Cranks

Whatever happened to Cranks? Ok, in one sense it's gone mainstream, with a range of ready-meals and sandwiches for vendors like Waitrose, and ongoing cookbook releases, but that's little consolation to those of us who regularly used the Marshall Street retaurant in London.

Only one of the chain of wholefood vegetarian restaurants now remains, located at Dartington's Cider Press Centre in Devon and run by chef Jo Dovell. It's not without history - having first opened in 1971 and somehow surviving the purge that saw all the other outlets close down and the brand transfer to Nandos (purveyors of chicken across the nation).

The Dartington site is excellent in summer - with an expansive patio area and clean, spacious interior seating. Meals are served canteen style and include a wide range of salads, lite-bites (basically mezze) and hearty veg staples like lasagne and pies. I tried the homity pie, which differed quite a bit from the classic crustless recipe found in the old Cranks cookbook, but was tasy and filling, if a little lopsided (ok, it was falling apart before it even hit the plate).

It's a nostalgia trip, and not worth a detour, but if you're in the neighbourhood there are much worse places you could stop for a relaxed lunch - especially if you're a fan-of-old.