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hand picked restaurants

We hear a great deal about recycling these days - du Vin recycles attractive but sometimes un-loved buildings to restore real gems in the best tradition of British understated style.

Complement that with all that is best in the French bistro ethos, bars that reach out to please, and you have a setting that provides an inspirational background for people to meet, do business, get married, provide a base for golf or fishing, somewhere you can call your own for a private celebration, a spa or - most engagingly - a wine school that breaks the mould.

In historic Cambridge, du Vin has taken on a beautiful old building in Trumpington Street and transformed it into a distinctive luxury boutique hotel, engaging its quirky architectural features in a manner that is wholly convincing. Inside the 41 bedrooms and boutique suites, some with private terraces, are fitted out with luxurious Egyptian linen and monsoon showers.

du Vin are renowned for their bistro style restaurants, and this one has more than a touch of La Français, making the right setting for a cuisine that looks to Europe for inspiration with a modern edge, as well as being serviced by the first du Vin open style kitchen.

Down in the labyrinthine cellars, vaulted ceilings look down on a splendid bar with, amongst other commendable attributes, a noble array of single malts and armagnacs. Add to this a specialist wine tasting room and private dining room, and the library overlooking the bijoux terrace where a mildly scholastic style reminds its occupants that they are sitting near the centre of one of the finest universities in the world.

In the snazzy bistro a choice of around ten starters could include devilled chicken livers, half a dozen Colchester oysters, or smoked duck breast with beetroot and pecan salad. Amongst the main courses expect to find that fast fading from the scene but delightful gastronomic extravagance, venison haunch with pickled red cabbage and artichoke puree and gilt head bream with sautéed potatoes and sauce vierge. Only in Cambridge? Well, perhaps in that other place beginning with 'O' where they used to make cars?

In amongst the classics there's braised ox cheeks with marrow bone dumplings and hot and sour cabbage, or crepes filled with mussels, cockles and crab.

Whilst one might argue that the whole point of being in a du Vin is to snuggle up to the wine list, this list is designed to match with the food and can only be described as superb. With a team of sommeliers, there is no room for anything but the best. Service is telepathic in the best possible sense.

Click on their Website for full information and rates. Hotel du Vin, with fourteen options throughout Britain, awaits your call.

In the charming village of Tendring, a hundred year old pub has undergone a deep transformation. Over the years, it has seen many changes both in style and name, but nothing quite as dramatic as the stunning transformation of an old style pub into the comfortable, relaxing reincarnation that is the Fat Goose.

The cosy farmhouse appeal it exudes highlights the modern and contemporary interior that greets you inside. Comfy leather Chesterfield chairs and a gentle fire wait for you and build the right sort of atmosphere for the cooler months, while outside the pretty garden is a favourite seating option on sunny days. The combined effect of the furnishing and overall ambience is to weave together a sense of comfort and 'home away from home' feeling.

The modern, vaulted extension is the most recent addition to the Goose, which has transformed the restaurant into a bright and airy place that can accommodate up to 90 diners. The patio doors open onto a terrace that provides al fresco dining in the warmer months. The Event and Outside Catering arm of the Fat Goose brings quality food to the venue of your choice or at the marquee on the grounds.

The real draw, however, is the food, which is possibly why they have been awarded an AA Rosette in 2009. Created by chef and owner Philip Hambrook-Moore, where the menu focuses on seasonal food and displays a number of interesting dishes prepared with fresh and locally sourced produce. Typically, you could expect to start with smoked duck and pistachio terrine and toasted brioche with chilli and orange marmalade while the homemade corn beef with horseradish cream, watercress salad and sour dough bread makes for an exciting first round.

Follow this up with main courses that range from char grilled rib eye steak with tomatoes, mushrooms, onion rings and hand cut chips to free range Primrose Farm pork belly with fresh pea, fennel and pancetta broth and crushed Landemere potato cake.

