Staying over in Padstow for a few days, for sure there will be one or two fine dining adventures, but outside of those, you always hope to find a different kind of restaurant, a more casual place to sit, eat and relax at those other times, somewhere to park yourself after a walk, a cheeky afternoon chocolate brownie perhaps or a dinner that you can enjoy without breaking the bank and without dressing up for. For us, on our visit to Padstow, that place rapidly became Rojano's in the Square.
Rojano's in the Square is, as the restaurant's own website describes, 'an Italian influenced family restaurant' and has been serving food in Padstow for almost 40 years under the Rojano's banner. However, in 2010 Rojano's changed ownership, with the new owners being the same team behind the now Michelin starred Number 6 Restaurant round the corner, Paul Ainsworth and his business partner Derek Mapp.
While Paul and Derek kept what was essential about Rojano's character, its ethos, the Italian heritage and the sheer friendliness of the place, they did however change a few things. In March 2011, Rojano's was remodelled giving the place everything from a grazing bar to outside heating to an allotment. It provides Rojano's a great look, contemporary, accessible and smart. Second, Paul of course took over his food ethos and if you are unaware of Paul's background, he trained under Gordon Ramsay back in the day when Gordon was in the kitchen and having got to know Paul a little over recent years, we can say with certainty he really is a remarkable chef. He is also massive on ingredients (hence the importance of Rojano's having its own allotment) and that means you can have real confidence in the produce you're eating: fish for example will be straight from the Cornish day boats, it doesn't get any better than that. Third, he's put his own team of people into the restaurant. Accordingly, heading up Rojano's as General Manager is, Paul Dodd (@Paul_Dodd14), a colleague of Paul Ainsworth from the Ramsay days, brought in especially for the role because Paul D shares Paul A's values around food and service. The formula is a winning recipe.
The menu is what you would expect from a casual Italian eatery: antipasti, salads, secondi from the grill, pasta, pizza and a few extras on top of all that also. And what really puts a smile on your face, above and beyond the welcome you receive from the staff, is that from the first moment, the food is so so good, and that's not just the star items on the menu, but even the more humble nibbles like the tomato bread. The tomato bread here offers a plump yeasty and doughy base topped with an intense vibrant pomodoro sauce that really does take your taste buds on a journey to Italy rather than those oh so poor relations served elsewhere offering nothing more than a thin crust pizza base with a smear of tomato paste from a tube.
Ingredients matter and if you still haven't got that, by the time the 'Italian Charcuterie Plank' arrives, you will be left in no doubt. Parma ham, bresaola, salami milano, spinata calabrese and salami napoli ought to be enough delights but throw on for good measure a cheese fondue, porcini relish, pickles, olives and rosemary toats and as you address the plate you wonder where do I begin? We know where you end: with an empty plate. It's a platter like this where the importance of food to the owner, not just the bottom line, makes itself felt and the quality of the meats has already made this a firm favourite of ours. Bruschetta is similarly lifted by the quality of ingredients and the perfect level of toasting on the sourdough base.
In the menu there is a section called 'Paul's Favourites' (being Paul A) and Calzone beef ragu, spicy sausage, mascarpone, roquito peppers, red onion, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes is one of the featured dishes. I had it on a previous occasion and it's amazing, with everything working in what Paul beautifully describes as a cross between a pizza and a Cornish pasty making it accessible to all. We were also so tempted by the Burger Italiano with a Cornish beef pattie and Cornish blue cheese but felt we should stick closer to the Italian ethos and a bowl of Linguine Alla Carbonara Con Salsiccia (Meatballs, smoked bacon, free range egg, Parmesan and fresh parsley) is we're told a recipe that Paul brought back from a trip to Italy, though the pasta itself is made by Rustichella D'Abruzzo in the traditional style including 40-60 slow drying. On a night out to your neighbourhood Italian, it's exactly the type of creamy comfort pasta bowl you want to eat. No surprise there's little room for dessert, but no surprise we had some anyway: not only is the chocolate brownie fabulous {tried on two occasions to check the fact :)} but the coconut ice cream is knockout while a tiramisu and a panna cotta have been combined to make a tiracotta, or is it pannamisu? Either way, it's a lovely sweet end to what is a great night out, or afternoon in.
One doesn't really go to Padstow expecting to find a first class neighbourhood Italian, but here it is anyway. Readers of our blog will know we are big fans of Paul Ainsworth and his team, but we are fans precisely because he cares so much about his food and his customers, and that is exactly what the ethos of Rojano's in the Square is about. Family friendly, there's even a bambini menu, Rojano's ticks so many boxes. For us, it ticks the box of where we like to hang out in Padstow when we want relax with delicious comfort food and friendly service. Another reason to return to Cornwall.
