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When you enter a chain restaurant there is always a sense of déjà vu, yet with the twelve outlets of Giraffe, this may not really be true. Russel and Juliette Joffe and Andrew Jacobs' philosophy behind this group of restaurants is sustaining the driving force of healthy, happy eating, while retaining the difference each location brings. This includes minor variations in the menu too, and explains why the restaurant does not like to be called a chain, but prefers being referred to as a herd. The origin of its quaint name too, is interesting. The giraffe has the largest heart in the animal kingdom, and with its magnificent height is able to perceive things differently. These two features of being different and large hearted sum up the restaurant's proclamation of 'love, eat, live'.

Giraffe offers world food and adds an unusual twist to some familiar dishes. Their breakfast menu has stacked pancakes with bananas and blueberries, warm waffles, ranch styles tostadas and healthy veggie options. Some great starters are a mezze plate with warm naans that offer the best of many cuisines - grilled halloumi, hummus, tzatiki, ratatouille and falafel. Japanese king fried prawns are a hit, while another bright spot on the menu, is the colourful sunshine antipasti bruschetta, a clever combination of artichokes, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers, red onion and rocket on pesto foccacia. If this long list of ingredients is intriguing, just wait until your palate takes over.

The house's special salad, cheekily called 'more than love', is colourful and has crunchy appeal. The Thai chicken and vermicelli noodle version is an equally enticing starter. For mains, there are plenty of options like roasted corn and chilli bran burritos, tangy turkey enchiladas and the much loved sweet potatoes, asparagus, green beans and broccoli served with organic brown basmati rice. One can also settle for a good old burger and wash it down with interesting smoothies. They also offer world wines and unusual cocktails with catchy names like Bombay flower and pomegranate caipirinha.

The dessert section comprises of not just fruit based healthy desserts, but brilliant stars like Swiss mountain chocolate cheesecake, banana waffle split and rocky road ice cream sundaes, which transport the diner to a state of bliss. The friendly staff, who are carefully hired for their sunny disposition, and children's activities help make these restaurants a very special, happy and healthy treat indeed.

To gain further information, just visit their extremely comprehensive Website.

The Bistro at the Deli in Saxmundham is a friendly neighbourhood restaurant where you can drop in for a bite of lunch or maybe just some freshly brewed coffee and a slice of cake. Warm and welcoming, this smart restaurant also has a deli where you can stock up on specialty foods such as cheeses, oils, coffee beans, vinaigrettes and preserves. The bistro is open all day and what better way to begin your day than with bacon and scrambled egg on a bagel or smoked salmon and poached egg with a muffin.

At lunchtime, you might find their range of sandwiches and paninis tempting and some of the specials include pan fried rib eye minute steak with chips, grilled tomato and sautéed garlic mushrooms. Thai fishcakes with pickled cucumber and leaf salad are some of the other enticing options. A dense chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream rounds off the meal excellently and the wine selection is sensibly priced, mostly European with a few forays into the New World.

The picturesque seaside village of Walberswick is home to The Bell Inn, a charming pub that has been around for 600 years, and is today a favoured watering hole for locals and visitors. Its long tradition is evident when you see the open fires, oak furniture and flagstone floors and easily borders into nostalgia, while the spacious garden is a preferred spot during the warmer months. Since they also function as a bed and breakfast establishment, guests can choose to stay the night and savour the true Suffolk character and hospitality.

A meal there might consist of starters of smoked paprika seasoned whitebait, lemon crème fraîche and bread followed by their renowned fish and chips - either beer battered haddock, cod or whole tail scampi - or the creamy fish pie topped with homemade cheese. Some of their delicious desserts include a lemon charlotte and strawberry coulis and the drinks list at The Bell includes a good selection of Adnams beers and fine wines.