You know that feeling when you’ve had a long week but simply can’t be bothered to cook? That was me last week.
Hungry, restless and uninspired, I rang up my mum to see if she wanted to meet in town for dinner after work, as it saved both of us cooking, and gave us the chance to try out a restaurant we’d been meaning to visit for some time now.
The Grill At Twenty5 was the place in question, a self-described ‘family-run restaurant in the heart of Ipswich’. Located on St Nicholas Street, it’s in a really handy location, surrounded by a handful of independent shops, cafes and pubs. What I love about this part of town is historic buildings that for the most part have kept their charm and heritage, and I was excited to see what the inside had in store for us.
The interior is just as quaint as I’d imagined. As it was a quiet Thursday evening, we headed upstairs and had the place to ourselves which was great. It was like going round mum’s for dinner – without any of the washing up. The interiors were certainly rustic chic and made the place feel cosy - think exposed beams with fairy lights throughout.
As we sat down and glanced through the menus, we both knew we wanted something warming and comforting, as the weather was cold, dreary and a bit drizzly that day (this was before the sudden September heatwave landed on our shores). While we waited, I ordered a Peroni (£4), while mum had a coke (£2.65).
The waitress informed that us the fresh fish delivery hadn’t come in that day, and they had no sirloins. But that was no bother, as there were still plenty of starters and mains to choose from.
The menu itself cannot be faulted - there’s plenty on offer, and it definitely took us a while to decide what we fancied.
For starters, I ordered the squid (£7.50), while my mum went for the honey chilli prawns (£7.50). The prawns were, and I'm not exaggerating, cooked to perfection. And while they packed a bit of a punch, they definitely weren’t too spicy so made for a really pleasant starter. The squid was plentiful and lightly fried so it didn’t feel too heavy or greasy – my only suggestion would be for it to have a touch more lemon mayonnaise on the side, as the sauce-to-squid ratio was slightly off.
Now, onto the mains. I went for the pork belly (£16.50) which came with a side of bubble and squeak, green beans and apple cider sauce, while my mum opted for a ribeye steak (£24.50). This was accompanied by a side of tomatoes, mushrooms, salad, triple-cooked chips, and blue cheese sauce.
My pork belly was so dreamy – it was that perfect mix of tender and soft, and the crackling was delicious. I can’t remember the last time I had bubble and squeak, but that serving certainly reignited my love for the side.
And while I’m not a huge steak fan, mum was raving about how good hers was so I had to have a bite of it to see what all the fuss was about. She asked for it medium and that’s exactly how it came out – it was perfectly cooked, and the sides were generous. I wished I’d ordered a bowl of triple-cooked chips for myself, that’s how good they were.
If you visit this restaurant, make sure you order your steak with the blue cheese sauce and dip your chips in it – it’s one of the best cheese-based sauces I’ve ever had the pleasure of indulging in.
Plates cleared, and we were feeling incredibly stuffed by this point - but we both knew we had room for a sliver of dessert. I ordered a slice of the Nutella cheesecake (£6), while mum went for the tiramisu (£6). Both portions were pretty big, and incredibly rich. The cheesecake especially was one of the chocolatiest desserts I’d had in some time.
Sad to say though, we did struggle to clear our plates this round.
Once we got the energy to get up and leave, we settled the bill and headed on our way. Two starters, two mains, two desserts, one beer and one soft drink came to £74.65 in total, and certainly left us feeling full for hours after.
If you’re looking to take your family somewhere in town for a hearty meal, with large portions and good value for money, look no further than The Grill At Twenty5. A great spot pre-cinema or theatre, I don’t think I've felt that satisfied in a long time.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here