What: A Mediterranean-focused casual dining restaurant located in the heart of St Ives in Cornwall.
Who: Ardor is the debut solo venture from Holland-born chef Dorian Janmaat. Born in Amsterdam, Janmaat spent much of his childhood in Spain before moving to Cornwall as a teenager. At the age of 22 he joined Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, working his way up from commis chef to head chef, a role he held for five years. In 2020 he returned to Cornwall to become executive head chef of The Idle Rocks and St Mawes Hotel, before leaving to set up his own place.
The food: Ardor’s menu is inspired by the food cultures of the Iberian peninsula and Mediterranean coast and pays homage to Janmaat’s love of the Mediterranean coast and Cornwall. It comprises Spanish-influenced small plates as well as Cornish seafood and dry aged meat that are cooked over charcoal on a Josper grill. Pintxos options include padron peppers with potato crisps; gildas; and charred sourdough while small plates include croquetas of the day; fried aubergine with honey and olive; and fritto misto with Calabrian chilli aioli and burnt lemon. Josper grilled dishes include monkfish tail, nduja and samphire sauce; and Chistorra sausage, lentil and pimentón stew and there is also a range of dry-age cuts including an Iberico pork tomahawk, served with a choice of salsas; and lamb rump. One of the highlights of the restaurant is its rotisserie chicken, on show at the face of the kitchen, available as a half or whole bird served with fries, house salad, and gravy. The dessert menu, meanwhile, features a crema catalana with almond and orange galetta; almond soft serve; and cinnamon churros.
The vibe: The venue is split across an upstairs and lower restaurant, a bar area and chef’s counter with space for 60 covers in total. The upstairs restaurant is more in the bistro style with larger tables as well as two tops in the window while the chef’s counter has views of the rotisserie and Josper grill. The restaurant’s design takes its cues from Iberian colours and textures, with hand painted Moroccan zellige tiles used to decorate the bar, chef’s counter and dry age fridge, and tan and copper tones throughout. The bar and chef’s counter is topped with marble, with local suppliers and craftsmen used wherever possible.
And another thing: The restaurant takes its name from the words ‘heat’ and ‘passion’ in Latin.
45 Fore Street, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 1HE