#anyways I recommend the crab bisque from the lounge

[nrc-confessions]

As someone also from Octavinelle, it only smells like fish after

1. Long work days at mostro since we work with them a lot

Or

2. After breaks (people return from home smelling like the ocean and stuff, not totally fish)

It’s really only the first 1 tbh very rarely do people smell ‘fishy’ after break like you said it’s more that ocean smell 🤷

[missguomeiyun]

❆ SEATTLE (ep3): dinner @ Noi

Our 1st meal in Seattle~

Noi Thai Cuisine, located at: 1303 1st Ave.

The interior was VERY dark! We quickly realized that Noi was more like a pub/lounge type of place. They are family-friendly; however, the atmosphere screamed date night or catch-up sesh with friends type of place.

Got a table by the window, facing The Harbour Steps.

Loved these lights!

Let’s take a look at the dinner menu (we happened to just miss the happy hr menu).

oooooOOh interesting.

I know the menu text is too small for you to actually read, but I still included them here so you can get a sense of how ‘fancy’ they are haha the pictures are all coloured & the menu paper is nice & glossy.

They have a very good description of what each dish is underneath the name of the dish.

Honestly, the menu was more like a food magazine than a menu :P

Look at that curry photo

Menu continues. ..

If you can’t tell by now, they are a fusion Thai restaurant.

*me thinking: “where is the pad thai?” *

Ahh. .. finally entering the noodle/rice section.

This is probably the section that was most familiar to me.

Noi also offers a number of vegetarian dishes.

We ordered our food & it came out pretty fast, despite the place being very busy!

The appetizer sampler~ Not gonna lie, DL & I were both intrigued by the ‘egg shell presentation’ lol but we also wanted to try other appetizers so the sampler was the best option. Let’s take a look at each part individually.

A. Crab wontons. Super crispy & filled with *real* crab meat (& cream cheese). The filling was creamy but had thin bits of crab meat.

B. Thai-style shrimp cakes. I’m a loyal fish cake girl so this shrimp cake . .. I was quite indifferent abut it. I was imagining something like the shrimp-stuffed bell peppers or eggplants that you could get at dimsum, where the shrimp is bouncy. But this fell short of that- there was a mushiness to it bcos the shrimp paste was made into some sort of paste/batter, rather than a primarily-shrimp paste. Does that make sense? Anyway, I though it’d be pure shrimp but it wasn’t, & I felt a little cheated.

C. Crispy taro rolls. This was better than expected. I thought it only had taro inside but it had some shrimp or prawn mixed in it as well!

D. Cock-A-Doodle-Doo. (Negligible) hint of spiciness from the tom yum bisque with deep fried prawn (bits) & tobiko. Sooooo sooo creamy mixed with crunchy & ‘popping’ textures. This was very satisfying from a textural perspective.

Of the 4 items, my order of preference: C > D > A > B.

Honestly opinion about the 4 items in general. .. I didn’t really get much “Thai” flavour in any of the 4 items :S I feel like these things could be ordered from any western restaurant, especially with more & more western pub/lounge places offering Asian-inspired appetizers/flavours. Wonderful presentation but altogether, not bad, but not great. I would recommend getting the Cock-A-Doodle-Doo on its own if you were to come here. It is different & I think it’s worth a try!

Original Tom Kah Gai. “This soup feature chicken, straw mushroom caps, lemongrass, spring onions, cilantro and enticing taste of galangal roots infused with coconut milk.” (copied directly from website)

From our personal Thai cuisine experiences, we have not seen/heard of this milky soup, so we decided to try it. The appearance looked so creamy & harmless, but this soup actually had quite a sharp flavour to it! Nevermind the ingredients used (nothing spectacular about it) but the soup was like WOWWW! Very citrus-y & strong lemongrass flavour will hit you first, & then it fades, & that’s when the subtle coconut flavour comes out. I really liked it!

Clay Pot Crab with Glass Noodles. (they say glass noodles but it’s the thin clear vermicelli noodles that you often find in spring rolls, aka cellophane noodles, not the stuff you use for japchae)

“A century old Thai favorite dish includes a combination of spiced crab, bacon, ginger, cilantro, white pepper on top of stir-fried glass noodle with our delicious homemade sauce.” The sauce was too zesty-spicy for me, so I actually didn’t eat the noodles with the sauce, but others might like it. I wasn’t a big fan of this dish; flavour was good (but did not scream “Thai” to me.. . honestly, it was just like a stir-fry that one could make at home using soy sauce + fish sauce), & abundant crab meat (more than I had expected!)... the biggest concern was the noodles =/ it was stiff! You know when you cook noodles sometimes & then it cools .. . & then it becomes dry & takes the form of the bowl? Well, this was like that. The noodles weren’t loose; it was stuck together. You literally needed to CUT a section out bcos using fork/chopsticks to take some was nearly impossible (you’d be taking out all the noodles with you). I was disappointed by this.. .

