A first look - and taste - of El Camino Mediterranean restaurant

Our timely summer reminder came courtesy of El Camino, a lovely little place on the outskirts of Stamford – less than 20 minutes drive from my Peterborough home.

It only opened late last year, bringing a little sunshine to the village of Easton on the Hill, in what many will recognise as the old Exeter Arms.

A huge change of direction, in the form of Mediterranean-inspired dishes and fine dining heralded the change of name – in Spanish it means “the way” – in this case the way to great food and hospitality.

The building has bags of character and inside with the beautiful, exposed stone walls and wooden beams retains some of its country pub charm. But there is plenty – be it the plants, the decor, the table settings – to give it a much more modern, warm and cosy feel.

And it is very spacious and comfortable too – the less formal conservatory with doors opening onto a patio suggest summer will be a particularly appealing time to visit when the sun comes out.

As far as the food is concerned there is a main Mediterranean menu plus tapas, bottomless brunch and a la carte to tease your tastebuds, packed with dishes from Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and more.

A refreshing Italian lager – Peroni – kicked things off for me, and a fruit juice for my daughter Jasmine, who chose her go-to starter – the calamari fritti – served with a tartar sauce and a splash of balsamic. The best she has ever had, in her words, with high praise for the batter especially (they were extremely good to be fair).

I was recommended the garides saganaki, a house speciality, and boy am I glad.

From the Greek island of Santorini, apparently, a serving of king prawns in a lightly spiced tomato sauce (a description that doesn't do it justice) with crumbled feta cheese of top.

Mouth-watering – and the bowl of fresh, crunchy bread was a terrific touch for mopping up all that delicious sauce.

Jasmine was delighted with her main course – a cheesy in the extreme margherita pizza. And what she couldn’t finish went home in a box.

For me, the exotically named espetada de Madeirense – a typical dish from Madeira. Served on a skewer, perfectly cooked, melt-in-the-mouth pieces of sirloin, marinated in garlic and bayleaves, served with baby potatoes marinated in olive oil and garlic, with a nice dash of salt and a serving of green beans.

An absolute joy of a dish.

The food, setting, service and not to mention the background music, took us out of dreary middle England to sunnier climes if only for an hour or so.

Brad was dining at El Camino Mediterranean and Fine Dining Restaurant, Easton on the Hill, Stamford, www.elcaminostamford.co.uk (01780 723862)