It’s taken more than three years of planning and work but a new cliff-side restaurant has opened in a Cornish resort.
The Summerhouse aims to provide a fine dining-style experience among the bucket and spade cafés and pubs of Perranporth and is in an idyllic spot overlooking the beach on land previously occupied by the Ponsmere Hotel.
Providing a tapas menu between noon and 3pm with a three-course dinner menu from 6pm to 9pm, the restaurant has seating for 60 inside with 60 to 100 outside on the balcony. With glass surrounding the dining area, The Summerhouse provides excellent views across the huge stretch of beach and out to sea.
It is the brainchild of the Job family, who have run the Watering Hole bar on the beach for the past 40 years and have also just opened the neighbouring Alzatraz bistro further down the cliff, which with its balcony overlooking the beach is ideal for sunset and people watching.
The Summerhouse with the Alcatraz bistro below
There was plenty of excitement building around opening night on Thursday (July 5), with the first four nights having completely sold out.
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A guided tour of Cornwall’s newest restaurant The Summerhouse in Perranporth
The Summerhouse menu
So what can you expect? There is a good mix of “from the sea” and “from the land” options as well as “from the garden” vegetarian choices.
The Summerhouse dinner menu
Starters
Seared scallops, heritage carrots, buttermilk puree, caramelised milk crumbs £8
Blow torched mackerel, salt baked beets, horseradish, burnt cucumber £7
Heritage tomatoes, marinated mozzarella, sherry vinaigrette, Thai basil £6
Curried cauliflower, sultanas, smashed pistachio, soured cream butter £6
Pressed terrine of pork cheeks, smoked ham hock and leeks, celeriac, pickled pear £7
From The Sea
Butter poached monkfish cheeks, white bean and tarragon stew, sherry vinaigrette, sea herbs £14
Plaice, caper, garlic and herb mash, tender stem broccoli, shrimp brown butter £12
T-bone of hake, minted Cornish potatoes and hispi cabbage, confit shallot, chives £13
Pan fried brill, wild mushrooms, radishes, saffron potatoes, brown butter sauce £16
Roast John Dory, spring onion and samphire barley risotto, tomato and shallot dressing £14
From The Land
30-day dry aged 10oz ribeye on the bone with confit garlic potato puree, greens, bone marrow butter £21
Roast duck breast, crushed squash, ceps, charred leeks £16
Slow cooked belly pork, crispy polenta, pea puree, Granny Smith and broad bean salad £14
Corn fed chicken supreme, sweet potato, Swiss chard, chicken jus £13
From The Garden
Parmesan gnocchi, radish, peas, tomato, crispy sage £12
Herb polenta, summer vegetables, basil puree, aged balsamic £12
Charred vegetable salad, crushed hazelnuts, sourdough croutons £11
Desserts
Chocolate brownie, crystallised chocolate, hazelnut ice cream £7
Marinated strawberry tart, vanilla cream, elderflower sorbet £6
Pistachio and olive oil cake, frosted pistachio, orange mascarpone £7
Cheese board, chutney, quince jelly, sourdough £8
The blow-torched mackerel is a particularly good light summery dish while the buttery pan fried brill is also a highlight. Perhaps the greatest discovery was the light pistachio and olive oil cake smothered in orange mascarpone. The wine list is also worth perusing.