The Seahorse Restaurant — Restaurant in South Hams

My birthday dinner at The Seahorse, a restaurant raved by locals for its seafood with an Italian inflection, was a mixed experience. Not sure I should trust locals’ recommendations from this part of the world.

While the staff's service was nothing short of impeccable, the execution of the dishes regrettably didn't meet the same high standard.

For a starter, the oven scallops with white port and garlic were conceptually sound, but the final dish was surprisingly one-dimensional. The expected complexity from the aromatics was absent, and the overall flavor profile felt muted. The crab tagliatelle was the most disappointing plate of the evening. As a lover of coastal Italian cooking, I've always considered a crab pasta to be a true litmus test. This version was visually clean, but it lacked a foundational depth of flavor. The absence of a rich crab essence was a critical flaw, and the basil and pepperoncini offered no discernible contribution to the dish’s character. The cod loin, however, showcased excellent technique. The fish was pristine and cooked flawlessly. Unfortunately, the dish's overall composition felt disjointed. The supporting ingredients, such as the mushrooms and mussels, didn't create a cohesive harmony and failed to elevate the cod's delicate flavor. Regarding the sides, the courgette fritti was notably oversalted, which created an unexpected and jarring palate shock when paired with the mains. In contrast, the rosemary and garlic potatoes were a well-executed side, with the aromatics complementing the potatoes beautifully, adding a welcome layer of flavor. Ultimately, the food felt like a perfunctory execution rather than a passionate creation.

The dishes lacked the layered and robust flavors that define exceptional Italian-inspired cuisine, leaving the impression of a missed opportunity to truly celebrate the quality of their ingredients.

Overall, I would not dine here again nor recommend it to anyone. A well travelled individual would identify very quickly that the dishes are...

Tl:Dr version... Amazing food, generous portions, great value and lovely staff in an attractive restaurant, faultless meal.

Had a really outstanding time here yesterday, stopped off pretty much at random and it turned out to be the best random choice of the day.

The restaurant itself is fun to find as the outdoor seating and the main frontage is on the riverfront, but the entrance is up a nearby side street and through Joe's Bar which gave off mini-Cheers vibes. It's like the opposite of an escape room where a worthy prize awaits you after getting in.

We'd already decided on the set Lunch Menu (the Italian style Menu Di Giorno) which was only £25 for three courses... And wow, the courses.

After a short wait nibbling on the free still-warm foccacia and anchoiade (both made in house) the starters were coze a vapore, a large bowl of well-sized mussels in a lovely vermentino wine and bay sauce.

Next up was fresh gurnard cooked over fire with pepperonata and served with haricot beans braised in olive oil di Collenna & sage. The fish was absolutely perfectly cooked with a crispy skin and flaked apart almost addictively. We also ordered the insalata di pomodoro side which was lovely, tomatoes off the vine (we saw them pre-prep as we came through from Joe's Bar) with white onion and capers.

Finally a tiramisu that was... Well, creamy, boozy, chocolaty, coffee-flavoured loveliness.

Oh then finally, FINALLY... Some fritole or Venetian donuts to nibble when getting the bill.

Honestly nothing to fault, from the restaurant decor and ambience itself to the lovely, friendly and attentive (but not overly so) waiting team via a generous and gorgeous menu that was amazing value for the experience.

Now just have to plot a return to Dartmouth for another Menu do Giorno (12-5 Tue-Sat if you're interested) or splash on an...

We had really high expectations of the Seahorse but unfortunately were left feeling disappointed. The night didn't get off to a good start as the couple sat next to us were really unhappy with their food and we overheard they were given their entire bill on the house. We ordered a starter each and a main each with a selection of sides. The food was really hit or miss. The scallop starter still had grit and I suspected the scallops were slightly underdone as they were translucent and a bit chewy. The braised beef/lamb tongue dish however was superb! For mains I had the lobster spaghetti. Again, the seafood was not amazing and the whole dish had an odd metallic taste which made me feel a bit nauseous. My partner had the John Dory, which thankfully was really fresh and perfectly cooked. Sides of the courgette fritti were very tasty but the potatoes with seaweed butter were bland and could've been served as plain boiled potatoes and we'd not have known the difference. We skipped dessert as overall we were only pleased with half of the food and didn't want to risk forking out for average desserts. Lastly, I had asked whether a non alcoholic mocktail could be made for me (as I'm pregnant). The waiter was initially hesitant to ask the bar and soon returned saying that it wouldn't be possible. For the price you're paying at the Seahorse and the fact they have their own bar, I felt that was quite unaccommodating. All in all it felt overpriced for such a hit and miss experience. We didn't bother to air our concerns due to the scene we'd witnessed with the table next to us and not wanting to appear to be jumping on the wagon. It's a beautiful restaurant but we wouldn't return based on...