This is a pretty village right in the middle of USA - land Mildenhall and Lakenheath, with a Native American buried in the churchyard and a pub that sells chili!
In ASK for a family celebration at the weekend. Clutching our '2 mains for 1' vouchers we ordered a variety of starters. All arrived hot and at the same time, followed by the main courses, delivered swiftly before impatience could build.
The kids tucked into their staples of garlic bread followed by pizza. I had the Capra Grill (goat's cheese on ciabatta with caramelised onions, tomato, salad and a balsamic dressing). Well presented and delicious. To follow a dish of penne with artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Very tasty, and filling.
Coffee to finish but others had desserts, with the banoffee pie in particular a high scorer. ASK can be disappointing when busy, with service and portions stretched too thinly, but I couldn't fault any aspects of this meal. The vouchers helped.
Spent the morning (and at least £50) chatting to the producers and telling them that Gino is coming to town in case they want to enter the competition. We tasted beetroot and chilli relish from The Seasonal Garden www.theseasonalgarden.co.uk, a nice pork pie and liver and bacon dog biscuits (the dog loved them!) from Samphire's www.samphireshop.co.uk. and took home a chicken, bacon and mushroom pie made in Buxhall, bread from flour ground at Pakenham Mill, fudge and a slice of cake. In the cafe we ate deep fried goats cheese with beetroot and apple salad and honey dressing. A nice way to spend a day in the pouring rain with no sign of warmer weather yet.
PS If you're looking for squirrel meat, someone here sells that too.
Another suffolk foodie favourite at Orford Butley Oysterage - quality fresh fish in a friendly no frills atmosphere, hand-drawn table cloths (printed obviously - they wouldn't have much time to cook) and lovely home-made puddings.
So what's happening at the Dark Horse then?
Never been here myself although of course we all know about it. It scored highly with my niece and her boyfriend, although they were a bit miffed to be recommended the most expensive bottle of wine when they asked what would be nice with their meal. Sometimes It's so predictable...
Stopped for a bite to eat at lunchtime on Friday, you have to duck your head to get in this quaint tea room on the edge of Suffolk at Oulton Broad. Home made cakes are their speciality and their ginger and carrot cakes were especially good, but we had ordered a cheese and tomato quiche before we saw the board with home-made sausage and onion pie or pea and ham soup on it . You will need to be friendly with your neighbours as these tables are close together but when your coke comes on a saucer with a doily you know you are in the right place and the whole meal with a pot of tea was only £10!
Best newcomer in Hardens Guide and a Michelin Bib Gourmand - and it's Pea Porridge
Written by Claire
Well we knew this all along didn't we? Went for a lovely meal here before Christmas, when I still had an appetite. We had slow-braised ox tongue, the sauté of snails, bacon and bone marrow, partridge, our favourite cotes de boeuf with fat chips and béarnaise and then delicious desserts. Still faultless, and now a bit more relaxed. www.peaporridge.co.uk
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And prime they are indeed! I bought a chicken but what I really wanted was that rib of beef in the window at £40 - and probably worth every penny.
Lunch at the Lighthouse on a Times eat-three-courses-for-a-tenner voucher but have to go off menu to have two oysters with my starter. They are listed as appetizers and priced at £1.75 each...too tempting. Served with two types of tabasco I have them with my gravadlax starter and they take me straight to the bottom of the sea with flavour.
Sous chef from 5* Aldwych One in London apparently but hardly any publicity so basically just a busy village pub. Took three hungry teenagers - had nice home-made scotch eggs as a starter and crab on toast was good. Lovely main course of duck/chorizo/chick pea combination but seafood rissotto had inedible razor clams and no sign of some of the ingredients listed on the menu, which at around £16.95 for a main course is a hefty bill for four. A bit of waitress-informing would be good too - Wine? She said we have red or white madam.
WOW! Soft yeasty made-this-morning Cinnammon buns, a kind of danish pastry with not too sweet caramel topping, one the nicest home made cakes amongst many on sale at Wyverstone at the yard sale on Saturday. There was also a man with a freezer full of sausages. www.wyverstonecafe.co.uk - every two weeks in the village hall.