EDitorial ± 22-Dec-2014

Light Lunches: Paddy & Scott's, Framlingham

Have you heard the retro bells of St Michael? Fram-a-lam, ding-dong. Fram-a-lam, ding-dong. Fram-a-lam, ding-ding-dong. Shame on me for believing that was a late '70s hit for Darts when it was, as any fule kno, Rocky Sharpe and The Replays. Being a cover, appaz, of an original hit by a US doo-wop group named The Edsels. If I were to get a job behind the counter here, then you might see a board outside saying Ed Sells Sanctuary Sandwiches. Obscurity quota already exceeded, let's press on.

When dearly departed Grenvyle was still with us, we had a near-purrfect trip to Kitty's, then a frou-fruo first-floor cafe. That cattery then decamped to the cornershop before using up the last of its nine lives. Filling that 90 degree vacuum is a brand new venture from caffeine wrangling double act and local boys made good, Paddy & Scott's. Maybe you've seen them on the shelves of your Mr Tesco? They're going places, I tell thee.

Downstairs is dominated by a ping-pong sized single table, not quite as big as Pump St, while the numbered stairs lead to seating in the "living room" adjacent to the "buzz bar". In Suffolk? That heavy P&S branding is Marmite. Go with it and your reward may take the form of a tasty leafless bacon ciabatta with a dash of Stokes ketchup -- hello, farmcafe -- or, for Andy, a warming cup of tomato & red pepper soup. Obligated to mention a chicken and pesto sandwich consumed on an earlier trip which was top-drawer.

Descending for dessert, The Table is now free Free FREE! Sadly they're fresh out of their yum yoghurt and blackcurrant flapjack. Make do and mend with a choc and coconut slice, nice, with a really rather good large latte -- again with the branded cup -- to the right. WiFi. Service with a smile. Loyalty cards. A local magazine or two. If P&S made coffins, I'd say they'd nailed it.

Quicky mention for their other new branch over in that there Bury St Edmunds. It's aggressively sited on Abbeygate Street more or less opposite Caffe Nero, and enjoys far more space on the ground floor than the Fram operation. I was in there with my lot over Christmas and they loved it, all sitting there TYPING AWAY ON THEIR PHONES tap tap tap sucking up the free WiFi when this is supposed to be family time!

If it was a car -- BMW i3.
If they were passing by -- Paddy McAloon and Scott Walker.