We ate here with another couple on a quiet Tuesday in May. The decor was simple but attractive and the service pleasant if not especially expeditious for an exceptionally quiet lunchtime.
We opted for the special lunch menu which seemed good value. The smoked salmon starter with pickled cucumber was tiny and served with ‘organic’ leaves which were turning to slime.The terrine with black pudding and red onion marmalade was enjoyed but the soup pronounced just so-so. We ought really to have complained as the self same slimy leaves were served with two of the maincourses and should not have appeared on anyone's plate. Fishcakes were fine and served with tasty chips and more nasty leaves. Red poll salt beef promised much but proved pale, bland and chewy with a mustard sauce barely detectable. A mushroom tart looked, and apparently tasted, overcooked. Puddings (rhubarb crumble and a lemon polenta cake) were very nice.
We had been drawn there ( a long way from South London) by a very favourable review and were somewhat disappointed. Mistley quay was lovely. I have never seen so many swans!