#pauldodd

When you have a “favourite place” it’s tricky to write objectively and to avoid writing repetitively about it.

It therefore becomes easier to not write about it rather than fall into the repetitive trap however that’s not necessarily fair on the place in question.

So, at the very real risk of springing the trap, here goes with an attempt of succinctly summing up our latest visit to our favourite place (note: I’m not the best at succinct writing!)

Rojano’s in the Square - staccato tones

To say we’re regulars at Rojano’s would be a slight exaggeration (given we live 300 miles away) however, when we’re in or near Padstow then our frequency of visit does increase.

This latest visit came at the end of a brilliant Easter family break at the Bedruthan Hotel in Mawgan Porth.

As ever, as we were near Padstow, we had to book in a lunch before the journey back home.

So, to try and break this visit into manageable chunks:

The service..

We've always been impressed by how well we're looked after at Rojano's - over the years we've built up a friendship with the team there, in particular Paul the chef director who always is pleased to see us and encourages my love of food and cooking.

Paul has been incredibly generous pretty much every time we've visited and particularly when we had pre-Number 6 cocktails for Gemma's 40th last year - something that I hope he knows we don't take for granted but appreciate massively.

The service on Monday was just as high as usual, with Monika recognising us and taking us to our table without needing to ask our names - to say we only visit half a dozen times a year, that's pretty special customer care!

It's that care (that to be honest runs across all Paul Ainsworth's places in Padstow) that makes Rojano's the first booking we make for every holiday in Cornwall and makes me hashtag "home" in every social media post about the place - it's not a throwaway use of the word, it honestly feels so familiar and friendly and like we're being welcomed back like old friends or family.

The Food...

I'm not sure I often actually write about the food at Rojano's, it's usually much more about the emotional connection I get here but the food on Monday was top drawer

Chilli Harissa and Chipotle smoked nuts to nibble on before the food arrived, smokey, spicy and salty, just perfect (although would have been more perfect if I hadn't have been driving and could have had a beer!)

One of my favourite dishes next (thank you Paul) - must be one of Rojano's signature dishes by now - Sicilian arancini - gorgeous deep fried risotto balls with a brilliantly rich ragu inside and the best truffle and Madeira mayonnaise.

You have just got to order these!!

(Pics to be added later when I'm back on the Mac)

For my main, I went away from my usual choices (the pizzas are incredible and the grappa cured salmon with Caesar salad - well, I could happily eat that every day) and opted for a pasta dish.

All throughout our weekend at the Bedruthan I was craving pasta so it just had to be.

Wild mushroom linguine - roasted wild mushrooms, black truffle, garlic and spinach with just enough sherry vinegar to cut through the richness - who needs meat when a vegetarian dish (ok, except the Parmesan) tastes that good!

(Again, pics to be added later)

Rich, hearty, full of flavour but delicately balanced - pretty much spot on...

Gemma went for the capricciosa pizza (too much for her to finish) but the best Parma ham, salami, olives and anchovies on their incredible sourdough pizza base

I tried to replicate some of Rojano's pizzas last new year with my own sourdough starter and charcuterie sent up from Cornwall - they were good but not a patch on the real deal.

Mili only wanted something light so went for the Mackerel on toast - a definite favourite of hers, a great combination of the freshest mackerel, a pickled onion salsa and chargrilled sourdough - not many 13 year old's first choice I'd imagine.

Hard to sum up the quality of food at Rojano's - I've never had a bad meal or made the wrong choice and I don't eat at any other restaurant that many times a year - that kinda sums it up for me.

Absolute consistency of quality but not to the degree that it ever feels anything other than individually lovingly made (I've written a post about cooking "with love" before - you can taste it, see it and feel it in your food)

So, our latest visit to Rojano's?

As good as and better than ever.

The simple point is, you need to eat there.

And as for my post - well, not entirely sure I managed to retain any objectivity and fairly sure I've repeated comments about how good it is, but at least I had a different main course to talk about this time!!

This weekend was the first time I’ve really recognised the influence I have over my children and how they look at me for direction and inspiration.

I know that I’m food obsessed, cooking obsessed and more than slightly obsessed by a couple of chefs in Padstow. These are two people that I admire for the quality and passion that is shown with every plate of food and, probably more so, by the attention to detail and care they take to ensure every customer’s experience is totally memorable.

What I hadn’t realised is how much this has rubbed off on Mili and Archie.

This weekend was spent at the Padstow Christmas Festival (more in a subsequent blog or two), two major highlights were meals at “Rojano’s in the Square” and “Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 in Padstow”

I’ve blogged about these two restaurants before and will again, key has been the way that being there makes us feel and I’ve attributed this to the two Pauls and their care and attention.

At Rojano’s our kids love drawing pictures and taking them into the kitchen to give to Paul Dodd. I love the welcome we get, being in a pro kitchen, and, because of the feedback on tweets I post, a sense that me being in a pro kitchen isn’t totally incongruous (ok, in my mind only I know!)

During Friday night’s meal at Rojano’s both Mili and Archie were desperate to go and see Paul and got totally over excited every time they saw him in the kitchen!

It was the same at Number 6 on Saturday night too.

For the first time that we’ve been there, Paul Ainsworth was in the kitchen and seeing him through the window in the kitchen door had Archie bouncing in his seat and Mili twisting her neck as she kept trying to catch a glimpse of him.

Leaving the meat of our Number 6 experience for another blog, the end of the meal saw us all in the kitchen, meeting Paul and John and spending a not inconsiderable time in the kitchen.

Our two wrote letters to Paul, saying how much they enjoyed the meal and how good they thought he was.

Now where did they get that from?

At 10 and nearly 6 they’re hardly seasoned diners that ‘get’ the specialness of eating at a Michelin starred restaurant, clearly it’s me going on (and on) about Paul Ainsworth and Paul Dodd that has shown that I have great respect for them (I did admit on facebook that there’s a bit of a man-crush happening too and I’m not ashamed to admit it)

If I think about it, how nice is it that my beautiful children understand how important food and these experiences are to me, want to share them with me and get caught up in my excitement?

I guess I’ll be more conscious now of what they pick up on and how my enthusiasms influence them but in this case, I’m more than happy that they too seem really interested in two food heroes of mine.