Light lunch ligging is back after a late August layoff, and conditions are September sad for the (car)ferry to Felixstowe. Just when we think it's behind us, it keeps pulling us back for one last job: picture the 'Stowe as Don "Yes! Yes!" Logan to our Gal "No, No" Dove.

There's a new joint in town on which we've had our all day breakfast eye for a goodly while. Now the summer's gone, Tim Yeo's simple-as trio of meeting & eating places is complete:

1. A is for Alex, Felixstowe -- been there, done that, will go back
2. B is for Black Tiles, Martlesham -- not a million miles from the office
3. C is for Cafe Bencotto, Felixstowe -- "Mediterranean fayre venue", it says here

According to my recently used Collins Italian phrasebook, "Ben Cotto" means ... what? Anyone? Well done if you said well done. Which is apposite since the interior is precisely that. Dead classy, lots of light, loads of space: a far cry from when the old Bencotto Steak House was the haunt of my grandparents. There's plenty of tables too, though precious few free ones this particular lunchtime. We're allocated a semicircular bay, most comfortable, and given menus to peruse. Pizza? Pasta? Anti pasto?

Drinks ordered, prevarication ensues, so much so that we seem to lose our waitress slot. It's a while before we can place our food orders -- time to eye today's newspapers -- and we've all got a keen appetite when our grub finally turns up. Hey presto, I don't think so. Just about worth the wait for my smoked pancetta and avocado salad with tasty dressing; Andy's veg platter and Gren's spagbol also look the part.

Would very much have liked to try their macchiato, maybe with the lemon tart, but time was against us, largely due to the "unhurried" (if we're being kind) service. They sure didn't move that slowly when these premises used to be the fire station.

If it was a car -- Fiat Ulysse.
If they were passing by -- Matteo Sereni.

Update: 06-Feb-2009

150 days later and we're back at the Bencotto thanks to some cut-and-snip coupons offering selected main meals for a fiver. Pleased to report that service is ace, and plates-o-food are before us in two shakes. Maybe shouldn't have added chilli oil to my already chilli-laden pizza, but hey: v. tasty and Pizza Express-ish, which is good. Grenvyle's seafood linguine looks great. And to follow up my whole litre of chilled Bencotto brand water, a potent kerpow of a macchiato. Nice one, Bencotto.