Easton White Horse a new destination for foodies

Easton White Horse.

There are three types of chef (in my opinion). There’s the line cook. The one who’s heart isn’t really in it. Microwaving pre-packed portions of hunter’s chicken. Scooping up French fries. Then there’s the star chaser. The chef who’s all about precision, clean lines and looks – sometimes, dare I say it, at the cost of the food having any soul.

And then, finally, there’s the real chef. A cook who wears spits of fat on their shirt sleeves and flour on their bottom.

It was clear to see last week, when I met the new head chef at the Easton White Horse, that he is the latter. As I arrived, Dom Clarke was red in the face from running around chasing (though not literally you’ll understand) Will Johnston of Hamish Johnston cheeses. You see, having only been in Suffolk for a few weeks, he’s frantically trying to make contacts.

With Dom, a Manchester lad who’s made ripples on the food scene around Cumbria, was pub manager Stuart Hansord – a beaming advocate for the business, now under the management of Chestnut Inns (owner of The Packhorse Inn in Moulton).

The Easton White Horse, paella (Image: Jake Eastham, � Jake Eastham)

“It’s about really nice, high-end good food, but not fussy – not pretentious,” Stuart said of the offering from the kitchen. “We’ve had an amazing response. It’s beaten all our expectations.”

There are two menus at the pub, and a different offering on Sundays. And while, at first glance, the fare seems to be classic – British with a European twist – what arrives at the table is apparently another matter. Theatre and that element of surprise seem to be important here. Stuart admits he and the staff love to watch customers’ expression as they dive in for that first bite.

Listening to Dom talk about his food is the culinary equivalent of hearing an opera singer belt out an impressive aria. His eyes light up, hands come alive, and the words that fall out are almost tangibly delicious.

On his cod paella, he said: “We make a red pepper paint, which we put on the plate, and pieces of chorizo and Suffolk asparagus, confit chicken, local clams and a sauce from the clams. Then there’s squid, and benito flakes, lime juice and heritage marked paella rice from Spain. Also, we make dehydrated chorizo and a squid sauce. It’s very vibrant. Technical, but lovely.”

The Easton White Horse, head chef Dom Clarke (Image: Archant)

My mouth watered at the sound of the pork belly. “We slow cook it for 12 hours overnight and press it. It’s cooked with floral ingredients and spices. Then there’s sticky pig’s cheek rolled in dehydrated pig’s skin [crackling] with crushed coriander seeds. And cider-braised onions filled with mash, barbecued hispi cabbage, and a sage quaver.” Phew!

Moments after pondering chef’s favourite dishes, he disappears and comes back with a slate of caramel coloured rubble. Apparently it’s roasted white chocolate – one of the components of the pub’s top-selling current puddings.

Cooked at just the right temperature, white chocolate bronzes around the edges and almost dehydrates, turning into something not unlike Caramac, that super sweet candy bar.

I promised I’d only have a nibble but, suffice to say, there wasn’t a lot left by the end of our meeting!

The Easton White Horse, Teryaki beef. (Image: Archant)

Sharing the plate with these tablet-textured golden nuggets, is a long list of heavenly things. Aerated chocolate, dark chocolate torte made with single estate Venezualan chocolate (as once used at El Bulli), a chocolate shard, whole cherries plumped with cherry brandy gel, boozy cherries and a Morello cherry sorbet in a chocolate tuile.

OK. So now I was really hungry.

And then, to top it all off, Stuart further whet my appetite by launching into a melodic rapture about Dom’s cheeseboard, which honestly sounds like it could top the list of best in Suffolk.

“It’s five or six different cheeses, and you get a box of treasures. Like a picnic,” he said, smiling from ear to ear.

So, what comes in this trove of edible goodies? At the moment, pending talks with said Cheeseman to introduce new fromages, the list includes a three-year-old gouda, Driftwood (an English goat’s cheese), brie, The Duke (a blue cheese), and Godminster.

These are accompanied by. Hold your breath. Truffle honey, pear and saffron chutney, red wine soaked grapes, candied walnuts, two types of homemade lavash bread, and malt loaf. Surely a meal in itself?

The food experience is enhanced further by the addition of complimentary canapes and fresh bread for each diner (beetroot pebbles and chicken liver parfait eclairs at the time of writing), and by the promise of petit fours such as pink peppercorn fudge and Jameson’s truffles with coffee – Paddy and Scott’s, of course.

Wines are sourced from Peter Graham, Stuart advised: “They’re very different to the area, including organic labels. The rose magnum is selling very well!”

Tattinger is the house Champagne, with staff this week being whisked off to the home of Tattinger for training with the bubbles experts. And there are eight red and whites available by the glass.

But what of the ambience at the White Horse? It was obvious, when I walked in, that the place had been ‘Chestnutted’.

The rambling and chaotic plantings at the front have been ripped out and replaced by a south-west facing terrace. And, inside, the original brick fireplaces, tiled and wooden floors, have been enhanced with the addition of smart country upholstery, low contemporary lightshades, and by a clean, neutral colour scheme.

“You come into one of our venues and you can see the Chestnut hints,” Stuart admitted. “It’s a nice, relaxed atmosphere. Not stuffy at all.”

What I liked was the inclusiveness of the pub. While there are three dining areas at the front of the pub, the bar at the back has been kept simple and rustic with the intention of not alienating locals. And, according to the manager, it’s working.

“We were keen to keep the bar as a local pub,” he said. For us it’s very much, if you have muddy boots and a dog, you’re welcome to come in.”

I especially liked the new ‘club room’ behind the bar, where a beautifully kept original flint wall hides a dining space that will seat large groups for parties, birthdays and family get togethers.

I, for one, can’t wait to come back and try the food. Look out for my review in a few weeks, when I’ll report back what I’ve tasted.