EDitorial ± 17-Oct-2008

Light Lunches: Carley & Webb, Framlingham

Been a month since we, the Gruesome Threesome, last "did" a proper teashop. Not that all those chippies weren't enjoyable, but man cannot live on breaded scampi alone. Only right, then, to take advantage of the falling fuel prices and face Framwards, yours truly at the Scenic wheel.

Lovely day on Market Hill, plus free parking if you can nab a spot, and there's plenty of punters enjoying goat's cheese goujons outside the Dancing Goat. Ain't No Sunshine for us, however, much like that infamous duck in the microwave, Bill Withers: we're set on filling our collective belly inside the Carley & Webb deli. Squint at that small photo and you may spot a side-on sign advertising the cafe within these Withers walls.

Through the blue door and there, adroit, are some tables, about four of 'em laid out in a 2x2 formation. It's obvious from the galumphing machine that coffee is available; it's less clear that Country & Western offer a limited range of sandwiches and quiche. That bijou selection simplifies the whole decision-making process: ham and Suffolk pickle sarnie, if you please, and a bottle of Fentiman's. Any crisps? Help yourself, says the lady, pointing to another part of the shop. And so we do, grabbing a monster bag of kettle chips, a satisfyingly and sizeable salty starter.

Since the same people are (a) waiting at tables, (b) serving deli customers and (c) prep-ing our food, something's gotta give, and everybody suffers a tad. Ample time to flick through the Framnews (ads for life coaches and tarot readers: wot no EADT), glance at the "No Signal" message on my T-Mobile, and to observe the unsubtle Paddy & Scott's branding, the Earl Soham folk who also cater to Kitty's down the hill. Food, when it comes, is lovely, as you'd hope, well presented, and gone in a flash.

Coffee also commended. Lemon drizzle cake generously proportioned, unlike the cafe part of this establishment. Maybe the atmosphere would benefit from a comfy sofa, a newspaper or two and a slight softening around the edges: the potential is there.

If it was a car -- Innocenti Mini.
If they were passing by -- Edward Woodward.