A daily fish menu exemplifies the appeal of fresh fish, bringing starters like pan seared scallops with chorizo salad, orange and cardamom dressing followed by supreme of baked salmon with creamed leeks, bacon and champ potatoes. While the à la carte offers a wide selection, you could simply opt for the chef's menu for the day and let him do the choosing for you, a decision that offers fantastic value and a superb experience.

A highly tempting range of naughtiness includes a traditional treacle tart with vanilla ice cream, a wonderfully warm banana and ginger nut pudding with honey comb ice cream or for a real knock-out number, the Belgian chocolate truffle torte with Baileys ice cream.

Lunch time offerings include sandwiches for those looking for an unfussy meal that is still satisfying. You would do well to try their steak sandwich with marinated tomatoes, rocket and Dijon mustard in ciabatta or the club sandwich of chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato and egg on farmhouse toast. All these are served with the customary homemade crisps.

An extensive wine list, with fourteen wines available by the glass, including champagne does ample justice to the kitchen, a happy union that proves compelling to those who flock to The Fat Goose, some from considerable distances. Do take a look at their Website for more details including monthly menu changes.

The King William IV is a contemporary pub situated on High Road, Chigwell. The establishment is one of those that have surfaced on the mainstream of casual eating in the UK and are taking an increasing share of the market, evidenced by their growth in numbers and the popularity of what they have to offer. If this results in a 'type' there is certainly no harm in that.

Contemporary pubs such as these usually share a number of characteristics. An important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be. Good, too, to have an al fresco eating area, in this case a courtyard, and last, but by no means least, a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay. After all, drinking should be taken seriously.

If a pub offers all of these, and is in a good location, there is little reason in today's economic climate why it should not flourish. The King William IV provides ample evidence that this is true.

But of course there are other factors, not least of which is the food and drink. The term 'gastropub' covers a multitude of blessings and it is possible to see influences of brasserie, bistro, restaurant and even café at work within the great gastro umbrella. So expect to find no one single cuisine, but a blend designed to provide something for everybody, no matter what their treat may be.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of Italian meats, dolcelatte, marinated vegetables with warm stone-baked flatbreads, or Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with flatbreads.

Amongst the starters, expect to find freshly made soup, smoked salmon with pomegranate molases, fennel and micro herb salad, or gambas with rocket, garlic aioli and rustic bread. Look, too, for scallops of the day. The salads offer chargrilled chicken, courgette, fennel, apple, asparagus, hazelnut and balsamic dressing, and for the seafood enthusiasts some prawn and avocado, mango, pecans, bacon, orange and pomegranate vinaigrette tends to please.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; look for a classic margherita of pomodoro, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, the rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats' cheese and cherry tomatoes, or a piccante with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños.

The rotisserie dishes for hearty eaters are worth trying and choices include spit chicken with roast garlic, lemon, thyme and frites. For the big event there is always roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes. The classic burger, which has risen from the confines of fast food chains, carves a niche for itself on the menu and comes with gherkin, mustard mayo, cheese, relish, bacon and frites.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes tomato and red onions, and cabbage, leeks and peas. Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple, blackcurrant crumble and vanilla custard, and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, and there is also a selection of cheeses to set the buffs alight.

The King William IV stocks a wide range of beers, both well loved draught ales and bottled from further afield. The wine list covers plenty of territory from traditional clarets to Pinot Grigio, and champagne by the glass or bottle is always available. Service is cheerful, brisk and totally in keeping with the friendly nature of a good English gastropub.

Keep in touch with their Website for changes in menu, and events. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

The Crown Inn is a sixteenth century freehold, a family-run, thatched inn situated overlooking the village green in probably the most beautiful village in Cambridgeshire, some five miles west of Peterborough. Not far away is the River Nene, reputedly the source of inspiration for that all-time best seller, Wind in the Willows. The whole surrounding area is sheer old England and a walk down to Elton Mill and Lock make a good prelude to lunch or after dinner on velvet summer evenings.

An extensive but sympathetic renovation programme has resulted in the Inn being awarded 5 stars in the Inn Category from the AA. Those who knew The Crown of old will be delighted to hear that the great inglenook fireplace and oak beamed ceilings are alive and well.

