Scallops

So pleased to hear The Beach @ Sennen is going to be re-opening, specialising in locally caught fish @BenAtSennen pic.twitter.com/ZDpNYHhC9g

— Baxter Bradford (@baxterbradford) March 6, 2015

It usually ends up being the scallops, despite mulling over the starters for the time it takes to drink far more of the impressive wine than I intended. If scallops are a choice, then its only one choice for me. They take me back to my 40th birthday, a weekend surrounded by friends who had made the trip to be there and the evening spent at The Beach Restaurant, Sennen, Cornwall.

If I can briefly use this post as a confessional, I’d plumped for The Beach to host my birthday dinner because it had a table available and was within walking distance of where everyone was staying. A quick glance at the menu showed me the food was going to be good enough – after all we were there to be amongst friends, not critique the restaurant. To my absolute delight, The Beach turned out to be blinkin’ marvellous – beautiful location, tempting wines and the food became the main subject of conversation. Freshly caught fish, locally sourced meat, veg and other tasty bits, prepared well and served with that perfect balance of friendliness and professionalism.

drwstr and I have eaten there a few times since, usually walking to it each time so we don’t have to blink an eye at ordering a full bottle and having a night-cap (or two). We once walked back along the beach path, the dark of the summer night suffuse with moonlight reflected from the sand on the path, the ocean lulling us along and the cool breeze sobering us just enough to get home.

We both paused briefly when we read The Beach’s future was uncertain, saddened. To hear that it continues, under a new chef and owner, gladdens the heart and wakens the taste buds. We’re already planning our next visit, not so much the ‘how’ as the ‘when’ and then ‘when again’ …