The Gallivant is a hotel and members club that has combined all of life's greatest pleasures under one roof - delicious local food, fine English wine, and a dog friendly atmosphere. The interior is so perfectly staged in the bar area that it looks like it’s been taken straight out of a lifestyle magazine, whilst walking through to the restaurant transports you to an effortlessly cool beach house. The room is light, spacious and clad with white-washed wood from floor to ceiling and an array of framed swimsuits that time forgot. At night, the room is lit by barely aglow candles to give a more intimate feel, with fireplaces flickering on the terrace in the background, ready for a post-dinner stargaze.
Being so close to the coast, the menu has a noticeable focus on seafood, so it seems only natural to kick things off with a plate of oysters. Large, fresh, and perfectly salty, they need nothing more than a squeeze of lemon and a sizable gulp. Swiftly followed by a butternut soup, the bowlful was adorned with pesto and beurre noisette, with the addition of ricotta hidden beneath the surface, ready to bring some welcomed creaminess to each spoonful. Contrary to most soups that leave you feeling as though they would have sufficed as a main, this was light, whilst still being intensely flavoursome.
The main sees hake served in a pool of soy and ginger broth, topped with samphire, pak choi and pickled mussels. Aromatic and well balanced, the broth gives a salty glaze to every mouthful of fish, whilst the pickled mussels bring a tang, and the vegetables add some texture.
For dessert, both rhubarb and vanilla sorbet come together to create something reminiscent of a rhubarb and custard sweet. It's the perfect way to finish off the meal.
The Gallivant’s motto is ‘happiness is a place’, and we think that place might just be here.