Padstow

As it was sister J’s birthday, the Gorse Fox had booked a table at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. We all piled into our car and pottered off to the north coast.

Padstow was busy when we arrived and the car parks at harbour level were full, which was expected. The streets had effectively been reclaimed by the tourists and the Gorse Fox had to crawl through the streets to find a spot where he could leave the Silver Vixen, and J&T. He then drove back up the hill and parked in the high level car park.

The Gorse Fox wishes local authorities would standardise their “pay by mobile” suppliers. The Gorse Fox had to download yet another app for Padstow parking (that’s four separate parking apps). Once done, it was pretty painless and quite reasonably priced.

He headed back down the hill and met up with Trev outside the gin shop. The girls were in Sea Salt. We had assumed they were shopping, but it turns out that the Silver Vixen had, again, been used for target practice by a passing gull who was clearly quite unwell. She had to strip off and work her way through the wet wipes; it’s a shame she had walked into the window display instead of the changing rooms - but the tourist will remember it for a long time. (The Gorse Fox is, of course, joking and she was in the changing rooms).

The Gorse Fox and Trev went and sat by the harbour (oblivious to the seagull drama). The world passed by. The sun was out and the tourists filled the roads and paths.

Eventually, the girls joined us and we made our way along to Rick Stein’s. We were ushered to a table by the window and made very welcome. It sure has changed since the Gorse Fox and Silver Vixen last had a meal there. After a bit of analysis we reckon that it was November 1996. Despite that, there was no plaque celebrating our visit. 

The menus were handed out and the experience began. Three of us started with the coconut prawns, and Trev had scallops. Then we moved on to the main dishes. The Silver Vixen had traditional fish a chips (though the chips looked more like railway sleepers). J&T both had sole in a vermouth sauce, and the Gorse Fox had hake on spinach. The whole thing was exquisite. We virtually licked the plates clean. Then there were the sweets. The Gorse Fox did not participate but the other three tucked in. It really was a very special lunch.

Leaving the restaurant we went for a short stroll around the harbour, then, with an eye on the time for the car park, made our way back up the hill and headed south back to our hotel.