EDitorial ± 20-Jun-2013

Felixstowe Light Lunches: Fludyer Arms

Two-thirds of the way through June and summer ain't busting out all over. No matter: we must go back to the sea again and all that. Let's all be cool about this, but The Fludyer Arms -- prob better known to locals as simply The Fludyers -- is back, Back, BACK!

That entrepreneurial Tim Yeo fella isn't afraid to pump money into Felixstowe, bless him, and has already got a brace of hard-to-beateries (does that work?) in The Alex and Cafe Bencotto. He's got the knack, the touch, the gift. So after what seems like years of refurbishment and building work, his latest venue has opened its doors. To save you reading to the end: it's very good indeed.

Sitting opposite, also facing the North Sea, is the super-traditional Mrs Simpson's. On this side there's a heated outdoor terrace and it's posh, posh, posh. There's 14 posh rooms, a posh restaurant, and a pretty posh bar which we opted for. Spacy, airy, welcoming with newspapers and magazines. Menu in here is actually the same as the diners in the other bit with a tastefully limited selection. Today's specials include a hot beef sandwich in sourdough bread with caramelised onions and the Best Chips Ever. Only about 7 or 8 of them, stacked like Jenga pieces, thick 'n' fluffy 'n' tasty. Andy -- today's designated driver -- has a darn good beef curry, again served artfully.

A quick scan through the Star's property section, since your money goes a lot further here in Felix than it does in Woodbridge, then a brief trip back to the bar to order pudd. Another quality item lands on the table in the form of a treacle tart slice with a tiny jug of custard: v. much the ticket with a most acceptable cafetiere on the side. It's another one of those occasional places we're highly reluctant to leave. Will set you back a few quid, truth be told, but those are pounds well spent.

If it was a car -- Rolls-Royce Ghost.
If they were passing by -- David Suchet.