Angel rescues Brits from food boredom

Anyone who thought they couldn’t find a decent meal in England, never dined at the new angel in Dartmouth. Owned by Michelin starred chef, John Burton-Race, the new angel is located in the beautiful, picturesque region of Devon, and sits tucked on a quaint street overlooking Dartmouth Harbor. The restaurant features the most innovative cuisine the region has ever known. As an ardent fan of his TV shows, ‘The French Leave’, and ‘Return of the Chef’, which appear on Food Network Canada, I purposely traveled to this picturesque fishing village in order to meet with John, and visit his critically acclaimed restaurant. Although the kitchen was abuzz with energy, I strolled in and introduced myself. Focused and irreproachable on the smallest of details, John was truly in his element and flattered by his Canadian patrons. He seemed particularly surprised at his newfound popularity across the pond.

The menu certainly lived up to our expectations. Inspired by the freshest of local ingredients, it is not unusual for the menu to change from day to day. So don’t be surprised, if that dish you enjoyed on your last visit has vanished from the menu. Fresh fish from local fishermen can always be found on the menu. As we sat in the dining room taking in the warm, relaxed atmosphere, we gazed out the window at fishing boats making their way back into the harbor shrouded in the mist and dew of a late afternoon rain. Perhaps our fish dinner was on that boat. If not, I knew that someone dining at the new angel later in the day was bound to enjoy what the sea had offered up as her bounty.

After living in France with his wife Kim and their children, John returned to the South of England to set down roots and to breathe new life into the once popular restaurant, The Carved Angel. In 2004, the restaurant was reincarnated, as the new angel; a dream come true for both John Burton-Race and the village of Dartmouth. Proud to be using only the freshest of ingredients in his kitchen, John has made it his mission, to promote local farmers, and fishermen as much as possible. As if he wasn’t busy enough, John recently published a cookbook featuring popular Devonshire dishes, appropriately named, “Coming Home”, published by Random House and will be opening the doors to his new cooking school on October 6th.

So, if your travels ever happen to take you to Dartmouth England, we highly recommend that you extend your visit to Devon and treat yourself to some of Southern England’s finest dining. For accommodations in Dartmouth, we suggest the new angel guesthouse. A charming place to stay, and just around the corner from the new angel restaurant. It is truly worth the visit. John is the first contributing chef in our Recipe series.

Reservations are required: Tel - 01803 839425 (restaurant and guesthouse) 2 South Embankment, Dartmouth, England TQ69BH. www.thenewangel.co.uk

Recipes

Tapenade

Pissaladiere

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