The website www.whitehorsebadingham.co.uk is worth a visit because it makes one thing very clear: there’s a chef in the kitchen, rattling the pans, turning the roasts and keeping an eye on the grill. The ready-meals van isn’t a regular here. What are regular, though, are diners from towns and villages for some miles around who enjoy the good sized plates of honest, fresh food cooked by Mark, who runs the place with partner Lisa who looks after the punters.
When we went, this nicely done out 15th century coaching inn was busy – it usually is, seven days a week lunch and dinner. The welcome was warm and the service good. Bearing in mind the home cooking, waits between courses were not long. From dishes of the day, one of us had apricot stuffed chicken fillet with a cream sauce (“Chicken succulent and juicy, sauce very well flavoured”), the second announced chicken tikka to be “exactly as it should be”, the third said the bunless burger (vastly beefy) and chips were as good as the one enjoyed a few days before and the fourth’s chicken breast in a sweet chilli, garlic and cream sauce also rated well. Accompaniments, whether rice, chips, salad or a bouquet of freshly cooked vegetables, were exemplary.
The menu proudly announces that all desserts and ice cream are home made. Unnecessary remark? Not really, because so many eating places herabouts undo a pack or unfreeeze when a dessert is ordered. Here they are delicious, but be warned they are big on portions. It was thought the Eton Mess might defeat one of our quartet, but not a bit of it. Two shared the bitter chocolate and hazelnut tart served with clotted cream ice cream and the last took on the lemon tart with raspberry ice cream.
Two pints of bitter, a bottle of Pinot Grigio Rosé (at £11.50 very reasonably priced, as all those on the quite short but good wine list are) and coffees completed an ample repast. No frills about the tables and settings and service, which was by personable young people. Everything, though, combined to make this a good evening out.
For vegetarians – not a mushroom risotto in sight! – a small but different selection of Mark’s own recipes is on offer. Beer and cider lovers can enjoy a good tipple choice. Muddy boots and dogs are welcome, too. A lot of thought has gone into the White Horse, and it shows.
Summary: Meal for two with wine £50.00 up. Booking recommended. Open every day. Sunday and daily lunch menus.
Mark and Lisa have made a great “go” of the White Horse, as locals will tell you. This isn’t Grande Cuisine but it’s well selected, well judged and well cooked food. One of the best places of its kind for some distance around. Highly recommended.
Value-for-money: very good indeed.
Badingham White Horse, Low Street, Badingham, Woodbridge
Suffolk, IP13 8JR Phone: 01728 638280 Email: info@whitehorsebadingham.co.uk www.whitehorsebadingham.co.uk
“SuffolkEater” is a four-headed, four-stomached reviewing body, who choose a restaurant, partake of different items on the menu, pay for the meal, depart and write about the experience. The foursome are experienced eaters-in and diners out, and unknown as reviewers to the places they visit.
