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Saturday, 04 February 2012 22:20

Simple and stylish in Southwold

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I found another good lunch stop in Southwold. You can't miss the Blyth Hotel as you arrive in the town.  It's not on the seafront, just a short walk away. The bar and dining area has a rustic look and some great dishes on the blackboard. I had a roast beef and horseradish sandwich which arrived with some chips and a little pot of homemade coleslaw.

Thursday, 02 February 2012 15:10

A visit to the Dark Side...

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...from the football perspective you understand. We had to go to try it - what with Dad being eighty-something and from Norfolk. It was certainly worth the trip, simple and stylish with a no frills friendly local service and good home-made food. And they certainly pay attention to their bookings as the birthday card was a complete surprise.  We had champagne, a three course menu with two very nice wines for around £39 a head, and so as a tribute we feature Delia on our Dish of the Day.

Monday, 12 September 2011 13:19

Tracey comes to Suffolk (again)

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Yes, she took a group of children to the brasserie in the White Lion in Aldeburgh, where Jason cooks, which I thought just proves my theory about East Suffolk and London, and then I found out that she was born in Ipswich!

Saturday, 03 September 2011 01:15

Hard to find ...we made it to The Dark Horse

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Well, at last we managed to get a table at The Dark Horse. We were going to have an aperitif in the bar area but my moth phobic daughter would not sit next to the display of moths and butterflies in the glass case, so we headed straight for the table instead. The menu includes many restaurant classics and I tried the scallops with pea puree which were very good.  The vegetarian main course was a cabbage roulade stuffed with goats cheese and butternut squash. It was also good, but we all agreed that the starters were better than the main courses. The house wine is an aquired taste but the mint tea arrives made with fresh mint which deserves a mention. Well worth a visit if you can find it.

Tuesday, 16 August 2011 23:46

Sugar Overload

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Dissappointing Thai food at The Beehive, Horringer, sadly spoiled by the heavy handed use of palm sugar in all of the dishes sampled. The subtle flavours of sour, salt, spice with a hint of sweetness usually associated with Thai food were totally overwhelmed. Pad Thai was so sweet that my daughter said that it reminded her of a bowl of Sugar Puffs.   The Ocean Fire pictured was a mixture of fish with coconut cream and some green curry herbs and spices and the coconut rice could have been served as a dessert.

Thursday, 28 July 2011 23:25

Something Fishy

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Maison Bleu are running their month in Provence special menu, which is very good value at £29.95 for three courses; the restaurant in Bury St Edmunds specialises in fish dishes. Granny took the suffolkfoodie offspring for dinner and this is what they said...

"A very good choice with at least six options for each course.  Yummy food with all courses being beautifully presented and delicious."

" The staff were friendly, chatty and responsive - they all had personality"

Pictured here are the Sardine and Mackerel  Rillettes, with shallots, parsley and capers and toasted bread.

Suffolkfoodie followers, The Sparkes family, sent in this report following a very good meal at The Bistro on the Quay.  Coeliac readers, give it a try and see if you agree.

This restaurant is a great example of how to get it right, from the cheerful attentive service to the beautifully presented and delicious freshly prepared food. I am a coeliac and also have some intolerance to dairy products. As soon as this was conveyed to the waiter he asked if I would like the chef to compose a separate menu just for me.  Nothing is too much trouble.  Such a change from the usual blank looks of ‘oh not another fussy eater’  that I normally get. A real range of starters, mains and desserts, it was hard to choose.

Recommendations - Bang Bang Chicken with peanut sauce, Grilled Sea Bass and the Grilled Thai Chicken breast.  Must try - Samphire, I had never had it before. And Creme Brulee for dessert.

Yes, it is more expensive than your average pub, but then you are getting very high quality food, beautifully cooked and  in a light and friendly atmosphere where you are made to feel that your custom is valued. I am going back to try the rest of the menu.

Reigning Supreme – Justin is awarded top honours as the·best new restaurant - in the UK.
 
As the curtain fell on a glittering awards ceremony at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel, the culinary industry proved why the tagline for the evening, ‘Bursting with Talent,’ was more than the right choice. Glorious food accompanied a night to remember as the 2011 Craft Guild of Chefs Awards set to the task of rewarding and highlighting the tremendous amount of talent that exists within British kitchens today. The awards paid tribute to chefs from across the industry, from those that work in village pubs and fine dining restaurants to those involved in university or contract catering, developing products for national retailers or feeding British soldiers. Famous faces, including among others, the Tanner brothers, were on hand to present the gongs. Leading industry representatives selected 40 chefs as finalists for the 15 prestigious awards, but there could only be one winner in each category. Our own Pea Porridge in Bury beat all those restaurants in London for the Best New Restaurant Award. Well done Justin and Jurga - brilliant!
 
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