[presenting a guest review by Andy Cassy: thanks!]

A mid-week social meeting led Andy out south in to Essex, way beyond our usual range, to a cafe he'd seen signs for but not quite sure where it was. As it happens The Food Company is very easy to find provided you leave the A12 at the right junction (Marks Tey, not to be confused with the previous Stanway shopping park).

Looks like a bleak brick block furniture store from the outside but you gape in wonder as you enter and drift past the handmade chocolate and sweets counter through in the depths of the food hall -- reminiscent of its namesake just over the border back in Suffolk. Best not to take the kids with you unless they have their own spending money or not feeling well enough to eat otherwise it will cost you a fortune.

Having whetted your appetite with the upmarket fare, you are directed upstairs to the cafe. As you'd probably expect being 20 miles closer to Big City you are greeted by an equally upper-middle class cafe -- pay at the counter and your order is swiftly delivered by the efficient waiters. Soup was yummy and the fish cakes huge and filling as you'd expect for outer London prices.

Saving himself for coffee and cake, our intrepid reporter over-faces himself with a delicious, mammoth slab of Rocky Road (best yet but far too rich and filling -- will take the other half home for tea). With his guest polishing off a fluorescent pink bun, complete with matching edible flower, we depart an hour or so later having been well fed and equally gaining a few lbs whilst losing a few other pounds. But not before wandering round the upper floor home ware items - must be a really special chair to be worth £2,500 (recession, what recession?)

If it was a car -- Mercedes SLK
If they were passing by -- Jamie Oliver.