Eduardo’s West Suffolk Gastro Guide

If I was to write a guide book for people interested in eating out in this area I would have a lot of places to go to.

I suppose I'd have to categorise it. There's lots of people, not at all sophisticated in the art of high cuisine who just know what they like and want plenty of it. They are the sort of people who frequent all those pubs with big signs outside that say 'Sunday roast for a fiver' or 'OAPs
half price, Lunchtimes', maybe they do excellent food, I don't know as I tend to avoid that type of establishment, I can almost smell them without going through the door. So I wouldn't be able to cater for these places unless they were so highly recommended by at least two people whom I knew, then, and only then, would I venture through the door.

In this area of Suffolk we have two establishments that are very cutting edge in their cooking and can compete with anywhere in Britain, they are the 'Great House' in Lavenham, a lovely old house in one of the nicest villages in the south of England it is run by Regis a Frenchman who employs all French staff. It is a mixture of provincial France and middle class England, the ambience is superb and the food is always, nearly, perfect.

The other place styles itself a 'Bistro' which h I think is rather misleading. It is called 'Scutchers' and is housed in a former pub, the atmosphere is rather different, brisk and cheerful, fronted by the owners wife Diane. who is a lovely lady, it is a bright, pine furnished eatery with no table cloths and one has to pay for the olives you can have over an aperitif (hence the Bistro in the title) the food here is innovative and excitingly cooked by the proprietor, Nick Barrett, and although the atmosphere is not conducive to lingering I have rarely, if ever, been disappointed with the food.

So the above two would probably get star rating but there are lots of other places that would get honourable mention the White Hart at Great Yeldham a lovely old Tudor pub, the building and interior well worth a look but the food is pretty decent, the 'George' at Cavendish, the first Gastro pub of the area, the Angel at Lavenham which is a pub I always recommend, it is my own personal favourite pub. The beer is good and the food is well prepared and nicely cooked, it is friendly a`and the joint governors are typical middle class, rather quiet unassuming types that nevertheless, always manage to seem pleased to see you, well Roy does anyway and Friday night he plays the piano, mainly classical, for the benefit of his customers. It is now a completely non smoking establishment and when I book I always ask to sit round the pub side, its more atmospheric.

There's also the 'Angel' at Nayland. again its best to eat in the pub. The menu is on a blackboard with lots of exciting choices including plenty of fresh fish, skate, sea bass. sardines. lemon sole and probably the best sirloin steak in the area. At one time it was quite difficult to get a seat unless one arrived just after opening time but now, possibly because there's two new gastro pubs opened in the vicinity, its easier to get served, but well worth a try.

There's the White Hart at Stoke by Nayland, this is run under the auspices of the Roux Bros., at one time the most famous French restaurateurs in London. The food here is superb as one can imagine. Again all French staff, I once had a Lancashire 'Hot Pot' here that was the best I've ever tasted. The flavours were so intense.

Sad news since I wrote this. John, Roy and Ann in complete secrecy at the end of July sold and moved out of the ‘Angel’ Lavenham. This came as a great surprise even shock not only to me but all the staff and the village. So far the changes have only been minor, the staff are still there, James, Amy, Mandy & Lynn but the piano has gone, Roy’s personal property. I’m reserving judgement and keeping my fingers crossed.