Rojano's in the Square is, as the restaurant's own website describes, 'an Italian influenced family restaurant' and has been serving food in Padstow for almost 40 years under the Rojano's banner. However, in 2010 Rojano's changed ownership, with the new owners being the same team behind the now Michelin starred Number 6 Restaurant round the corner, Paul Ainsworth and his business partner Derek Mapp.
While Paul and Derek kept what was essential about Rojano's character, its ethos, the Italian heritage and the sheer friendliness of the place, they did however change a few things. In March 2011, Rojano's was remodelled giving the place everything from a grazing bar to outside heating to an allotment. It provides Rojano's a great look, contemporary, accessible and smart. Second, Paul of course took over his food ethos and if you are unaware of Paul's background, he trained under Gordon Ramsay back in the day when Gordon was in the kitchen and having got to know Paul a little over recent years, we can say with certainty he really is a remarkable chef. He is also massive on ingredients (hence the importance of Rojano's having its own allotment) and that means you can have real confidence in the produce you're eating: fish for example will be straight from the Cornish day boats, it doesn't get any better than that. Third, he's put his own team of people into the restaurant. Accordingly, heading up Rojano's as General Manager is, Paul Dodd (@Paul_Dodd14), a colleague of Paul Ainsworth from the Ramsay days, brought in especially for the role because Paul D shares Paul A's values around food and service. The formula is a winning recipe.
The menu is what you would expect from a casual Italian eatery: antipasti, salads, secondi from the grill, pasta, pizza and a few extras on top of all that also. And what really puts a smile on your face, above and beyond the welcome you receive from the staff, is that from the first moment, the food is so so good, and that's not just the star items on the menu, but even the more humble nibbles like the tomato bread. The tomato bread here offers a plump yeasty and doughy base topped with an intense vibrant pomodoro sauce that really does take your taste buds on a journey to Italy rather than those oh so poor relations served elsewhere offering nothing more than a thin crust pizza base with a smear of tomato paste from a tube.
Ingredients matter and if you still haven't got that, by the time the 'Italian Charcuterie Plank' arrives, you will be left in no doubt. Parma ham, bresaola, salami milano, spinata calabrese and salami napoli ought to be enough delights but throw on for good measure a cheese fondue, porcini relish, pickles, olives and rosemary toats and as you address the plate you wonder where do I begin? We know where you end: with an empty plate. It's a platter like this where the importance of food to the owner, not just the bottom line, makes itself felt and the quality of the meats has already made this a firm favourite of ours. Bruschetta is similarly lifted by the quality of ingredients and the perfect level of toasting on the sourdough base.
In the menu there is a section called 'Paul's Favourites' (being Paul A) and Calzone beef ragu, spicy sausage, mascarpone, roquito peppers, red onion, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes is one of the featured dishes. I had it on a previous occasion and it's amazing, with everything working in what Paul beautifully describes as a cross between a pizza and a Cornish pasty making it accessible to all. We were also so tempted by the Burger Italiano with a Cornish beef pattie and Cornish blue cheese but felt we should stick closer to the Italian ethos and a bowl of Linguine Alla Carbonara Con Salsiccia (Meatballs, smoked bacon, free range egg, Parmesan and fresh parsley) is we're told a recipe that Paul brought back from a trip to Italy, though the pasta itself is made by Rustichella D'Abruzzo in the traditional style including 40-60 slow drying. On a night out to your neighbourhood Italian, it's exactly the type of creamy comfort pasta bowl you want to eat. No surprise there's little room for dessert, but no surprise we had some anyway: not only is the chocolate brownie fabulous {tried on two occasions to check the fact :)} but the coconut ice cream is knockout while a tiramisu and a panna cotta have been combined to make a tiracotta, or is it pannamisu? Either way, it's a lovely sweet end to what is a great night out, or afternoon in.
One doesn't really go to Padstow expecting to find a first class neighbourhood Italian, but here it is anyway. Readers of our blog will know we are big fans of Paul Ainsworth and his team, but we are fans precisely because he cares so much about his food and his customers, and that is exactly what the ethos of Rojano's in the Square is about. Family friendly, there's even a bambini menu, Rojano's ticks so many boxes. For us, it ticks the box of where we like to hang out in Padstow when we want relax with delicious comfort food and friendly service. Another reason to return to Cornwall.
Tomato bread
Italian Charcuterie Plank
Minestrone soup
Bruschetta
Fish/bubble&squeak
Insalata al prosciutto di Parma
Linguine alla carbonara con salsiccia
Chocolate brownie, coconut ice cream
Panna cotta/tiramisu
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