We booked the Elephant as a 50th Birthday celebration and upon arrival I was presented with a birthday card which was a nice gesture, the waitress was very attentive and professional which made the evening more enjoyable. As we were choosing which menu to go for we decided upon the tasting menu as it showcases the chefs dishes and trust me it didn’t disappoint as it was stunning but we both agreed the Cod was the star of the show this evening. We both highly recommend this restaurant
Excellent. The service was great, waitress was well informed and very competent. The food was amazing both visually and flavours combinations. Value for money was astounding. Would have cost twice this price in Dartmouth, never mind London. Thank you Elephant for a splendid evening on ALL levels.
We had to head to Salcombe for a friend’s wedding. Salcombe being a fair trek from where we live, we planned to drive down the day before instead of having to wake up at stupid O’Clock on the day of the wedding. That gave us a great opportunity to seek out some restaurants in the nearby vicinity. Using the ViaMichelin website, two notable restaurants popped up on the search – Treby Arms run by Anton Piotrowski of Masterchef Professional fame (and as of writing the only chef from Masterchef Professional who has actually won a Michelin star) and the Elephant run by Simon Hulstone. I have come across Hulstone’s food once. On a BA Flight to Singapore. Hulstone was tasked with designing the menu to celebrate the Summer Olympics in London. The food would be served to passengers on First and Business Class (Club World). As far as airplane dining goes, it was very impressive and I have been meaning to visit his actual restaurant in Torquay.
On a sunny day like the one we enjoyed, its hard to believe that Torquay is in England. The quay is an expanse of yacht’s and fishing boats, the promenade a seemingly polite place to people watch with a cold glass of rose in hand. Everything glistens. Try to stifle those chuckles but we could have easily had been in the south of France. To the far end of the harbour is the award winning The Elephant. The chef and proprietor, Simon Hulme, has pedigree; he has represented blighty at the Bocuse d’Or and the restaurant has held a Michelin star for many years. Booking dinner there for our only night in Torquay was an easy choice.
The Elephant is a two storey restaurant in Torquay, Devon. There is a more informal brasserie on the ground floor and the 1 Michelin star restaurant on the first floor. My boyfriend had booked a table in the informal brasserie, but when we got there we did really want to try their Michelin restaurant but unfortunately as it was a Saturday and as it is one of the most popular restaurants in Torquay we could not get a table there and so had dinner in the brasserie. We did not mind though as the food was amazing. The Elephant is owned by the award winning chef Simon Hulstone and his wife Katy. Simon is a hands on chef and works in the kitchen, so rare to see these days with celebrity chefs. They aim to source all their ingredients locally, mainly from their 69 acre farm in Brixham, south Devon, which has free range pigs, sheep, hens and Kelly Bronze turkeys.
Across Hulstone’s well balanced tasting menu, you’ll find what is missing at restaurants like Seven Park Place; flavour. The deconstructed samosa is a lovely starter, which is prettily dressed-up with crisp beetroot, a light goat’s cheese foam and a heady white truffle dressing. A truly surprisingly little dish that a lot of chefs would be proud to have created.
Simon Hulstone is one of the smartest, most creative chefs in the UK, and his restaurant, The Elephant in Torquay, delivers an impressive mix of inventive cooking, technical excellence and original creations.
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It's Devon's best restaurant and it certainly lived up to its reputation. Service was discreet and professional and the food sublime with some amazing flavour combinations and perfect execution, exceeding our expectations.
The Wine list was also commendable for a Michelin star restaurant with bottles starting from as little as £26 which we thought was very reasonable.
A dish of chicken wings with bath cheese and raspberry was complimented with an onion puree and worked really well, despite my doubts when I read it on the menu. Diver Scallops with a Thai coconut sauce was outstanding, as was the deconstructed black forest gateaux for dessert!
The only slight disappointment came with a lobster starter that was over powered by a chicken custard that accompanied it. Had I been blind folded, I would have said it was only chicken, as the lobster was unfortunately lost.
The sommelier was charming and knowledgeable and although we did not go for the wine flight, the couple next to us did and it sounded fantastic.
The restaurant is bistro style casual dining and the tables are quite close together with hard wooden chairs, not so well suited for a multi course tasting menu. Music was played throughout the restaurant which created a nice atmosphere and it's a stones throw from the harbour wall with parking opposite.
Elephant is well worth a visit or detour and was a very reasonably priced for the amazing food and service we received, easily upholding it's 1 star status.
We’ve had the pleasure of visiting the Elephant today and must say it was exquisite. From lovely service to amazing food, every mouthful was a pleasure. We have a severe gluten allergy and the staff couldn’t be more helpful in accommodating for our dietary requirement which made the visit even more special. We’re very grateful and can’t wait to come back again.
We took advantage of their set lunch menu and it was excellent, from the moment we arrive everything was first class - the food was perfect as was the ambiance. We're already making plans to head back for their tasting menu - taking our good friends so that they can also enjoy this very fine restaurant.
A must visit restaurant. The food is amazing. The staff are polite knowledge and very attentive. The tasting menu is not to be missed. Brilliant that each course was explained to you by the waiting staff and the chef on occasion.
I had an exceptional dining experience at The Elephant restaurant. The service was impeccable, and the food was truly amazing. I'm already eagerly anticipating my next visit to explore more of their delicious offerings.
Fantastic!!! We have been wanting to eat here for a long time, but finally managed to get a table for my birthday.
We had the tasting menu and honestly will be visiting and having it again. Only comment I would have is the cod dish was a bit too salty, but everything else was perfect! Left very comfortably full and hopefully have room for a cocktail or two next time.
Even had my fussy husband liking mushrooms 🤣
Fantastic food, good wines, lovely service. Our first visit, but booked for two more visits soon. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
A special birthday treat.
Amazing flavoured food....fab service......
Would have liked the other half of the birthday biscuit .....but a lovely touch.
A fantastic experience! I’m a single mum so evenings out are pretty tricky, going to a Michelin star restaurant with great lunch options was fantastic for a treat yourself day! I had the set lunch with dessert and optional extras, like sides and an oyster. It was all fantastic and the staff were great, my favorite thing was actually one of the petit fours, a tiny black raspberry jelly with Thai basil, heaven! It also seemed really friendly to lone diners, there were a few of us there! I’ll be back soon!
Absolutely amazing, we have been quite a few times and never disappoints. Had lunch today, was better than ever. The staff are warm and friendly. Worth every penny and more
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