Brassica
Beaminster, Dorset
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Cass Titcombe and Louise Chidgey’s little eatery ‘has lifted Beaminster from forgotten Dorset village to design hot spot,’ enthused one visitor. Louise is behind the beautiful, offbeat look of the place – a riot of colour that brings together striking food-themed artworks, stripey napkins, painted furniture and a mishmash of cushions. It’s a natural but captivating backdrop that chimes perfectly with Cass’s simply served, high-spec seasonal cooking. Brunch and lunch are the main events here, and the menu keeps things tight while making the most of carefully sourced produce (much of it organic). Mediterranean flavours dominate many of the dishes, from nibbles of ‘quick-prove’ focaccia with aïoli or ‘barely grilled’ friggitelli peppers to a superb, crisp and light hazelnut and caramel doughnut with two big balls of proper vanilla ice cream, all draped in thick caramel sauce. In between, a dish of super-rich (mostly brown) Portland crabmeat piled on blanched sea kale with chunks of pickled cucumber was a generous, ingredients-led plateful, while the pick of the mains was a roasted pork chop with loads of crispy fat and just-pink flesh, accompanied by pickled cabbage, rocket and a heap of caper, mustard and herb butter – plus a ‘big pile of sour-fresh salad’ on the side. Three evenings a week, Brassica opens for more ambitious suppers, where you might be treated to the likes of celeriac confit with hazelnuts and pickled celery, followed by grilled cod fillet with agretti, piquillo peppers and chickpeas. Service is just right – enthusiastic, smiling, efficient and casual, but knowledgeable too. A modest all-European wine list kicks off with Spanish house selections at £25.
