Torquay and Devon Holiday Blog » Taste of the West

Sunday Lunch Tradition Alive and Well at the Toorak Hotel

Nigel Beck — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:23:28 +0000

British Traditions Under Threat

Many of our British traditions are now under threat with our changing culture. Things like having elevenses, taking afternoon tea and playing conkers are all set to be consigned to the history books. However Sunday lunch, its good to know, is still one of our surviving British traditions and 81% of us still regularly enjoy a traditional Sunday lunch. According to Wikipedia there are two popular opinions as to the origins of the Sunday roast. One says that, during the industrial revolution, Yorkshire families left a cut of meat in the oven before going to church on a Sunday morning, which was then ready to eat by the time they arrived home at lunchtime. The second opinion holds that the Sunday roast dates back to medieval times, when the village serfs served the squire for six days a week. Then on the Sunday, after the morning church service, serfs would assemble in a field to practice their battle techniques and were rewarded with a feast of oxen roasted on a spit. Either way, it’s great to know that the Sunday lunch is alive and well today – and it doesn’t have to be a traditional roast.

New Sunday Lunch at the Toorak Hotel

The Toorak Hotel in Torquay, part of TLH Leisure Resort, is offering Sunday lunch once a month starting on 1st May 2011, as part of their regular food events. Nigel Beck, General Manager of the Toorak Hotel says, ” we all like to treat ourselves to Sunday lunch. There is something warm and reassuring about going out to Sunday lunch with the family; its part of our heritage” The Toorak’s Head Chef, Nick Coombes, has a reputation for serving fine food using the freshest of local ingredients. The Sunday lunch menus will offer great food at a very realistic price - 2 courses at just £12.95 pp. And you don’t have to stick to the traditional Sunday roast – vegetarian options, fish and chicken ,amongst others, are all given Nick’s special Toorak treatment.

Rather then cram yourself in to a soulless pub carvery, why not treat yourself to a proper Sunday lunch in an elegant, comfortable restaurant where you will be served in style. The Toorak’s first Sunday lunch starts on 1st May – take a look at the menu here.

Please phone 01803 400400 or email toorakreception@tlh.co.uk to book

Sunday Lunch Tradition Alive and Well at the Toorak Hotel is a post from: Torquay and Devon Holiday Blog

Fish Night supporting the Fish Fight at the Toorak Hotel, Torquay

Nigel Beck — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 10:20:13 +0000

Friday 25 February 2011

The Toorak Hotel, Torquay part of TLH Leisure Resort cares passionately about sustainable food. Having a gold award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme shows that the hotel is committed to the green issues that influence the business we run.

You will have, I am sure seen or heard Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal’s Fish Fight camapaign.

Part of the campaign centres on trying other types of fish many of which currently get returned back to the sea. Hugh says… “We need to diversify our fish eating habits, and we need to change policy so that it works for fish, fishermen and consumers.”

At the Toorak Hotel on Friday 25 February we will be featuring a special fish menu created by head chef Nick Coombes that features such fish as are supported by this campaign. It’s also a chance for you to enjoy some beautiful and maybe more unusual fish dishes too.

Click here to take a look at the menu.

For this night only we will also feature special offers on some white wines that will compliment the menu perfectly.

Places for this evening are limited so early booking is advised on 01803 400400

Please, if you haven’t already done so, sign up for Hugh’s Fish Fight by clicking the link below. It’s good to think that maybe we can make a difference!

www.fishfight.net/sign-up/

Fish Night supporting the Fish Fight at the Toorak Hotel, Torquay is a post from: Torquay and Devon Holiday Blog

Beat the January blues with 2 for 1 dining at the Grosvenor Restaurant – Toorak Hotel, Torquay

Nigel Beck — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:52:37 +0000

So here we are, a New Year upon us! All the festive preparation is all over in a trice, the kids are back to school and before you know it it’s back to the old routine!

January can be a bit flat in all honesty, we’ve started the new diet and we’re back in the gym (the Aztec gym of course) so we could do with a little treat to inspire us to stick with it all!!!

Well the Toorak Hotel is back with its 2 for 1 dining offer which makes a very affordable treat indeed and a welcome respite from the New Year Diet and those grey skies.

For just £21.95 two of you can sample our 3 course daily menu offering some very tempting dishes prepared by our award winning Head Chef – Nick Coombes. Dine in the elegance of our Grosvenor Restaurant any evening -Sunday to Thursday- through to the end of February (subject to availability).

Make it a special night out without breaking the bank.
Go on… treat your other half I am sure they deserve it!!!

Click here for sample menu…

Beat the January blues with 2 for 1 dining at the Grosvenor Restaurant – Toorak Hotel, Torquay is a post from: Torquay and Devon Holiday Blog

How to Eat Well and Save Money!

Vicky — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:08:40 +0000

The secret’s out!! The Toorak Hotel Torquay in June is a treat to behold because of their very special dining offer. Buy one and get the second meal half price is available on mid week evenings throughout June in their stylish restaurant, with food presented by award winning Head Chef Nick Coombes

Being a Taste of the West member means Nick is committed to sourcing some superb quality local ingredients – the best Devon has to offer! Some of the features on the menu are the Smoked Duck Breast, Sweet Pear and Pinenut salad for starters and how about the Sesame seed and Garlic crusted fillet of Sea Bream straight from Brixham? The diet can wait as you finish off with some ‘hard to say no to’ home-made sweets that really will delight or some local cheese from Sharphams maybe? Finish with freshly brewed coffee and home made fudge – yes please!!

If you’re a foodie then skip the summer solstice at Stonehenge and worship good food at a great price instead at the Toorak Hotel Torquay (£21.00 / 10.50) phone 01803 400400 to reserve your table.

How to Eat Well and Save Money! is a post from: Torquay and Devon Holiday Blog

Calling All Foodies

Julia — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:40:07 +0000

We have definitely become a nation of foodaholics, surrounded as we are by so many TV programmes focusing on food matters. Be it celebrity chefs appearing on ”Ready Steady Cook”, or Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and the like fronting their own programmes. And of course, how many of us are looking forward to the return of “Saint Delia” next week, in her new programme – Delia Smith’s How to Cheat at Cooking.

Our interests are much broader now, than just eating what is on our plate, as more of us are committed to wanting to use fresh, local produce to support local suppliers and cut down on food miles etc etc.

The Toorak and Carlton Hotels at TLH Leisure Resort in Torquay have picked up on this trend by offering Pick of the Crop Weekends and West Country Flavours Breaks. As well as menus which use the best of local produce, you can take a trip to a local vineyard – Old Walls Vineyard at Bishopsteignton -or tour around the local organic farm at Occombe Valley, part of the Devon Coast and Countryside Trust. There’s also a Sharpham’s cheese tasting, and of course, what visit to the West Country would be complete without sampling a traditional clotted cream tea.

Watch out too, for the next Local Food and Craft Market taking place at TLH Leisure Resort In Torquay. A couple of weeks ago on a glorious sunny February Sunday – more like the French Riviera than the English Riviera – there was a fantastic local farmers market and local gift fair. We’re hoping to put another one on in October, to coincide with the Autumn Pick of the Crop Weekend. Definitely well worth a visit, and you’ll probably be able to pick up some early gifts for Christmas when local craftspeople will be selling handmade jewellery, wooden gifts, candles, soaps and even elephant dung writing paper!

Calling All Foodies is a post from: Torquay and Devon Holiday Blog