Cranks, Dartington: Tasty New Winter Menu

I went to Dartington shops last week (near Totnes in South Devon) and whilst there went to Cranks.  It is a vegetarian restaurant (I am fully carnivorous) but I like the fact that this cafe is dependable, reasonably-priced, homely and comfortable. Oh and it's warm.  I like a place that I don't have to keep my coat on!

They have got a new winter menu, which is very appealing and we sampled two items from that.  There was a very tempting parsnip, apple and cashew nut burger but I went for the lasagne.

My companion had the Seasonal (Leek and Cheese) Tart (with salad) (£8.35) and I had the Vegetable Lasagne (£8.35) with loads of different homemade salads.  I particularly liked the fact that none of these contained mayonnaise.  Mayonnaise is a pet hate of mine.  My companion said that the tart was very tasty - it certainly looked good.  The lasagne was really good too - the accompanying salad was fresh and there was lots of it. I liked the fact there was a mixture of salad, beans, grains and a fresh coleslaw.  A large salad on its own is £6.10.

There is a self-service bar which you slide your tray along, where you can see the food - I realise that the food is made earlier in the day, and is not cooked to order, but sometimes it is nice to be able to see something that you fancy and order it.  Yes, it is rude to point, but sometimes it gets you something really tasty!  Similarly with the accompanying salads - there were several of them in big dishes and it was possible to ask the serving staff for a 'mixture of all of them' as I did, or you could pick and choose as you preferred.

Overall, the service was very good, the food was excellent and we enjoyed our lunch very much.  My only quibbles would be that the pasta in the lasagne was very soft - my personal preference is for it to be a bit firmer, but that's just me.  It is a great place to take a well-earned break from the shopping, but it is a good enough place that you could go
there as a destination in its own right.  I have been there many times for lunch and never been disappointed.  I've also had their cream tea which was scrummy!  I must also point out their website with some really good recipes - I once made their homity pie using Devon blue cheese, broccoli and chives and it was very good.

Dartington Ways with Words Festival, 6-16 July 2012

Ways with Words  is a literature festival that is usually just slightly off my radar.  I'm not sure why as I'm a regular visitor to Totnes, the local town next to Dartington.  I spot a leaflet or poster for the event and then forget about it.  This year I've actually got a ticket to see Ziyad Marar in a talk entitled 'Searching for Intimacy' which sounds fascinating.  It probably wouldn't have been my first choice - but so many fantastic speakers coincided with important events at my son's school or doctor's appointments!  I was rather gutted that I couldn't go to see some of the foodie speakers:  Three Hungry Boys, Tom Parker Bowles, Alex James and Monty Halls are all appearing plus Kim Sayer who'll be talking about setting up the Cornworthy allotments in Devon.

So many writers that I would love to go and see: Hilary Mantel, Siri Hustevdt, A C Grayling, Helen Dunmore, Fay Weldon, Jung Chang.....it's amazing how many great people that will be there.

Dartington Hall is a fascinating and beautiful place to visit even when there isn't a literature fest going on.  It's a not-for-profit charitable foundation with an illustrious arty past.  It now has a pub, restaurant and newly renovated hotel rooms (not so glowingly reviewed in last Saturday's Guardian by Sally Shalam.)  I'm a huge fan of the on-site Barn cinema -  small barrel shaped room showing non-Hollywood films. It sometimes turns itself into a music venue - the famous Dartington International Music School and hosted a wondeful gig last year when local band Metronomy played in the Great Hall.  We've even cycled around it with our kids.  The overall feel of the place is a little bit community country manor and a lot Oxford college with quadrangles.