When we heard that twin brother chefs Alex (ex-Regatta, Aldeburgh) and Oliver Burnside (formerly Chef at the Crown & Castle, Orford) are now running things, we were intrigued. It ought to be good my wife and I thought We hadn’t been since May 2010, following a snack lunch of considerable poorness. We said then: “That’s a place we won’t be going back to”. In view of the twins’ arrival, we decided to investigate and so far we have been twice.
REVIEW by SuffolkEater
Based on a pre-concert dinner and a Saturday lunch, I am delighted to add the Plough & Sail to Eastward Ho!’s embryonic “Recommended Roster”.
Alex and Oliver Burnside, as yet, have not changed a lot of the interior of the Plough & Sail, with its quite plain and simple furniture and homely ambience. Instead they have applied themselves to creating a good Menu and fulfilling it. This they have done very successfully. The serving team is young or youngish with the common ingredient of professionalism.
Serving 80 or more covers at a pre-concert meal is a fair old task, but it was done expertly with ample time for three courses. As you can see from the menu re-printed below, the choice was wide. Almost as many offerings, in fact, as the à la Carte lunch menu, which we tried about two weeks later. From these two meals, I would say we have tried a representative selection of what the kitchen offers, and it is impressive.
For example, a starter of gravadlax provided good hunky slices of well-marinated fish and some salady bits with a quality dressing. Duck parfait and roasted tomato and pepper soup offered evidence of expert hands in the preparation. Other dishes, spied at neighbouring tables looked equally well prepared and presented.
Local duck breast (“Would you like it pink… or more well done?”) with a generous splash of “red wine jus” was tender and cooked as requested. The accompanying Pommes Dauphinoises and collage of fresh vegetables were exemplary. Local Cod and Chips delighted visiting Swedish friends, who know their cod, as did the nowadays almost ubiquitous Belly Pork. The menu doesn’t just contain well tried favourites, though: I tried and was delighted by a Soufflé of “twice-baked crab with saffron” and a side sauce which was cream based. Balance of flavours was splendid with the saffron doing its distinctive stuff and no more. Marvellous.
If after two courses you still have space, the desserts, including Crème Brûlée, ice creams, Pavloa and cheeses maintain the standard.
Service and Ambience
The place at the moment looks homely, but slightly well worn. The friendliness of the service makes up for any shortfall here. This is modern, i.e. informal, from mostly young women. They do very well and you can see their trained eyes surveying the customer-filled tables along the quite large and busy restaurant.
It’s the food that speaks for itself and makes the Plough & Sail worth the visit.
Ratings – out of *****
Food: ****½ Service: **** Ambience: *** Value-for-money: ****½
Summary:
There are professionals at work here. Professionals who don’t try tricks, short-cuts or who have pretentious attitudes. Here, for what are highly competitive prices in this day and age you get a meal you enjoy at the time, which doesn’t give you indigestion or paralysis of the wallet, and which you remember with affection.
Sample Plough & Sail Pre-Concert Menu
Starters
Homemade roasted tomato and pepper soup with croutons (V), or Homemade duck liver parfait with toast and onion jam, or Salmon gravadlax with pickled cucumber and a sweet honey and mustard dressing, or Marinated mixed olives and hummus with caramelised onions and warm pitta bread V
Main Courses
Belly of pork with braised red cabbage and sweet potato puree, or Fillet of cod with a herb crust on ratatouille with new potatoes, or Local dressed crab served with a mixed leaf salad and new potatoes, or Local duck breast with vegetables, dauphinoise potatoes and red wine jus, or Wild mushroom, spinach and butternut squash risotto with a mixed leaf salad (V)
Desserts
Classic crème brûlée with a vanilla biscuit, or Selection of Marybelle ice creams – Wild cherry/Pistachio/coconut, or Pavlova with exotic fresh fruit and vanilla ice cream, or Baked Irish liqueur cheesecake with espresso syrup
One course £14.00 – Two courses £19.00 – Three courses £24.00
The Plough & Sail, Snape Bridge Saxmundham, Snape, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 1SR 01728 688 413
