Two hands that slowly open, a butterfly emerges, flapping its wings to fly towards the sea, shimmering in the background. A symbolic gesture, to represent the migration of Ugly Butterflyto a new location, even more spectacular than Carbis Bay, the crescent of white sand and crystal clear sea where four years ago chef Adam Handling opened his first restaurant in Cornwall, immediately becoming a foodie destination in the south west of England (followed by the gastro pub The Tartan Fox Pub in the surrounding countryside).
The dining room at Ugly Butterfly
With a turnaround of less than two weeks, Adam and his entire staff moved a little further north, to take up position inside the historic hotel The Headland, an imposing and magnificent example of Victorian architecture on a rocky cliff overlooking Fistral Bay. Open in1900, the hotel has a history worthy of a fictional series (which includes sabotage during construction and its use as a military hospital during the WWII) and then years of neglect until it was finally renovated in the 70s; Today, it is still and always one of the most famous hangout spots in the county, and continues to blend 5-star luxury with a casual setting and classic hospitality with a contemporary approach. Handling and its philosophy of 'sustainable luxury' using traceable and local products will be an excellent addition to the facility's offer, and the chef will feel right at home, we are sure.
While, like any self-respecting move, Adam and the team spent days painting walls, shuffling furniture and unpacking boxes, reservations had already been open for some time (with July 9th the official opening day), and the menu established, with some variations compared to the previous edition of Ugly Butterfly: 4 x 4, here you can have an individual tasting menu, building your own by choosing 4 dishes from those available on the main offering; guests can enjoy snacks and burgers on the terrace and of course, one can take part in the quintessential British ritual – the afternoon tea - while comfortably seated in a bright room or the breeze terrace, either with a sea view secondo to none, watching the surfers brave the ocean waves down in the bay.
Bluefin tuna, preserved truffles, elderflower
For the afternoon tea, Handling has revisited the classics using ingredients picked exclusively from the south west of England: the dishes represent a ‘journey’ through Cornwall, a celebration of its most excellent products.
For example the salmon in the eponymous sandwich is smoked in elegant St Ives (art town a little further south the coast); the other staple, cucumbers and eggs, sees the latter come from the ethical Cornhill farms (if you are looking for chickens to adopt, you're in the right place); there is also a delightful onion and Davistow cheddar cheese tartlet, and of course the scones with Rodda's curdled cream and handmade jams (remember that in Cornwall you have to spread the jam first, then the cream, it’s really important to the locals).
But the most original thing in our opinion is that even the tea served here is from Cornwall, grown in the Cornish Tregothnan Estate, the first tea plantation in the United Kingdom.