The restaurant and bar have been refurbished in traditional country style, and there are five luxury en suite bedrooms, three under the impressive thatched roof and two in the courtyard. Names of all the rooms bear relevance to local villages or places of interest nearby and they are decorated sumptuously with due thought to every conceivable comfort, right down the wi-fi which never lets you stray too far from the Internet.

A string of distinguished links includes the Michelin Red Guide 2009, Michelin Eating Out in Pubs 2007, 2008 and 2009 and Alistair Sawday's Special Places to Stay 2009. Two dining areas can seat up to 60, with 40 in The Orangery and 20 in The Snug. In summer, the old chestnut tree provides ample shade to those who enjoy their food al fresco.

Chef proprietor Marcus Lamb produces menus that are loyal to Britain, and most of his suppliers are local. They include Cambridge Smokery, Grasmere Pork farm, and Normans of Oundle, who supply vegetables, fruit and flowers. Smiths of Oundle are responsible for the excellent cheeses, and fresh fish is from the not so distant North Sea.

The à la carte is the principal working menu and covers lunch and dinner. Starters of chicken liver and brandy parfait with homemade chutney and toast, or parpadelle pasta ribbons in a creamy slow braised ham hock, mushroom and Parmesan sauce make regular appearances on the menu. Those with a love for fruits of the sea will favour the North Sea lobster and cucumber salad marinated in sesame oil with mango, radish, coriander and lime salsa.

A beef and ale pie with carrots and mushrooms is well topped with melt in the mouth puff pastry. For those who like their steaks the roasted rump of Stilton butcher's beef served with celeriac and potato mash, spinach and confit shallots with shitaki mushrooms complete the enjoyment.

The Elton Swan provides a dessert that is hard to resist; swan shaped profiteroles stuffed with vanilla ice cream, swimming on a mill pond of dark chocolate sauce. A fine cheeseboard is supported by some decent port, and together these twin indulgences make that walk to the Mill almost obligatory.

In the bar six real ale pumps dispense Cask Marque accredited beers, including Golden Crown Bitter, to keep the discerning drinker happy and guest beers could yield Timothy Taylor Landlord, Exmoor Gold and Caledonian Deuchars. All wines are supplied by Concept Fine Wines of Harrogate, a name that guarantees reliability.

Weekends are busy at The Crown with so many attractions in the locality. Booking is strongly recommended for dinner on Saturday, and for Sunday lunch which is taken very seriously and offers tremendous value.

The addition of five luxurious bedrooms with en suite bath and shower facilities, flat screen TV with DVD player and a library of DVDs upon which to draw, wifi enabled and such everyday items as iron, hairdryer and tea and coffee making kit has proved to be a much overdue improvement - be sure to book in advance.

Details of more such special events nights, the splendid new accommodation, and menu changes with the seasons can be viewed in more detail on the Crown's attractive Website.

The County Kitchen, an important element of The County Hotel in Chelmsford, offers a cuisine that is essentially British but does not hesitate to cull ideas from other shores and continents. It also has the inestimable advantage of being located in a part of England where some of the finest produce to be found is readily available, be it from land, sea or air. They take full advantage of that by changing their menus seasonally and also by sourcing 70% of their ingredients from within a sixty mile radius.

The hotel is privately owned and part of British Classic Hotels. All 50 bedrooms offer a diversity of accommodation ranging from a very smart suite to sixteen superior and premium rooms at the sort of standards you would expect from a 3 star quality hotel. All rooms have a flat screen TV, wifi internet and a direct dial telephone as well as complimentary tea, coffee, and biscuits.

A fine line is drawn between the hearty eaters and those who for one reason or another prefer something rather daintier, and I understand there are one or two of those around in this East Anglian paradise where Essex meets Norfolk through Suffolk. There are those, of whom I am not one, who believe you can judge a restaurant by the quality of its starters. For me it's the main courses and the amount of culinary ground they cover convincingly rather than statistically.

