A last minute decision this month saw me dining waterside at the Roseland’s latest beach front eaterie The Basking Shak at Pendower Beach. A meat feast was the featured menu for the evening, one of a calendar of themed events being held at the Shak over the summer, which have included fish and chips, Thai Curry and Mexican food to name but a few.
I visited with a friend and our children, tempted by the promise of a BBQ’d selection of the finest local red meat, poultry and game.A wooden platter was delivered to our table, overflowing with succulent steak, exceptional gourmet burgers, sausages, chicken and shredded duck, all served on a bed of red and white onions and new potatoes with bacon.
As with The Hidden Hut over at Porthcurnick Beach, The Basking Shak is ideal for hungry holiday makers hoping to grab a tasty bite. And to that end it certainly didn’t disappoint. However, I couldn’t help but feel a little confused by the overall proposition of The Basking Shak. Is it a beach café? Is it a restaurant? Is it a take away? Perhaps it is all of the above at different times of the day?
Either way, whether turning up on spec or booking in advance, if you are a first time feast-goer the process can be a little unclear.Unlike a restaurant, diners need to pay for their meals at the hatch before eating. The Basking Shak also operates a ‘bring your own’ policy on everything from cutlery and plates, to alcohol.We didn’t know this on arrival but paper plates and plastic cutlery were made available and this didn’t affect our enjoyment of the meal though so overall was not a problem, but you will need to remember to take your own if you plan on visiting. Similarly, we were not made aware of choices for drinks or desserts until we asked. Soft drinks were available as were homemade cakes, but as there were no menus on the tables so we were unaware of prices or availability of those until it was a little too late for us to indulge.
In summary, a visit to The Basking Shak is ideal if you are looking for DIY dining with good quality food and a chilled out beach vibe.For information on forthcoming events check out www.facebook.com/pages/The-Basking-Shak Feast night prices start from £7 per head for adults and £5 per head for children depending on the menu.