Being located in South Devon, we're pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to dining options and so I've decided to start a new blog series dedicated to the best foodie options that Torbay & Exeter have. So let's kick it off with a bang with our first restaurant review of the series.
We were invited out to The Bucket & Spade in Shaldon - a beautiful restaurant located in a small holiday park just a stones throw from Shaldon beach with stunning views across the sea. The restaurant itself has an intimate vibe, with cosy tables and an open kitchen. The decor inside is cosy and modern, with a decent sized outdoor decking area offering alfresco dining overlooking the sea...given the beautiful weather during our visit, we opted to dine out here.
It should also be mentioned that The Bucket Spade is a dog friendly establishment, but it does offer a dog-free seating section which is something I personally always appreciate as one of my children has quite an intense fear of dogs.
We decided to go for mains and desserts for our meal, and were impressed with the menu which offered a good selection including seafood dishes and vegetarian offerings as well as a whole menu dedicated to burgers.
I chose the fish of the day which was battered haddock and I was so impressed. I often find restaurant fish & chips disappointing but this was a delight - the batter was crisp and light, and the fish was fresh and so tasty. It was served with a good amount of chunky chips, a delicious zesty tartare sauce and minted peas which were a lovely addition. I wouldn't hesitate to order this again.
My partner opted for the Chicken Supreme - chicken breast roulade stuffed with sundried tomato and spinach, and served with a baby potato cake and a white wine sauce.
The chicken was moist and tasty, and the baby potato cake made a delightfully different accompaniment. He really enjoyed the dish and appreciated the chance to have something that's not often found on a menu, as so many restaurants seem to offer such similar dishes.
As for the children, they were impressed with the menu which featured all of the usual tried & trusted favourites you'd expect such as cheeseburgers, crispy chicken strips and spaghetti bolognese.
They opted for their firm favorite - pizza! I often find that pizza served to kids at restaurants leaves a lot to be desired, in fact I've seen them served Chicago Town microwave pizzas more than once - but not at The Bucket & Spade! The pizza presented to children here is a true, authentic Italian pizza with bubbling dough and gooey mozzarella that gives a satisfying "cheese pull"! Even the Pepperoni was clearly of excellent quality. I may have had to try a slice myself and I would have happily eaten it as my own meal - just delicious!
Although we were satisfied after our delicious main courses, we didn't feel stuffed which is always nice and so we decided that meant it was the perfect opportunity to try some of the yummy-sounding desserts on offer.
My partner chose the mixed berry crumble with custard, and he spoke very highly of it indeed - it was light and fresh, and the custard tasted home made.
As soon as I saw the chocolate torte on the menu, I knew it had my name written all over it - I will always choose a chocolate torte! It is my ultimate favorite dessert and this one didn't let me down. It was rich, sooth and decadent - and served with my choice of clotted cream, it was the perfect indulgent ending to a delicious meal.
As for the children, my daughter chose the American pancakes. These arrived as 3 small pancakes very much in the American style which was refreshing to see, they were drizzled in a toffee sauce and dusted with icing sugar. She said they were light and fluffy, and she happily devoured every bite.
My sons chose the warm chocolate brownie with ice cream and given their absolute silence and messy mouths while they were tucking in to it, I would say they were very impressed! In fact my youngest declared his dinner "The best meal he's ever had a restaurant" - high praise indeed!
The combination of beautiful views, delicious food and good service at The Bucket & Spade make it an ideal spot for a dinner out with family or for a special occasion treat. We will certainly be back again!
Current Offer: The Bucket & Spade are currently running a Kids Eat Free offer for May half term - this offer entitles any child under 12 years old to a free meal from the kids menu for every paying adult, and applies across breakfast, lunch and dinner.
To find out more, please visit https://thebucketandspade.com/