Catch of the day displays a willingness to be guided by nature and is a promising start. Pan fried breast of pheasant is served with confit leg, puy lentil and vegetable ragout, thus making the best of this fine game bird that at its best i.e. wild rather than bred, and properly cooked is superb, bettered only by partridge, preferably grey.

Wilted chard and chick peas provide suitable escorts for baked haddock with creamed potatoes, and the spatchcocked chicken is lemon roasted, served with Savoy cabbage and dauphinoise potatoes. Lamb cutlets are without doubt a 'night before the gallows' feast needing so little other than a watchful eye to catch them exactly at the right moment before giving them a flagelot bean, celeriac puree and sautéed potatoes guard of honour.

A well chosen selection of salads and pastas includes a Bingham Blue, apple, fig and endive salad with a walnut dressing, or a wild mushroom and tarragon linguine, both served as a starter or main course. Other starters offered could be mussels with chilli, Aspall cyder and coriander, or acorn fed Jamon Iberico with grilled sourdough bread.

A quick lunch could field smoked duck and artichoke terrine with celeriac remoulade and sourdough toast, followed by roasted sea trout with brown shrimp and pan fried salsify, covelo nero, finishing with spiced rhubarb tart tatin and caramelised almonds. Do note that they offer a carvery on Sunday, which is exceedingly popular.

A wedding at the County Kitchen can also include all the excitement and enjoyment of the great day, well ordered by experts accustomed to making these occasions extremely special. For these, and all occasions when wine is an item, a wine list of no mean skill offers a wide range of options, many available by the glass. The County is a popular location for conferences of anywhere between 2 - 150 delegates, and with a pro-active environmental policy will commend itself to many.

For further details do check out their excellent user-friendly Website.

Dining by the river has fascinated guests since time immemorial, and who would not like the sound of clinking cutlery set against the gurgling river appearing to flow into The Brampton Mill, accentuated by a working water mill in front of the building. Inside it's old world at its best, with oak beams, log fires, snug sofas, subdued lighting and an abundance of wood. The dining area is split into several levels with plenty of nooks and crannies to cosy up in, which could possibly be in keeping with its reputation as the hidden gem of Huntingdon.

The atmosphere is one of joviality and when the sun is out, there are few things better than dining al fresco, overlooking the river. For all those special occasions, the Mill Room with its retro-chic furnishings could be just the place with seating for 15 - 20 people, and bespoke menus to suit all tastes and budgets.

The cooking is straightforward with a slant towards gastropub and traditional English fare, but things tend to perk up a bit with an occasional touch of innovation. So you could probably see wood fired pizzas, steaks and fish and chips interestingly juxtaposed with daily specials bringing in the best of what the market has to offer.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, baked Camembert with rustic bread, Greek mezze of taramasalata with humus, tzatziki, feta and flatbread, or a pizzette with garlic, rocket and Parmesan.

Amongst the starters, there is freshly made soup of the day, baked crab and avocado al forno, seared pigeon with black pudding and roast cherry tomatoes or red onion tarte tatin with goats' cheese and rocket. The salads - sorry, that should read 'leaves' - offer smoked chicken with avocado salad and satay dressing, for the seafood fiends some salmon Caesar with anchovies and parmesan or Dolcelatte with honey roast pears, endive and toasted pine nuts.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic Margherita of tomato, mozzarella and basil, another with pepperoni, chorizo and jalapeño. Pastas include spaghetti pappardella with braised rabbit, mushrooms and pancetta cream or chef's choice risotto.

For the big event, there is always a fish of the day on request. The organic cod with roast cherry tomatoes, parsley sauce and mash is worth trying too. The venison fillet with baked sweet potato, horseradish crème fraîche and roasted beets is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. For hearty eaters there are good fillet steaks with chicken liver parfait, crouton, frites, and Madeira jus.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes Belgian frites, horseradish cream and tomato, red onion and basil salad. For desserts resort to the blackboard, where there is always a good display, often with some of the local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

A sensible wine list that matches the cuisine to perfection trawls the world and comes up with some pretty interesting numbers - almost as interesting as the laconic descriptions, mostly one word but very accurate, even if 'soft, rich and bountiful' does sound rather like a generous heiress of infinite promise. The Brampton Mill also stocks a wide range of beers alongside continental Pilsners.

