A celebration lunch at The Packhorse Inn, Moulton, near Newmarket, Suffolk : June 2017

Last week I had lunch at the award-winning Packhorse Inn with two friends to celebrate a birthday. It was a glorious summer day and our meal at this five star AA restaurant and hotel owned by the Chestnut Group didn’t disappoint. Moulton is an idyllic village located to the north east of Newmarket, and just beyond “The Gallops” where they exercise the racehorses.

The Packhorse Inn is located on Bridge Street, in the picturesque village of Moulton near Newmarket, the home of horse-racing 

These freshly baked rolls and canapes made an excellent appetiser

A starter of blow-torched mackerel for one of my companions

For my starter I chose Salmon and dill fishcakes with fennel salad

Another starter of Quail with pea mash

Starter of Quail

Salmon and dill fishcakes, fish cream, fennel salad

Starter – Blow-torched mackerell

I chose a hearty-sized main course of veggie risotto 

Another main course – Scampi with fries

My rissotto main course was a hearty portion!

Scampi with fries

Another main course – Sea trout with globe artichokes

Sea trout with globe artichokes was another of our main courses

Two of us chose the blackcurrant soufflé and raspberry sorbet for dessert

Another dessert – Coffee and Chocolate bar with Guinness ice cream

We all enjoyed our splendid three-course meal from the a la carte menu which was beautifully presented. The bill came to £40 per person including drinks which I thought was on the pricey side, but then this was a birthday celebration lunch so it was well worth pushing the boat out!

The picturesque Packhorse Bridge at Moulton, near Newmarket, Suffolk

This pretty four-arched late medieval bridge spans the River Kennett on the old route from Cambridge to Bury St Edmunds

The Packhorse Inn

Bridge Street

Moulton

Newmarket

Suffolk

CB8 8SP

Tel: 01638751818

http://www.thepackhorseinn.com

 

The Punt Yard bar and kitchen in Cambridge: Easter 2017

On Good Friday Steve and I met up with friends for lunch at The Punt Yard, which was a new place to all of us, but I had high expectations as I’d heard good things about it. This retro-styled bar and kitchen opened last November and is another splendid addition to the portfolio of The City Pub Company, who own the Cambridge Brew House and the Old Bicycle Shop amongst others. It has a distinctive, fun and funky 50’s style, and an eclectic menu of yummy artisan pizzas, ‘posh’ kebabs, superfood salads, crafty cans and quirky cocktails.

New riverside venue The Punt Yard is a perfectly located eatery on picturesque Quayside in Cambridge.

Drinks are all about the cans at The Punt Yard, and with some stacked into a high tower on the bar, they made an unusual but appropriate feature and were something of a talking point.

We chose a half yard of Norfolk and Bad sourdough pizza, with tomato sauce, mozzarella, N’juda sausage, Norfolk oak smoked chorizo, chilli, caper and balsamic onion

A Flat and wild mushroom Posh Kebab with smoked aubergine, hazelnuts and pesto

A quarter yard All about Albert sourdough pizza with rocket, walnut pesto, goats and stilton cheese, pickled pear and truffle oil

We shared two sides of The Punt Yard chips which we all agreed were possibly the best we had ever tasted!

At The Punt Yard their artisan Sourdough Pizzas are ordered by the yard. For smaller appetites quarter, half, and three-quarter yard sizes are available – that is if you can’t go the full yard! Ideal for sharing, with a big choice of unusual toppings.

We chose Sticky Toffee pudding, Chocolate and Hazelnut Brownie and Pistachio Ice Cream for desserts

We enjoyed a selection of drinks including zingy house cocktails, Amstel on draft, Ginger Beer and table water served in a retro milk bottle.

We loved the interior decor and the staff were fun, helpful and very friendly!

The bill was presented in an old-school style medicine bottle and the total cost of our meal with drinks came to a very reasonable £98 for the four of us. The Punt Yard benefits from not being one of a chain and it has a really cool vibe and a great atmosphere. There are lots of veggie and vegan options, and it’s a family friendly, fun place to eat. We will definitely be making a return visit, and it’s an ideal place for both locals and tourists. Highly recommended. Enjoy!

