EDitorial ± 28-Sep-2018

Ipswich Lunches: Nosh

An effulgent Friday and there's been vague promises of an outing. Quick mid-morning check on Mr Jobs' FindMyFriends reveals that our driver's Somewhere In Saxmundham (not a bad title for a short story, that). Follow-up text to find out that, despite this, he's still up for an excursion. Andy's in. I'm in. Ditto Kev. For the first time in three months, the gang's all here.

Challenging visual kick-off, neither Kev nor myself recognising the Boyton fleet Fiat sitting outside reception, and nobody expecting Andy to be on time. My suggestion to nip down Foxhall Road to the firework shop on the outskirts of The 'Swich. Diagonally opposite for some years used to be CC's Sandwich Bar but now it's nosh. Note deliberate lower-case stylings, part and parcel of their quality chain-like branding (reminiscent of The Turtle and The Bear) with that friendly pea-green font, classy pricing -- eg latte 2.5 -- and rhymin' Simon tagline:

"If you can't stay - take it away"

Most of their trade would be "to go" as the kids call it, but if, like us, you're staying, there's two tables plus three convenient light lunch-shaped window chairs. Eye was drawn to their mega blackboard of paninis with more fillings than Shane MacGowan. Corned beef bap, please, with chunky pickle. Chicken and pesto panini for K, caramelised sausage roll and salad for A. All v. happy with our choices until I spotted the far smaller specials board advertising halloumi fries, chilli and other interesting bits. Darn.

Perched atop one of those window seats is all you need, harking back to the platinum days of Enjoy, and an excellent place to put the world to rights: hello, Brett Kavanaugh. People are in and out -- they can't stay so they're taking it away -- and I discover it's only me for summat sweet, not for the first time. That sizeable jammy muffin covered with 100s and 1000s is calling to me, not half bad washed down with a kicking mug o' flat white. Nice peeps, nice natter, nice nosh.

If it was a car -- Toyota Noah.
If they were passing by -- Arabella Weir.