Pea Porridge, Bury St Edmunds

I scarcely need to recommend this. It is probably one of the most popular restuarants I know of around these parts, and with somewhere like this you don't really need to travel any further. However, I would be interested in comparing it with the Leaping hare at Wyken Vineyards, Pakenham. I used to think that was the best restaurant for miles, but it became too expensive for me.... and no-one has offered to take me.... aaah!

I went to PP with my daughter and it's rare she and I both enjoy the same restaurant on the same night, but in this case we did. We both used to like the Angel but she was disappointed last time she went and I wasn't as enthusiastic on my last visit, but that was a while ago.

Pea Porridge has a very unconventional menu - a fair amount of game and offal. That said, S had half a lobster and I had some beautiful hake. I'd say that last Tuesday the menu had something for everyone, and there were certainly a lot of people there to enjoy it. The restaurant was full. It's good with the small touches and the service was excellent. Didn't get around to a dessert, but the starter was delicious. It is quite 'fussy' food but in the right way. Lots of good and unusual ingredients, and the salad I had as a starter really didn't need the griddled lamb's heart with it. It would have sufficed on its own. It took me back to a cruise I had on an American ship where a salad started every meal. They were amazing dishes.

At PP the heart (was it calves heart?) element wasn't particularly memorable I do have to say (and it probably won't go on and on....) but by the time I had eaten that and some lovely bread and the complimentary pea hors d'oeuvre, I didn't need much more. The hake though, was 'Iberian' style and it was well-worth ordering.

I thought the prices were reasonable. Pea Porridge must be taking quite a lot of custom from other restaurants of a similar nature in town, but they do need some competition.