I didn't know of The Masons Arms in Devon before my trip, but as soon as I looked at their website, I knew I wanted to eat there. The reason? Owner and chef Mark Dodson was the Head Chef at The Waterside Inn for 12 years. Now, as Michelin watchers will surely know, The Waterside Inn has held 3 Michelin stars for 26 years which means that Mark was Head Chef for effectively half of Waterside's most decorated period.
Mark took over The Masons Arms in 2005 and achieved a Michelin star in 2006. Over time the menu has evolved and the food is currently both refined and smart, but with a certain homeliness to it. And Mark's Waterside heritage is clearly evident on the plate, which, as fans of the Inn, we find it simply fabulous.
And as these restaurants tend to be, it's a family affair, with front of house run by Mark's wife Sarah who was absolutely charming throughout and the perfect person for the job despite coming from a very different line of business ahead of this venture. I felt very welcome throughout.
The Masons Arms is also the village pub in Knowstone, sadly a village with a dwindling population, standing currently at just 220 people apparently. As the only pub in the village, it does mean that you can get a good pint of beer at The Masons Arms also, and I enjoyed sitting in front of their real fire (sadly necessary in October) both before and after the meal. Prices throughout are reasonable and an after dinner whisky that cost me £4.50 a measure at the pub was being sold at £14.50 in a restaurant I visited later in my trip.
Mark took over The Masons Arms in 2005 and achieved a Michelin star in 2006. Over time the menu has evolved and the food is currently both refined and smart, but with a certain homeliness to it. And Mark's Waterside heritage is clearly evident on the plate, which, as fans of the Inn, we find it simply fabulous.
And as these restaurants tend to be, it's a family affair, with front of house run by Mark's wife Sarah who was absolutely charming throughout and the perfect person for the job despite coming from a very different line of business ahead of this venture. I felt very welcome throughout.
The Masons Arms is also the village pub in Knowstone, sadly a village with a dwindling population, standing currently at just 220 people apparently. As the only pub in the village, it does mean that you can get a good pint of beer at The Masons Arms also, and I enjoyed sitting in front of their real fire (sadly necessary in October) both before and after the meal. Prices throughout are reasonable and an after dinner whisky that cost me £4.50 a measure at the pub was being sold at £14.50 in a restaurant I visited later in my trip.
Menu wise, as a local country pub, they seek (I guess) to be inclusive with starters ranging from tomato and red pepper soup to breast of pigeon with curried sprout purée I opted for the duck liver parfait with smoked duck salad and cranberries. The parfait was divine, really as good as parfait gets, as light as air but still packing flavour; the cranberries were a nice touch and the smoked duck meat, aside of being perfect in its own right, added some body to the plate lest that air light parfait leaves you wanting a little more substance.
Duck liver parfait and smoked duck salad with cranberries
In a short while, the whole range of game will come on to the menu at The Masons Arms when they'll have a separate game menu, though currently it is still a little early in the season. There's pork roulade that has become something of a signature dish and locals simply wont let him take it off the menu, there's beef, chicken and sea bass. I opt however for the duo of brill with potato crust and scallops with salmon mousse sausage, cider cream sauce. This is, as already alluded to, perfectly executed with a great range of tastes and textures from the potato crusted crunch of the brill to the super smooth salmon sausage. The mashed potato, in the French way, must have been equal parts butter so tasting as it exactly how it should, divine! This dish was a beautifully refined taste of the sea.
duo of brill with potato crust and scallops with salmon mousse sausage, cider cream sauce
There's much that's tempting on dessert including a milk chocolate parfait as well as a dark chocolate and peanut fondant. Variety prevails however and I choose the aniseed parfait with blackcurrant coulis and caraway biscuit. It's a lovely dessert though perhaps ultimately a little short on the excitement factor, but overall, I'm full and delighted.
aniseed parfait with blackcurrant coulis and caraway biscuit
not your average ceiling
Chef Mark Dodson
It's the same idea at The Masons Arms that I discussed in The Pony & Trap post previously, here we have a country pub connected to its community, both farming and people, headed up by a chef who is beyond reproach for his skill in the kitchen. It makes for a wonderful, satisfying and accomplished experience and Sarah's front of house contribution combines with the food to round out a wonderful time. Talking to the folk at the table next to me, they too were immeasurably impressed with all that they had eaten.
We didn't know Mark before today but with his background, he is in a small and elite band of head chefs of the Waterside, a group that that includes industry titans like as Pierre Koffmann. As such, there was no mistaking the great culinary skill on offer at The Masons Arms so it was a delight to meet Mark and overall, an absolute pleasure to eat his food.
Visit The Masons Arms website
Previously I visited: The Pony and Trap, Chew Magna
Next stop: Driftwood
The Masons Arms location map
We didn't know Mark before today but with his background, he is in a small and elite band of head chefs of the Waterside, a group that that includes industry titans like as Pierre Koffmann. As such, there was no mistaking the great culinary skill on offer at The Masons Arms so it was a delight to meet Mark and overall, an absolute pleasure to eat his food.
Visit The Masons Arms website
Previously I visited: The Pony and Trap, Chew Magna
Next stop: Driftwood
The Masons Arms location map
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