Augustus
Taunton, Somerset
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Taunton veterans Cedric Chirossel and chef Richard Guest continue to keep things strictly local at this agreeable, laid-back restaurant nestled in a quiet courtyard not far from the town’s landmark Castle Hotel. Ingredients are often collected on foot from nearby butchers, bakers and fishmongers, while Somerset’s orchards and smallholdings provide a seasonal harvest. The result is a calendar-driven repertoire that mixes British and European influences with a few Asian forays. Many dishes have been mentioned in dispatches, from an autumnal vegetable tart with the lightest of pastry to cheese soufflé with a ‘marvellous salad’. Duck cassoulet is properly Gallic and properly rustic, while other highlights might include seared Brixham scallops with curry cream, raisins and pommes gaufrettes, seafood stew or aubergine teriyaki with plancha-style Asian vegetables and sesame. You can even drop by for a plate of sirloin steak, cauliflower cheese and French fries if you’re in the mood for something old school, with tarte tatin or Bakewell tart and custard for afters. Otherwise, home in on the cheeses paraded around the relaxed but animated dining room on a perambulating butcher’s block. ‘Pleasant, efficient service’ gets a nod of approval, while the workmanlike, fairly priced international wine list (including a trio from West Country vineyards) offers plenty of decent options by the glass and carafe.
