COMBE Cottage restaurant serves a shepherd's pie which Tom Parker Bowles, writing in the Mail on Sunday, described as 'perfection on a plate'. I felt I owed it to readers of What's On to go and experience that perfection.

Combe Cottage is small, low-ceilinged, pastel-painted and cosy. You sit at shiny wooden tables and are served by an attentive Paul Warren. Kate Wortley can be glimpsed conjuring up perfections in the kitchen at the back. However Combe Cottage is not a cottage; it must have been one of the Ilfracombe High Street shops.

It was nice to be back in Ilfracombe. It was choc-a-block with visitors, sunning themselves and walking around the harbour. The gardens were immaculate and the fish shop sold us the freshest of scallops.

But I need to get down to business — this shepherd's pie. It was on the today's specials menu at £6.95. There was cottage pie on the regular menu. That was made with beef mince. And, yes, the shepherd's pie did taste lamby; with, I guess, some tomato and herbs. The potato topping was itself topped by a very agreeably large quantity of melted cheese. The whole effect was quite delicious.

It was lunchtime when I went at which time of day Combe Cottage offers a wide menu — baguettes, all day breakfasts, jacket potatoes as well as larger dishes and roasts. It would have been interesting to go for dinner when the menu gets shorter but more sophisticated and you pay £12.95 for two courses or £15.95 for three. I noticed that the parmesan and thyme tart (a quiche-like thing which my wife had with chips and a salad that she was delighted to discover had watercress in it) turns up as a starter on the evening menu accompanied by red onion jam. Very nice in either style.

For dinner I would have tried pork with mustard sauce, although chicken breast with blueberry and Madeira sauce sounds intriguing.

We did manage a pudding with our lunch. She had a pear and almond tart with custard (jolly nice) which turns up at night called Tarte Bordaloue and accompanied by crème Chantilly (even nicer, unless you're a sucker for custard).

I had a strawberry and cream trifle and perhaps I should have known better. Out of season strawberries are never quite as good.

Tom Parker Bowles is not wrong and next time it's going to be dinner. I reckon Combe Cottage would see you right any time they're open.

Where: Combe Cottage, 63 High Street, Ilfracombe, EX34 9QE.

Bookings: 01271 862605.

Visit the website at: www.combecottage.co.uk