Check regularly on their Website for menu changes and arrangements for special occasions like Christmas and Valentine's Day. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

It is no coincidence that Norfolk has more than its fair share of top of the range restaurants and places where they eat, to paraphrase the Prayer Book. There is just something subtly different about the county that reflects in so many ways, and the provision, preparation and serving of largely unpretentious but superb quality food says much about Norfolk itself.

Hunstanton, blessed with the title of the driest place in Britain, is naturally a place of sunshine, good cheer, fine golf, magnificent land and seascapes in a county that has impeccable credentials in antiquity. Sunny Hunny as it is affectionately called, has been mercifully by-passed by rail, road and air in any major way over the centuries, as has most of the rest of Norfolk, making Heacham Manor a haven of peace and sanity.

Accommodation at the Manor is an exercise in the way things should be done, with an enviable variety to suit all tastes. The eponymous Manor Suite has all the luxury of the other de-luxe four poster rooms, but with added space and a spacious bay window from which the gardens, drive and pond are part of the view as you relax in the sofa with a glass of something. Well equipped bathrooms en suite carry more than a whiff of the fresh lavender oil harvested close by from the purple fields of Heacham, and fluffy towels, wonderfully welcoming beds and all the little things that count, make all the rooms special.

Which brings us to The Mulberry Restaurant at Heacham Manor, though that is built in the local Carr stone, sitting prettily with its tall decorated chimneys and large welcoming windows, the restaurant is actually sited in a conservatory attached to it. Behind the scenes Head chef Neil Rutland and French pastry chef Fabien see to it that standards are set and kept, both constantly on the lookout to improve and learn.

The menu is alive with local names and sources, and guests are impressed to find that their sirloin steak is cut from the Queen's special reserve beef at the nearby Sandringham Estate, served with potato and gruyère pie,red onion roasted with garlic and thyme, garlic roast button mushrooms and a blue cheese sauce made from Mrs Temple's award winning Binham Blue, created in the Stilton style.

That king of dishes, roast lemon sole, supplied by Cole's of Kings Lynn who also look after the royal household at Sandringham, is served on the bone with courgette ribbons, lemon and Norfolk cockle butter, caper berries and a char grilled lime wedge. The Manor has its own vegetable garden and it is there that the beetroot which provides the relish to go with sauté Holkham Estate pigeon breast is grown.

The name of Arthur Howells, the widely respected butcher from nearby Wells-next-the-Sea provides such delicacies as warm smoked sweet cure bacon lardons to go in a bacon poached egg salad, and fine Norfolk bred pork. From a star-studded cast of desserts I would commend the mille feuille, made from fine English berries supplied by Coldham Fruit of Wisbech, stacked with Chantilly cream and layered with fine puff pastry sheets, served with shredded fresh mint. As for the selection of English cheeses, served with sliced Marsala poached figs I try hard to remain the objective observer and escape by saying 'just go there'.

A wine list that combines relative brevity with an uncommonly good relationship with the menu offers towards 30 wines that gallop around the world to give more or less everyone a chance. Few exceed the £30 mark and several are by the glass. Guy Saget tops the list with a good white Burgundy whilst a Palesa Pinotage demonstrates the sort of reds that are coming from South Africa these days at prices which wine for wine run rings round some of the European bids. Lanson Black Label leads the champagnes.

Like everything else at Heacham Manor, their Website is in good taste and informs lucidly and with a quiet discretion.

North Norfolk is not an area by any means devoid of genuine quality places in which to eat but, as ever, there are graduations. Burnham Market has it all, either at this first rate 17th century coaching inn, The Hoste Arms with its superb, imaginative modern British food, or in the delis and wine emporia that closely surround it, exuding an atmosphere of a community in which proper food and hospitality reigns supreme.

