Ben’s Cornish Kitchen

I had a lovely meal in Ben’s Cornish Kitchen. It was a small cosy restaurant with friendly staff. This is definitely an up and coming restaurant and one to watch, I’d highly recommended a visit if you want to eat out for a treat around Marazion.

This is high end food at — for Cornwall — fairly high end prices, but you get what you pay for. Pleasant ambiance in the restaurant, with good local paintings, and well spaced tables. Upstairs is slightly quieter, and the windows have a view of St Michael’s Mount. The food is quite elaborate andi inventive, with good, well matched, flavours. We had an excellent ‘cheeseboard’ starter of Gorgonzola and salted caramel walnut salad (with celery, pickled grapes, beetroot, apple and gin caviar). Main was a trio of local fish (John Dory, hake, and something else I forget) with saffron potato, confit fennel, spinach and a lovely tasty bouillabaisse sauce. Pudding was the signature curry plate — curried rice pudding, mango curd, ginger jelly, cardamom ice cream and a popadum. My companions equally enjoyed their choices, with rave reviews for tender local venison. With wine, coffee, etc the bill was £42 a head excl. service. So, London quality, at less than London prices. The place was buzzing, and long may that continue, as Cornwall is not over endowed with really good restaurants. Service was good. Oh, and did I mention the fennel rolls? And the really well thought through wine list (with Ben’s recommendations for each dish available by the glass). Brilliant.

Pleasant staff. Interesting, well prepared food. A great place for a nice dinner in Marazion. The small dining area can get a little noisy when the restaurant is more than about ²⁄₃ full.