So yeah. .. ummm .. lol not the best 1st meal. However, the soup was very delicious & enjoyable!

Fun fact: they are a popular stopover spot for Thai Airways crew!

[vevivos]

The last time we visited Soar Mill Cove, it was a very different experience for us. Grace was 8 years old and, as a result, we were able to do things a little bit differently. Meals were a bit quieter and we had a little more free rein to do what we wanted.

This time around, we able to look at our stay from a different angle. Taking a small child away isn’t really a holiday. A break from the old routine is though – and the staff and accommodation at Soar Mill Cove, a luxury hotel in Devon, take all of this into account.

Family Friendly Rooms at Soar Mill Cove Hotel 

We were appointed the Makepeace Suite. It felt like quite an honour to have the room which had the name of the proprietors on it. We were impressed by the layout and amount of space we had. As you entered, there was a long hallway which stretched out to your left and directly in front of you was the children’s bedroom which had two single beds and a cotbed in the corner.

As you walked down the hallway, there were two large walk-in cupboards on your right which contained extra pillows and blankets and a safe. The next door on your right was a large bathroom and ahead of you was the main bedroom with a large Queensized bed, a coffee table with a bowl of fruit, sofa (which I believe was also a bed), a dressing table and high unit which had tea and coffee making facilities on the top of it (sensibly out of small fingers reach!). There was also a wall-mounted television and patio doors which took you onto your own private section of the gardens with patio furniture and a couple of loungers.

Take a look at my Facebook Live video to see the layout in full:

Or watch our video to take a full look around the hotel:

Dining with Children at Soar Mill Cove

Despite the fact that Soar Mill Cove have two AA Culinary Excellence rosettes, they are extremely accommodating of families and small children in their restaurant.

You can choose for your children to have high tea in the cafe between 5 and 6pm or children can eat in the restaurant from 6pm and choose 2 courses from the menu if dinner is inclusive.  Children under 14 are not allowed in the restaurant after 8.45pm.

We opted to eat at 6.30pm both evenings. It was a little drawn out for Rex but we managed to keep him going and, because we were out of our normal routine anyway, he didn’t seem to mind.

The Food

I can distinctly recall the food from last time around – because it was so good. They didn’t disappoint this time either. There is a supplement for some items on the menu and, because I wanted to try the scallops, I opted to pay that on the second night.

Here are some of the dishes which we all tried.

Jens Gin gravlax with dill, horseradish cream and baby capers on toasted sourdough

Crab bisque with brandy and tarragon and gruyere toast

Salcombe Scallops Pan roasted with slow cooked pork belly, parsnip puree and parsnip crisps

English Asparagus with Parma Ham and Hollandaise Sauce

Handpicked Salcombe cracked crab claw linguini with chili, parsley and lemon

Cornish hake with parmesan and herb crunch, spring onion creamed potatoes, £23.00 rainbow chard and white wine butter sauce

Braised ox cheek with potato puree, shallots, bacon, honey roasted heritage carrots and red wine jus

Confit leg of Creedy Carver duckling, baby kalettes, gratin dauphinoise, caramelised apple and mixed peppercorn sauce

Fillet of Pork Tenderloin wrapped in Pancetta with Apples, Black Pudding, Peppercorn Sauce and Gratin Dauphinoise

Devonshire sausages with mashed potatoes and gravy (Childrens Menu)

Fish Goujons with chips and peas (Childrens Menu)

Sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla bean ice cream

Sharp Lemon Tart with Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

Rich chocolate tart with pistachio ice cream, mascarpone cream and chocolate sauce

Strawberry and raspberry pavlova, first created by the original Mrs Makepeace, a trained pastry Chef, for Audrey Hepburn

I have to admit that I did find all the food quite pricey. It is a 2 rosette AA restaurant but I felt that they could have been a little more thoughtful with the children’s menu where the main courses were £12 each.

Breakfast

Breakfast was a leisurely affair. There were plenty of juices, cereal, toast and warm croissants on offer with homemade marmalade and jam. You could also order a full Devonshire breakfast, a Veggie breakfast, smoked kippers or mackerel as well as a bacon or sausage sandwich and boiled egg and soldiers.