One of the principal attractions of the Hoste Arms is its ability to present a number of different styles under one roof in a way that allows them to complement each other, without detracting from the essentially historic quality of the original building.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in the 34 exotic bedrooms where the decorative skills of Jeanne Whittome - widow of the late proprietor Paul, who sadly died in 2010, many people felt that they had lost both a legend and a friend - were given full rein with the evident aim to ensure that guests never want to leave. Amidst the splendour of four posters, family bedrooms, a penthouse, and junior suites no detail was overlooked and comfort is king. There are some very attractive midweek breaks available throughout the year.

The waters of Norfolk's coastline produce some of the finest seafood in Britain, but the Hoste does not neglect the great estates that are also within easy reach. With such a plenitude of locally sourced ingredients it is hardly surprising that the menu reflects a real chef's delight. Starters and light meals join forces to offer home smoked breast of local pigeon, pancetta, white pudding, wilted baby spinach and parsnip puree, a quick flutter abroad produces a wonderful oriental Thai fish broth with rice noodles and king prawns. They have a way too with the local Brancaster oysters, which come hot, or natural and cold, with other variations on both temperatures, or stray into the salads with a dressed Cromer crab.

A legendary figure in the Norfolk food chain is Arthur Howell, butcher and grazier, who has a shop in the village. For two people looking to share a real treat, his 21 day dry aged New York rib steak with hand cut chips is recommended. Roasted rack of English lamb is served with dauphinoise potato, wilted spinach, roasted root vegetables and red current jus, or honey and soy glazed Gressingham duck breast comes with confit leg spring roll, oriental vegetable stir-fry and sesame dressing.

For those of us who are dragged to the vegetarian dishes by our consciences, they do wonderful things with their vegetables that enable you to actually enjoy them; there are crumbed goats' cheese with semi dry tomatoes, broad beans, marinated artichoke and rocket in an apple and ginger dressing, and wild mushroom, rocket and mascarpone risotto with poached hen?s egg. Puddings range from dark chocolate fondant, candied orange and Grand Marnier ice cream, through pistachio crème brûlée, to a sticky toffee pudding.

The dining room at the Hoste is a delight, with service and surrounds well up to the mark. The needs of a well travelled clientele are looked after by their knowledgeable sommelier, with some commendable wines by the glass, and if white wine is on your agenda be sure to try the Stellenbosch, a rich mixture of vanilla and citrus characters. There are many other appealing options on a list that relentlessly extracts the best regardless of any lingering fussiness about countries of origin.

The Hoste Arms may describe itself as an Inn, and in the best sense it is. In the same sense it is also an institution, the way inns should be, this one very much the cosseted child of an inspired couple. Learn more about it through their Website and then book yourselves a reservation to Elysium, North Norfolk style.

Located in North West Suffolk, between Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds and not far from Cambridge, and serving quality, Modern British food, Tuddenham Mill, a converted 12th century flour mill has all the inbuilt charm and permanence that one might expect from its history and such a superb setting. Much of the machinery remains intact and on view, and the mill pool provides a soothing view from the restaurant and a number of rooms.

With an array of culinary awards such as 3 AA Rosettes and an entry in the Good Food Guide, whilst their bedrooms were awarded four stars by the AA. The Coveted Editors' Award, one of the widely respected and sought after culinary title 'Up and Coming Chef of the Year' by the Good Food Guide 2012 has been awarded to the restaurant's Head Chef Paul Foster.

The clever combination of new and old is one of the principal charms of this restaurant with rooms and nowhere is this better demonstrated than in the bedrooms where old oak beams run riot, the floorboards are white, and the massive doubled-ended stone baths in some of the rooms are an object of extreme envy to those who do not have one in theirs. Walk in showers, fluffy bath sheets and Elemis toiletries provide further evidence of their dedication to excellence.

