A meal at the Duke of York, Woodbridge

*Our meal at Duke of York was part-paid for, but all opinions remain honest.

Last week Jamie and I were kindly invited along to Duke of York in Woodbridge. Duke of York is a part of the Vintage Inns chain – we previously ate at The Beagle in Ipswich (and loved it!), also a part of this chain, so were intrigued to try out another location.

I’ve previously eaten at Duke of York, although a very long time ago. The decor is homely, rustic and warm, and we were seated at a quiet table tucked away.

Because of our previous Vintage Inns visit, we were eager to try something new off the menu. We can’t resist a bit of a garlic starter, so opted for the sharing Garlic and cheese stone-baked flatbread. We also had a bowl of Salted Pistachios bought to our table while we waited – they are SO moreish, but a lovely snack to pick on.

As you can imagine, the starter was delicious – can you really go wrong with anything garlic based?! The cheese wasn’t overloaded on top, and it was the perfect welcomer.

For mains, I felt like a lighter meal so went for the Pancetta wrapped Cod loin served with rosemary, on a bed of lemon crushed baby potatoes, wilted baby spinach, green beans, soya beans and a white wine velouté. This was delicious! I’m not always a fish fan, but the cod was perfectly cooked, and the sweetness of the lemon baby potatoes complimented it perfectly. The white wine veloute gave some moisture to the dish, and I love that there was plenty of this sauce too.

Jamie went for the more hearty meal of the two, going for the Duo of Lamb – a pan-fried lamb rump and a Cheddar-topped shepherd’s pie with honey and thyme roasted carrots, seasonal vegetables with a red wine jus. This really was a home-cooked, hearty meal.

Despite being full from our mains, we weren’t missing out on any dessert! Again, I wanted something light, so went for the Blackcurrant and Prosecco Cheesecake. This was nice and refreshing, but for me, the fizz of the prosecco wasn’t my favourite, and I felt it could have been fresher.

Jamie opted for one of his firm classics: Sticky toffee pudding, served with custard. This was the perfect size pudding – just enough to feel satisfied, but not so much you go home feeling sick!

We both loved our visit at The Duke of York in Woodbridge, and will certainly be heading back again soon.

Lucy x