Other Facilities

When we visited, it was sunny on the first day and then a bit overcast on the second and third days. However, there is plenty to do at Soar Mill Cove, whatever the weather.

Firstly there is a games room and play area neatly tucked away at the back of the hotel near the car park. I say play area, there is only a little slide and outdoor playset for children. There is also a hut housing a pool table, box of Duplo bricks and a dartboard. Definitely somewhere to hang out on a rainy day.

There is a great indoor pool for the whole family to use, complete with non-slip mats around the edge. You are provided with towels in your room especially for the pool so no need to use your room or beach towels. Connected to the pool is a Beauty Spa. I was supposed to review some treatments but, alas, this wasn’t to be. Soar Mill Cove sound like they have had their fair share of bad luck with therapists. A new one was due to start just after we left so I do hope it is working out for them.

There is also an outdoor tennis court and small children’s playground adjacent to the hotel as well as plenty of outside space to run around in.

On top of this, there is a lovely large lounge which holds books, magazines, a chess board and a number of other board games.

Extra Touches

There are many little extra touches to be found at Soar Mill Cove. On arrival you are given a voucher for a cream tea which Ross, Grace, Rex and I took in the lounge once we had settled in. It was a very relaxing place to sit and look at the beautiful view. Once we had finished, Grace and Ross had a game of chess whilst I pushed Rex around in his pushchair (hoping he would have a sleep!).

Cream tea with a seaview here at @soarmillcovehotel and already feeling very at home being back here

A post shared by Victoria Welton (UK Blogger) (@vicwelton) on Jun 9, 2018 at 7:48am PDT

If you have a dog (or dogs), they can also holiday at Soar Mill Cove. All you need to do is ask for a dog-friendly room.

There are tea and coffee making facilities in the room but you have access to fresh milk which is put out on reception every evening.

There is a free DVD library with plenty of films available.

Things to Do in the Local Area

Staying at Soar Mill Cove means that you have plenty of activities on your doorstep. Whilst we were there we paid a visit to the National Marine Aquarium which was just an hours drive away in Plymouth.

Attending the shark talk at @nationalmarineaquarium Spot the shark, stingrays and turtle!

A post shared by Victoria Welton (UK Blogger) (@vicwelton) on Jun 10, 2018 at 3:03am PDT

There is also the local seaside town of Salcombe, where you can take the South Sands Ferry and, on arrival at South Sands Beach, you will be met by the famous ‘sea tractor’ which travels out in the water to greet you.

Soar Mill Cove is also situated on the beautiful SW Coast path. It is quite a trek down to the Cove from the hotel so we didn’t do it this time. We highly recommend it though. There are plenty of maps and details about local walks in your room.

If you are going on a day trip, you are also able to order picnics in advance. Starting at £15 per person , we couldn’t really justify the expense – but great if you want to push the boat out (possibly, literally!) for a special occasion.

For more details of what is local then take a look at the Soar Mill Cove website.

Regular Visitors

During our last stay I spoke to a man who was a regular. This time around I did the same with another by the name of John. He and his extended family all arrange regularly to meet up at the Cove. Their last night was our first. We first spoke to him whilst we were having our cream tea in the lounge and he was full of praise for the property and staff.  He and his family also sat next to us at dinner and all of them were clearly enjoying themselves. It is heartening to see that Soar Mill Cove is so loved by so many.

Why Visit?

There is such a sense of ‘family’ when you walk through the door at Soar Mill Cove. They clearly have longevity with their staff which, to me, is always a good sign. It says something when the pot-washer has worked his way up to hotel manager.

The staff are all friendly and welcoming and make sure you feel comfortable. The location is clean and tidy and you never feel that the children should be seen and not heard.

It isn’t easy to balance luxury with family when it comes to hotel stays – but I am pleased to say that I believe Soar Mill Cove have got it just right.

Soar Mill Cove still have rooms available during the summer holidays. For more details, please visit the Soar Mill Cove Hotel website. Soar Mill Cove Hotel are also on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

We were provided with a two-night stay at Soar Mill Cove Hotel in Devon in return for this review. Please note that all words, images and opinions have been formed by the owner of this blog and have not been influenced in any way. Please do not reproduce any of the content or images on this post without prior agreement from Verily Victoria Vocalises.

  A Family Stay at Soar Mill Cove, a Luxury Hotel in Devon The last time we visited Soar Mill Cove, it was a very different experience for us. Grace was 8 years old and, as a result, we were able to do things a little bit differently.