallops, crab and mussels, fennel, saffron & basil
Dartmoor Lamb Haunch, broad
beans, mushroom, almond and mint
Happily, the only conclusion
to be drawn after dining at the
Five Bells was that a true master
resides in the kitchen. Not only did
each course taste utterly fantastic,
but the visual presentation was
approaching what you could
consider to be ‘art’ on a plate! One
of the very best meals we’ve ever
had in Devon - utterly superb - I
have no reservations in awarding a
Devonshire magazine Fine-Dining
Gold award to the Five Bells Inn.
The Five Bells Inn changed
hands just under a year ago with
Gary and Graciela now being
the owners. Chef Ian Webber,
(formerly Head Chef of the two
Michelin starred Gidleigh Park
for 6 years) still resides and his
flair has helped the pub earn (and
retain for the last 3 years) a rare
Michelin Bib Gourmand.
So, if you fancy a peaceful drive
out to an old thatched inn set
amongst lovely Devonshire
countryside, you can enjoy true
gourmet food at the Five Bells Inn
at Clyst Hydon, East Devon.
Editor
44
Eton Mess, elderflower and
strawberry sorbet
Wye Valley Asparagus, poached duck egg and hollandaise
Chocolate & Garden Mint, mint ripple ice cream,
chocolate mousse, yoghurt & mint sorbet
Countryside, History, Walks, the Arts, Events & all things Devon at: DEVONSHIRE magazine.co.uk