Celebrity chef Rick Stein has carved out a culinary kingdom in the Cornish town of Padstow, boasting an array of businesses that cater to all tastes, from Michelin-star dining to a humble plate of fish and chips.

Nestled comfortably within this spectrum is Rick Stein’s Café. The menu is a celebration of local produce and the freshest seafood, crafted into simple yet exotic dishes inspired by global cuisine – with a particular nod to the Far East.

After experiencing a somewhat “mixed bag” at some of Rick’s other Padstow ventures, food critic Pete Green recently paid a visit to the café to sample its offerings, only to be taken aback by the pricing.

Despite its slightly misleading name, Pete clarified on his GreenoEats channel that it’s far from your average café.

“This is not a regular café,” he explained. “You’re not popping in for a coffee and a slice of cake. This is a bona fide restaurant, albeit with a more café-style menu.”

And what a café-style menu it is. Pete was effusive in his praise for the Pondicherry sardine fish fry starter: “This is a delight,” he enthused. “It’s light. It’s summery. It’s fresh”.

He noted that the portion size was “generous,” for a starter priced at £9.50, highlighting the café’s excellent value for money.

However, the starter paled in comparison to the show-stopping main course, a sea bass dish with an Asian flair featuring pak choi, cashew nuts, and a hot and sour sauce.

“This is the star of the show,” Pete enthused. “We’ve got two fillets of sea bass here. We have got hot and sour sauce on the top, some pak choi, chilis, crispy basil…and let me tell you the aroma coming off this plate of food is next level.”

It’s a “very clever dish,” he continued, featuring an unexpected yet perfectly balanced combination of flavours: “I know Rick Stein has spent a lot of time in Southeast Asia, and I’m guessing that’s the inspiration for this recipe.”

Pete acknowledged that whilst the sea bass might appear somewhat pricey compared to typical café offerings, he emphasised he was utterly amazed by the exceptional value: “It’s not a cheap dish. It cost me £30, that dish.

“You could go to a very smart restaurant and if that was on the menu at maybe even double that price, people wouldn’t be complaining.”

His final receipt, including service charge, totalled £43.87. “It’s worth every penny and more,” he declared, awarding Rick Stein’s Café a perfect five-star rating.

“It is my favourite experience at Rick Stein so far,” Pete said, “It’s something really special.”

Rick remains committed to offering excellent value across his establishments.

Earlier this year dishes at Rick Stein’s Padstow restaurant were temporarily reduced to their 1975 prices to mark their 50th anniversary. Options included shellfish soup for 50p, grilled lobster for £2.80, seafood thermidor for £2.20 and Cornish bouillabaisse for just £2.60.