I didn't know of The Masons Arms in Devon before my trip, but as soon as I looked at their website, I knew I wanted to eat there. The reason? Owner and chef Mark Dodson was the Head Chef at The Waterside Inn for 12 years. Now, as Michelin watchers will surely know, The Waterside Inn has held 3 Michelin stars for 26 years which means that Mark was Head Chef for effectively half of Waterside's most decorated period. Mark took over The Masons Arms in 2005 and achieved a Michelin star in 2006. Over time the menu has evolved and the food is currently both refined and smart, but with a certain homeliness to it. And Mark's Waterside heritage is clearly evident on the plate, which, as fans of the Inn, we find it simply fabulous. And as these restaurants tend to be, it's a family affair, with front of house run by Mark's wife Sarah who was absolutely charming throughout and the perfect person for the job despite coming from a very different line of business ahead of this venture. I felt very w
Very lucky to visit this gorgeous pub today. We booked for lunch and they had a menu for a la carte and a separate set menu at a really reasonable price. The set menu had 2 options for each course with some good vegetarian options. Myself and my partner got a different item each and shared, such a good way of sampling a lot of the menu. A highlight for me was the cheesecake, I don't normally have a sweet tooth but it was delightful and so many different components. It was ideal that we were able to take our dog with us, we booked a few weeks in advance. Staff were super friendly and service was good. Definitely would revisit if we were in the area again. Outstanding food quality and you could tell it was very fresh.
Travelled out to Knowstone during a break nearby for a special lunch for our wedding anniversary. We had the set lunch menu which I felt was great value. The star of the show for me was the lamb with Arancini main, the waitress told us it was the first time it’s been on the menu and I feel incredibly lucky that we opted for this day so we got to have it! Perfectly balanced, beautifully tender lamb with a nutty wild rice arancini and the jus tied it all together perfectly. The wine suggestions were excellent also, perfectly paired. I would come back in an instant if it wasn’t so remote, but will definitely recommend to everyone!
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