Choices between the three main Mill bedrooms, eight Mill Stream and Watermeadow rooms, and the Loft Rooms are by no means easy to make, but rest assured they all attain to the same high standard including Bose sound systems, Loewe flat screen TVs and Italian designed furniture, and those memorable 6ft beds with fully sprung mattresses.

You will find an enticing choice of dishes on the main Mill menu, with six starters that include corn-fed chicken wing with bone marrow, sultana purée and chicory; skate wings with avocado emulsion, bacon, lemon and raw peas, or roasted watermelon, goats' cheese, nettle juice with sea aster.

Denham Estate is brought to you on a plate when you order the fallow deer, red onion fondue, pearl barley, pear with Colston Bassett Stilton, or lamb rump and shoulder with butternut squash, smoked paprika, yoghurt and rock samphire. One of the best things about Britain is you are never too far from the sea and vastly improved facilities for keeping seafood fresh have changed our attitude to such shibboleths as never eating fish on Monday, so dishes such as river trout 40°C, shallot purée, broad and runner beans, kohlrabi, and brown butter, and salted hake with slow cooked cauliflower, confit potatoes, coconut and compressed gem juice are both popular and trusted.

In this haven of high eating it would be nothing short of a tragedy to miss out on the desserts, and bitter chocolate textures with chilled mugwort tea and semi-dried blueberries catch many an eye. The Suffolk strawberries with pine ice cream, granola and goats' milk provides a very unfair contest, but some will stick out for the cheese, not least because of its supporters, apple chutney, fruit and nut bread and Garibaldi biscuits.

Tuddenham Mill has set a new benchmark for excellence in the area. Click on their Website for further information about meetings and private functions.

Until comparatively recent times the word gunboat had colonial connotations that are fast fading into the dark shadows of Victorian imperialism. So with re-usage all the rage it may not come as a total surprise to find a superb relic of the maritime past, an imaginative and extremely well-presented floating survival, on the ancient waterfront of the historic port of Ipswich.

Many of the original features of this fine and much travelled vessel, launched in 1899 in Belgium, are retained and so skilfully has the work been done that it is not always easy to disregard the feeling that you might emerge from the absorption of your meal, only to find yourself rocking gently off Dogger Bank or the German Bight.

Everything is immaculate and shipshape, the brasswork gleams, the woodwork reflects the subtle lights from the boat-studded harbour scene outside and the cries of the seabirds remove any possible lingering doubts of authenticity.

This seamanlike precision translates very easily it seems into the all-important area of the galley where French brasserie food, which by no means ignores fish, is prepared with consistent care, taking full advantage of the readily available local excellence evident in all three venues of this lively and well-respected East Anglian group.

The menu is as traditional as the ship's ropework and could include starters of spicy Thai haddock fish cake with sweet chili, coriander sauce and poached egg, a salad of crayfish baby tomato with pepper, boiled egg and olive oil vinaigrette or fresh crab meat layered with avocado mousse and tomato jelly.

A breath from the past is invoked by the grilled venison steak with rich cranberry and red wine sauce. To follow, perhaps the roasted fillet of sea bass with mashed potato and Hollandaise will do very well.

The sea air may well have induced an even keener appetite than usual, in which case consider yielding to the firepower of a grilled Aberdeen sirloin steak with Roquefort sauce and French fries. And talking of planks a gang-plank-walking selection of puddings offers good brasserie style such as cappuccino cheesecake with coffee coulis or the almond and honey pannacotta with red fruit jelly and white chocolate mousse. However, cheese-eaters of any nationality may find even armed resistance fails in the presence of an overwhelming force of well-kept cheeses.

An attractive selection of house wines come by the glass, carafe or bottle and the mainly French list can hardly fail to satisfy the needs of the most demanding raider. Tableware and service are in keeping with the best traditions of the wardroom mess, bringing the final touches to a voyage of nostalgic excellence. They do lunches of breathtaking value and quality and on the upper deck the wine bar offers opportunities for relaxation and light snacks.

Extremely full details on Mariners, including a pictorial tour and menus, are available on their Website.