The Dining Room at Saunton Sands Hotel welcomes new head chef Mathias Oberg and gets a makeover as a classic brasserie with grills and thrills, discovers Jo Rees

The setting at Saunton Sands Hotel is really quite incredible. Bag yourself a window seat inside or sit out on the terrace and it would be impossible to deny it’s world class. But until now the restaurant has been a bit of a secret, operating mostly for residents.

To entice the local crowd, it’s been reworked as an open-all-day polished brasserie, with an impressive new chef to deliver a classic, crowd-pleasing menu that throws out the fine dining in favour of a new, more relaxed style of supper.

VISIT FOR a fresh new menu for summer which includes Lundy lobster with thermidor butter, watercress and apple salad, alongside steaks from the char grill and British favourites such as Dover sole and calves’ liver. Then in September visit to experience Oberg’s own menus.

DON’T VISIT for weird and wonderful or multi-element dishes; this is more comfort food with style – think dauphinoise potatoes in individual pots and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese.

WE LIKED the côte de boeuf for two on a wooden board with onion rings, green beans and truffle jus, as well as the inclusion of some interesting vegetarian options.