Review
BE Tempted Restaurant, Blagdon

It’s not often that a restaurant appeals to all diners and is suitable for all occasions. Well, I found one when visiting a new venture in Blagdon: BE Tempted.

Offering delicious dining options, using locally sourced produce and seasonal ingredients in relaxed and stylish surroundings, this contemporary restaurant is tucked away within the hills and luxury holiday lodges and suites of Beyond Escapes. Its exciting menu ranges from British classics to international dishes, with fresh catches from the sea, organic vegetables and locally reared meat.

Soft pastel furnishings sit well with attractive wooden tables and floors, and a quirky mix of serving plates and platters help to show off the delightful colours and textures of the dishes. Friendly staff are on hand at all times, adding to this special dining experience.

We decided to sit inside, but there is an alfresco balcony with great views. I began with the homemade smooth chicken liver parfait, that came with a zingy red onion marmalade and moist date loaf. My partner’s crispy duck croquettes were full of flavour with a tangy Asian slaw, providing the right complement to the rich duck meat.

He followed this with a 10oz Red Ruby sirloin steak, a perfectly-cooked flavoursome, tender cut, served with honey-roasted banana shallots, triple-cooked chips and a blue cheese sauce.

My Panko crumb-crusted plaice (catch of the day) was chunky white and crunchy golden; the accompanying vibrant crushed peas, triple-cooked chips and a perfectly balanced tartar sauce, equally as moreish.

Making sure we had room for dessert (just), our evening came to a sweet end. We had a rich, melt-in-the-mouth orange chocolate mousse with hazelnut crumb, and a fresh pineapple carpaccio with chilli ginger syrup and refreshing orange sorbet. We are already planning a return visit!