A pub launched the world’s most expensive baked potato – priced at a whopping £40.
The Cary Arms is offering the jacket, called the “tuxedo spud”, which comes topped with Italian caviar.
It was designed by Ben Kingdon, 24, who took over as head chef of the pub’s restaurant in April.
He creates the dish by spooning out most of the potato and replacing it with a luxurious mixture of creme fraiche, lemon, chives and spring onions.
It is then topped with the caviar and served on a wooden board with balsamic-roasted vine tomatoes, a side salad and a glass of champagne.
Ben said: “Our new jacket potato definitely beats the standard cheese or ham option, which is pretty boring really.
“We wanted to offer our customers something completely out of the ordinary. We’ve sold one already and had some fantastic feedback.
“At £40 it isn’t a cheap potato, but customers are paying the extra for the quality of the ingredients, including the caviar.”
Jen Podmore, manage of the pub in Torquay, Devon, said the dish was aimed at offering customers something “special and quirky”.
She said: “It’s the champagne of the jacket potato world. It’s filling but tasty and stylish at the same time. It has a lot of flavour.
“The first dish was sold to one of our guests staying with us. But it is on for the whole season so I’m sure we’ll have more takers.”
The jacket potato, one of the specials on the menu for the summer season, features Calvisius Caviar.
The Italian delicacy comes from sturgeons grown in a semi-natural environment, eating the best food available and receiving loving attention for over a decade before yielding the roe.
It retails at £185 for two 50g pots for pasteurised caviar and £238 for two 50g pots of the fresh stuff.
The pub also offers a posh dog’s dinner to its canine customers – a £5 all you can eat chicken and rice bowl.