 

The Punt Yard

6-8 QUAYSIDE

CAMBRIDGE

CB5 8AB

Tel: (01223) 855903

http://www.puntyard.com

The Petersfield, a new Cambridge pub and restaurant : March 2017

This week Steve and I visited The Petersfield, as we were curious to try this new pub and restaurant which opened last month in the building which was formerly home to the well-loved Backstreet Bistro, in Sturton Street. We had heard quite a buzz about the place, and were advised to book by friends who had been disappointed not to get a table last weekend. The Petersfield is another addition to the ever-growing City Pub Company group, who own the Cambridge Brew House and The Old Bicycle Shop amongst other popular locals so I had expected a stylish refit, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The Petersfield is located on Sturton Street, Cambridge

The interior was smart and classy, but the tables were too close together for my liking

Service was brisk and attentive and despite being very busy there wasn’t a long wait for food. The atmosphere was lively and fairly loud, but although it’s new this pub should continue to do well in this location at the heart of the neighbourhood.

 

The pub is full of charming design features and I loved the glass bottles ceiling in the bar

The Petersfield has a contemporary retro look with a large L-shaped bar and lots of dining tables. The décor features a rich use of colours with plush furnishings and good lighting, so this impressive refurbishment looks like no expense has been spared with a lot of thought being put into the detail.

The ceramic fish water jug made an interesting gurgling sound when poured!

The Petersfield features an impressive range of local real ales and offers a fairly ambitious menu of British food of the gourmet pub grub variety at restaurant prices.

Steve had Potted Goose and Sourdough for his starter

The Petersfield had a good range of craft beers, so we tried several!

For his main course Steve chose Pork Belly, roasted sweet potato, crispy black pudding, savoy cabbage, and apple sauce….

and to finish his meal the British Cheese selection with pickle, celery and fancy crackers

 

I had Cider-battered Haddock, chips, peas and tartare sauce, and Chocolate Fondant for my dessert

We ended our evening with a nightcap in the bar

My general impression was that the food I had was only average and slightly over-priced. We paid £44.25 for our meal without drinks, but it’s an attractive pub and a welcome addition to the area.

 

The attractive outdoor seating area made a great use of the space

The Petersfield

2 STURTON STREET

CB1 2QA

TEL: 01223 306 306

http://www.thepetersfield.co.uk

Art, Afternoon Tea and Cocktails: London – January 2017

Last week I had a lovely day out in London with a friend to celebrate her birthday. We started our day with a visit to The Switch House, – the new extension to the Tate Modern gallery in Southwark which opened to the public in June 2016.

The 360 degree panoramic view from the 10th floor of The Switch House at Tate Modern was a spectacular start to our day

Having skipped lunch we were looking forward to enjoying a full Afternoon Tea at our next destination The Wolseley, a café-restaurant in the grand European tradition located on Piccadilly, London.

The ornate and beautiful frontage of The Wolseley

The Wolseley dining room is elegant and sophisticated with a grand atmospheric interior

In a classy and relaxed atmosphere we enjoyed The Wolseley’s full traditional Afternoon Tea, which had a lovely selection of finger sandwiches and small cakes, with freshly baked warm fruit scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam, and a choice of loose-leaf teas. At £28.50 per person I considered this to be excellent value, as we were offered more sandwiches and a second pot of tea at no extra charge. Although this place is always busy the service is remarkably good because they have lots of staff. The ambiance is buzzing and it was a super place for people-watching! It’s good to know that their scones and pastries are made on the premises, with an ever-changing selection of cakes, which typically might include a Battenberg or Sachertorte. Everything was perfection, from the white linen napkins, the marble-topped tables, the silver cutlery and tableware, to the bespoke china. We felt that this Afternoon Tea provided a quality experience and it’s the perfect venue for a special occasion. Highly recommended if you are looking for somewhere to eat in London, but booking is advisable.

The Wolseley’s traditional Afternoon Tea was perfection and there was plenty of it!

A nice touch to mark this special occasion – a  birthday tuile for my friend

We enjoyed a tasty mix of finger sandwiches and were offered seconds!

The sandwiches were freshly-made and especially tasty with fillings of Chicken and tarragon, Smoked Salmon, Celery and Tomato, Cream cheese and cucumber, and Egg and Watercress.

At The Wolseley the freshly-baked scones were kept warm under a silver cloche

                        

There was even a bespoke goodie box to take home our left-overs!

A full Afternoon Tea is served from 3.00pm (3.30pm at weekends).

First opened as a prestigious car showroom in 1921 for Wolseley Motors Limited, the venue became The Wolseley in 2003 and soon became the famous institution it is today.

We ended the day with cocktails at the fabulous bar of The Gilbert Scott, St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Kings Cross, London

The opulent interior of the 19th century Gilbert Scott bar

The Bar at The Gilbert Scott offers flavour, ingredients and theatre and provides the ultimate cocktail experience in show-stopping 19th century surroundings. Guests are welcome for drinks on a drop-in basis, and although I thought it was expensive, it was well worth it for a special occasion.

Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in the Bankside area of the London Borough of Southwark. It’s Britain’s national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group. Based in the former Bankside Power Station, the Tate holds the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day and international modern and contemporary art. Tate Modern is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world, and the new Switch House extension provides one of the best panoramic views over London free of charge, so it’s well worth a visit. As with the UK’s other national galleries and museums, there is no admission charge for access to the collection displays, which take up the majority of the gallery space.

The Wolseley

160 Piccadilly

London

W1J 9EB

Telephone: 020 7499 6996

http://www.thewolseley.com

Galleria restaurant and hot new bar Six in Cambridge

Last week Steve and I dined with two friends at The Galleria Restaurant on Bridge Street, which is in a perfect location at the foot of Magdalene Bridge, overlooking St John’s and Magdalene colleges. This independent restaurant is a popular Cambridge institution, and a favourite with locals and visitors alike. The menu is best described as modern British fusion with world influences, and we enjoyed two courses of well-presented, freshly cooked and tasty dishes in stylish contemporary surroundings. On the downside the service was rather slow, and we had a long wait before our first course arrived. Also despite booking in advance we were disappointed not to get a table outside on one of the terraces beside the river, as it was a warm summer’s evening.

Diners at Galleria not only have a ringside seat of the antics of people punting on the river, but also one of Cambridge’s loveliest views. This three-level continental restaurant is light and airy, with wrought-iron balconies, ferns, French prints, and bistro-style seating. Prices are affordable, and portions are on the large side, so overall it’s good value for money. We were all too full for desserts after we had eaten two courses from the a la carte menu, and the bill came to £30 per person including drinks. 

Galleria has two terraces overlooking the River Cam which are perfect for al fresco dining, but unfortunately we found it’s not possible to reserve a table on the terrace

A splendid view of the River Cam from the terrace of the restaurant

A scenic view of picturesque Quayside, which is directly across the road from Galleria

Two members of our party chose Smoked Duck Breast with Cantaloupe Melon, Wasabi  Paste and Soy Dressing for their starter, which they both remarked certainly had a kick!

My starter of Smoked salmon mousse, Tomato and Cucumber Salad with French Bread was light, fresh and delicious

After Gin and Tonic aperitifs we drank bottled beers with our meal

Three of our party chose the grilled Sea Bass fillet with pomme puree, petit pois and leek buerre Blanc for the main course

It was a generous portion, perfectly cooked and beautifully presented in a stack

Steve chose Maple cured Lamb steaks with crushed new potatoes, braised spinach, wholegrain mustard and tartar sauce for his main, which he described as an excellent dish

 

After dinner we walked across Quayside to The Varsity Hotel and Spa in Thompson’s Lane to have a drink at their recently opened bar and restaurant called Six

Another charming view of Quayside, where punts are available for hire *

I enjoyed a Gin and Tonic in the ultra stylish new bar Six at The Varsity Hotel

Interior view of Six with its stunning panoramic views over Cambridge

Six panoramic bar is located on the 6th floor of The Varsity Hotel & Spa just below the hugely popular roof terrace. Recently opened, this very new Cambridge restaurant has breathtaking 360° views of the city, including the historic colleges and the River Cam.

We found the impressive drinks menu to be reasonably priced and about half the cost of drinks on the roof terrace. The food menu at Six was also surprisingly inexpensive, apart from their traditional Afternoon Tea, which at £22.50 a head is way more expensive than high end rival establishments in Cambridge. Another surprising thing is that there were no toilets either on the roof terrace or in the restaurant, so we were directed to the unisex washroom on the 2nd floor of the hotel in the guest bedroom area. Not an ideal situation and surely an ‘inconvenience’ for all the drinkers and diners at such a busy venue!

We were disappointed to find the roof terrace was closed at 9.30pm when we arrived at the hotel.

 

Galleria Restaurant                          

33 Bridge Street

Cambridge

CB2 1UW

Tel : 01223 362054

http://www.galleriacambridge.co.uk

Six Panoramic Bar and Restaurant                              
6th Floor

The Varsity Hotel
Thompson’s Lane
Cambridge

CB5 8AQ

Tel : 01223 308030

info@sixcambridge.co.uk

http://www.sixcambridge.co.uk

 

*Scudamore’s Punting Company Quayside

Magdalene Bridge, Cambridge CB5 8AB

Tel : 01223 359750