Devon pub with Gordon Ramsay link has incredible new menu
It was recently taken over by Young’s Brewery amid a myriad of rumours over the new owner that ranged from St Austell Brewery to celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. But now the new owners are firmly at the helm of The Ship Inn in Noss Mayo, a favourite among locals and tourists alike, I decided to check it – and its extensive new menu – out.
The cosy waterside pub had a warm fire burning when I visited on earlier this month. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and there was plenty of seating both inside and outside. The beer garden is surrounded by olive trees.When I sat down for lunch with a friend, we were pleasantly surprised by the extensive menu. Starters included tarte tatin, venison carpaccio and prawn cocktail, while main courses featured pork T-bone and risotto.There was also a separate menu offering pizza, sandwiches and lighter lunch options, meaning there were about 30 dishes to choose from. It was traditional pub food, but there were some vegetarian options too.
One thing that stood out to me was a note on the menu stating: ‘We’re championing British farmers and producing fresh food sustainably.’ This is something I value, so it was refreshing to see. I also noticed that the fish on the menu came from Devon or Cornwall fisheries.I decided to try the day boat fishcake with black cabbage and a poached St Ewes egg (£14). My friend chose the Shropshire chicken schnitzel with capers, a fried St Ewes egg, samphire and fries (£14.50) from the light lunch menu.My meal consisted of two crispy fishcakes on a bed of lightly cooked greens topped with a bright-yellow egg. The chicken schnitzel dish came with ‘very fresh’ samphire and golden fries in a side dish.We shared a dessert – a warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream. The brownie was rich, made mostly with dark chocolate, drizzled in chocolate sauce and dusted with icing sugar.
The total cost for our lunch was £43.20 for two people, including a soft drink each – I had a Luscombe Devon Sicilian Orange and my friend had a Fentimans Ginger Beer. I thought the lunch was good value for money and very tasty and filling.The Ship is a dog-friendly pub, so there were lots of people coming in to eat with their pets. One thing to remember is that the car park outside the pub is tidal, so at high tide, your car could get swept into the River Yealm.There’s a small blackboard at the entrance to The Ship Inn showing the time of the high tide to help people avoid getting caught out, but sometimes cars have been swept away by the water.The Ship Inn will be closed for a week from February 25 due to the kitchen area being refurbished. Normal opening hours are 11am – 11pm Monday to Saturday and 11am – 10.30pm on Sundays.
