Our food reviewer Mark Heath and his wife Liz visited The Peacock Inn in Chelsworth to try their new tasting menu. Here's what they made of it...
There are generally accepted rules in life.
Don't put your socks on before your pants. Loudly say 'You're welcome' if you hold a door open for someone and they don't offer thanks. And always - always - respond 'yes' when your better half asks you if you think they look thinner.
These extend to food, too. If there's lobster, order it. Don't mess around with classic flavour combos. Don't eat pizza with a knife and fork.
You're also trained, generally, to expect white wine with fish. And probably don't pair fruit with seafood.
But that pair of Generally Accepted Food Rules were both challenged, in the best possible way, on our trip to The Peacock. More on that soon.
First, the bigger picture. The Peacock, nestled in a little mid-Suffolk village, was our food find of 2022.
A true gem offering a wonderful setting - a 14th century half-timber grade II-listed pub which was once a favourite haunt of the Krays - along with exciting, great-looking food from head chef Sam Clover and top notch service from restaurant manager Jack Butler and his team.
Having enjoyed our first visit so much, once we heard that they'd launched a tasting menu - surely one of life's greatest inventions - we were duty-bound to return.
And thus we did, taking a place next to the fire on a Friday night earlier this month, faithful hound at our feet, and healthy sense of anticipation in the air.
Sam's menu is eight courses for £80, with an optional flight of paired wines for an extra £40. We observed another of those generally accepted rules - if there's a wine flight, you have it - and duly awaited culinary kick-off.
We started with snacks. Salty, moreish nocellera olives, a slice of soft, crunchy home-made sourdough bread, posh butter and a delicate little Chanterelle mushroom, celeriac and pumpkin seed tartlet, which made for a tasty little bite - or two if you have more decorum and a smaller mouth than I.
Engines revving, next up were two 'starter' courses - tartare of mackerel, pickled turnips, radish, dashi, seaweed and a tapioca cracker, plus the very exciting sounding duck leg lasagne, roasted onion, feremented kohlrabi, duck consomme and smoked bacon.
The mackerel was meaty and fishy, nicely complemented by the salty dashi, acid from the turnips and crunch from the cracker.
While I liked it, I would say this might not be to everyone's tastes - eating raw, fishy fish won't be universally enjoyed.
The duck leg lasagne though, was very clever indeed. Pouring a consomme onto a lasagne dish is again a surprising, fun concept - an approach which seems to be something of a trademark for Sam and his small, talented team.
That consomme was delicious, all salty and rich - put it in a glass and I'd drink it - while the pressed duck leg was soft and tender, contrasting with the slightly sour crunch from the kohlrabi, plus a hit of umami from the smoked bacon and onion. Very, very good.
Before the next course we were surprised with a bonus - Jack spying a couple of willing guinea pigs, I assume, and presenting us with a dish which will soon be on the menu.
That was native scallop, whipped smoked scallop roe, koji butter sauce, rhubarb and sauteed chanterelles.
This was a joy, and an early contender for Our Dish of the Evening. It looked pretty and tasted tremendous - rich smokiness from the roe, the trademark sweetness from the scallop and a soft sourness from the rhubarb.
For us, it was that rhubarb which brought the whole dish together - and certainly the first time we've seen that unusual pairing.
Next up the 'fish' - roasted halibut, braised chicory, January cabbage and a cabernet sauvignon butter sauce.
Again, this challenged traditional assumptions. Not only was the fish served in that red wine sauce, but it was also paired with a red wine. The food equivalent of putting on boots and shinpads to go for a swim.
Did it work? Well in my notes I just wrote 'Holy cow - one of the best bits of fish I've ever eaten.'
This was my Dish of the Evening, not only for how it looked and tasted, but also because it was different, unexpected.
A word too, at this point, for the wine pairings. I don't know a lot about wine - other than I drink a bunch of it and I know what I like - but the pairings throughout the night were spot on, capped by this dish. Perfect.
Next up, 'meat' - slow-cooked loin of venison served with fermented juniper red cabbage, coffee kombucha glazed Jerusalem artichoke and sour cranberry.
Another contender for our personal awards, this was what a venison dish should be - a showstopper.
Sexy to look at and a pleasure to eat, we especially enjoyed the sour cranberry with the perfectly pink meat.
After a pause for a pre-dessert - a most refreshing little earl grey and lemon granita - it was onto 'dessert'.
First, we had a caramelised pear tart, brandy creme mousseline, clotted cream ice-cream and calvados - teamed, by the way, with a calvdos on the rocks.
I really enjoyed the lemon tart on our first visit, and I'm pleased to say the Peacock's terrific tart streak continued here - great pastry, delicious fruit and goodness-me-that's good ice-cream.
There was one more surprise for us - another glimpse into the future at a dish soon to be available, namelu hibiscus poached rhubarb, pistachio sponge, saffron custard, bergamot oil and hibiscus veil.
Think of this as posh rhubarb and custard - with an unbelievable sponge thrown into the mix.
The accompanying cocktail, the team's own take on rhubarb and custard, really added to the theatre and enjoyment too.
Finally, we arrived at the final course - 'petit fours'. A chocolate macaroon, pate de fruits and white chocolate and lemon.
A delicate, refined end to a really good meal - that macaroon, especially. I'd buy ten of those please, kitchen team.
And thus, having declined the optional cheese course (£10 extra), our meal and evening was complete, topped by one of Jack's excellent espresso martinis. Worth ordering one of those just to see his reaction, by the way - he really likes making them.
Final conclusions then. Well, it was everything a good tasting menu should be - enough food that you feel full but not stuffed, a showcase of the kitchen team's skills, a dash of theatre and a range of dishes which leave you debating (arguing) about which is best.
The spend of £120 pp - for both the food and wine flight - is, by any measure, expensive, of course.
Unless you're really doing well for yourself, this is not a normal night out sort of vibe.
But as a treat, a special occasion, a reward - whatever or however you need to justify it to yourself - it is a fantastic experience.
Book a room, make a night of it and forget the grim, dull, mundane realities of life for one evening.
Treat yourself. Just enjoy it.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here