I'm in the basement! (Basement Cafe & Restaurant (Padstow))

Member Name: sweetpea01

Product:	Basement Cafe & Restaurant (Padstow)
Date:	27/08/09 (50 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great food and a wonderful atmosphere

Disadvantages: None

Due to my recent weekend break to Padstow it has given me great places to review especially restaurants! We travelled down to Padstow on the Friday afternoon and despite leaving at 1.30pm we didn't actually arrive until 5.30pm and considering we were in Bristol it shouldn't of taken so long! So as soon as we found the B&B took our bags to our room and quickly got changed it was time to meet Mr Pea's parents and walk down to the harbour in search of a nice pub for a drink! On the walk into the town centre you walk past plenty of restaurants which all seem to have wonderful menus and are generally full of fish dishes!

The restaurant which we amazingly ended up in (we forgot to book, I say forget we didn't even think about it!) was The Basement which is actually built within the "The Drang", a small shopping area directly opposite the Quay and has views overlooking the harbour. We entered the restaurant at around 9.30pm - we had been in the pub for a good 3 hours before hand so by that time we were pretty hungry!

*~*~* Atmosphere & Décor *~*~*

The décor inside is pretty minimal, the walls are white and the tables are wooden but sleek and modern, nothing overly fancy and the chairs were in a modern style covered in leather. Simple, modern yet suited the small interior perfectly. On the walls they have a small range of art work which is again minimal yet effective and gives the little cottage more of a modern feel.

As we walked in we noticed that all the tables were full, there was not a spare seat! People were clearly incredibly happy in this place and the atmosphere was light and almost fun! There was a lot of wine flowing which led to a lot of laughter which all contributed to a great atmosphere to the whole place!

Outside there are tables underneath a large gazebo with big heat lamps, these tables look over the harbour and are just ideal for relaxing on a weekend evening and eating great food surrounded by friends or even an intimate meal for two.

*~*~* The Staff *~*~*

There were only a about two waitresses who were serving and taking orders but both of them seemed incredibly friendly and welcoming. They were definitely eager to please and always had a smile on their face which makes a nice change! I can't fault the staff (who we actually saw!), they welcome you into the restaurant and are genuinely friendly which makes you like the place even more!

The staff always ensured you had plenty to drink and asked if you were ok - but they weren't over the top, they didn't pester you while you were eating and left you to it but they were always on hand should you of had a problem/

*~*~* The Food *~*~*

Apparently the chef at The Basement, Matt Sheldon, used to work in top London hotels cooking to a very high standard. Now I don't know him by face but I certainly know the food that came out of his kitchen was fantastic! You can tell everything is cooked from scratch and from fresh ingredients.

Breakfast is available at The Basement and is served from 9-11am but as we didn't eat breakfast I really cant comment but a sample of what is available is as follows:-

Full Cornish £6
1 egg, 2 rashers Bacon, 2 Sausages, Mushrooms, grilled Tomato, toast
Poached Eggs on Toast £4

Lunch is also available (I am unsure of the serving times)

Open Sandwiches
Cornish Cheddar, Tomato and Onion £5.50 Chicken, Bacon, Tomato and Mixed Leaves £6.50
Chilli Beef Nachos £7.50
Tortilla Chips with Chilli Beef, Guacamole, Sour Cream and Tomato Salsa
Jalapenos available on request (extra 50p)

The dinner menu has a great selection of freshly cooked dishes and it was quite a hard decision as to what we all had!

Padstow Mussels With Fries - £11
Seafood Linguine Olio - Scallops, Prawns and Crab with Chilli, Garlic Lemon and Parsley - £12
Whole Grilled Lemon Sole With an Olive, Sun-blushed Tomato and Lemon Butter - £12

Olives £2.25 Bread and Oils £2.25

Desserts:-

Classic Crème Brulee £4.50
Lemon Tart £4.50
Chocolate Mousse £4.50

There is always a specials menu which is given to you along with the main menu and there are vegetarian and meat (steak and thai green chicken curry) options aswell. The chef is pretty flexible as Mr Pea was awkward and instead of having the thai green chicken curry he wanted prawns instead which they gladly did for him!

*~*~* Useful Details *~*~*

Address:-

The Basement Cafe
11 Broad Street
Padstow
Cornwall
PL28 8BS

Tel:- 01841 532846

Email:- info@thebasementcafe.co.uk

Web:- www.thebasementcafe.co.uk - From the website there is the option where you can book a table online, however, I do not know if this definitely works so I'd always phone to make a reservation just in case!

*~*~* Overall Opinion *~*~*

You could go to this place everyday and have something different and never get bored! The staff are incredibly warm and welcoming, the atmosphere is relaxing and the food is cooked wonderfully. I don't think there is anything negative to say about the place! Its small, quaint and cosy and ideal for a little restaurant in Padstow. Because there are not that many tables your food doesn't take an age to arrive and when it does its piping hot.

The great thing is that where you all sit you can see the chefs cooking and everything is fresh and cooked in front of you and I definitely didn't see a microwave!

Just one word of warning when going down into the restaurant watch the steps as in the evening when it's dark they could be fatal!

So would I go back and recommend? Yes and yes! This is a great place to have something to eat, drink and relax! The food is fantastic and well worth the money, you certainly won't be disappointed (hopefully!). The location is ideal as its right in the middle of town. I didn't see a children's menu but The Basement claims to be a family friendly establishment and I cant see a problem with the chef rustling up a smaller meal! Also a good thing to know was that its pet friendly, but I'm guessing its for outside eating only.

If you ever venture to Padstow make sure you ring the above number and book a table!

Summary: Go there at once!!