Review: Trying the food at pub named one of UK's most dog friendly

I know you will relate. Every so often, maybe once or twice a year, you emerge from a new eatery with a warm glow, a twinkle in your eye and the feeling that you've just discovered somewhere rather special.

That, in a nutshell, is how we felt leaving The Three Blackbirds after our lunch, hoping to find the nearby Devil's Dyke in an attempt to walk off a few of the very enjoyable calories we'd just consumed.

The Three Blackbirds in Woodditton near Newmarket (Image: Mark Heath)

Before we get to the food though, the catalyst for our visit. The Three Blackbirds has just been named one of the top dog friendly pubs in the UK, and being the proud owners of a particularly splendid hound, we decided to put it to the test.

It passed with flying colours. As folks who like to take our dog with us everywhere - at least everywhere without the requirement for a private jet - I can honestly say The Three Blackbirds could well be the most dog friendly pub we've ever been to.

There was already a bowl of water waiting under our table when we were shown to our seats and every single member of staff, without exception, made a fuss of our beloved bulldog. He's a very good boy and deserves it, but that's beside the point.

Mark's starter at The Three Blackbirds - 'Musk's' scotch egg (Image: Mark Heath)

That, then, was a fantastic first impression. Now, let's talk about the food.

Pints of Peroni in hand - we're very classy - we perused what was an excellent menu, with provenance clearly very important and all tastes catered for. Dairy free, gluten free, vegetarian and vegan choices were all plentiful and highlighted.

I went for the 'Musk's' scotch egg as my starter, made with the famed local Newmarket sausages and served with land cress and gherkin ketchup.

Liz opted for the vegan parsnip soup, with truffle oil and apple.

Liz's starter at The Three Blackbirds - vegan parsnip soup (Image: Liz Heath)

My egg was superb. A runny egg - cooked to peak dippy egg consistency - surrounded by a meaty and crunchy sausage coating, with the gherkin ketchup adding tang and the cress bringing freshness and bite, rather than just the pointless foliage frippery one often gets served up.

Liz's soup was good too. Delicately flavoured and perfectly smooth, with the apple adding a sweet and refreshing texture contrast, and the truffle oil a goodly richness. It was served with a lovely slice of homemade bread and butter too.

On to the main events, then. I went for the burger, with Liz ordering up the Claydon Farm chicken breast - remember what I said about provenance - served with a confit leg croquette and more.

Burger first. This was a great example of what a really good pub burger should be - firstly, when you pick it up, the juices from the patty must befoul your hands, in the nicest possible way.

Mark's excellent burger at The Three Blackbirds (Image: Liz Heath)

It should be a brioche bun. There must be cheese, ideally bacon - smoked and streaky, in this case - plus other accompaniments which actually add to the eating.

Here, we had pickled red onion, a gherkin, truffle mayonnaise and crispy onion adding to and lifting the patty party. It was among the best burgers I've ever had - and trust me, I've had a lot.

The chips were cracking too - insert standard line here about being crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle - while the coleslaw was tasty and well-made as well.

Across the table from me and my burger-juice covered hands, Liz was enjoying something altogether more refined.

Her chicken breast was well-cooked and plentiful, with beautifully crispy skin, while the croquette was a really nice touch - generously proportioned, crunchy on the outside and soft and well-flavoured within. The chicken and fennel jus knitted the dish together nicely too.

Two courses down, and there's no way we were stopping there. I'd just seen some mini-doughnuts come out of the kitchen and land on a table near me, so my mind was made up.

Liz's dessert at The Three Blackbirds - vegan pineapple upside down cake (Image: Liz Heath)

Liz went for the vegan pineapple upside down cake, coconut praline and vegan vanilla ice-cream. Let's start there.

The cake was light and moreish - if perhaps a touch dry - while the praline added a delicious nutty crunch and the ice-cream boasted a creaminess that belied its vegan credentials. Lovely stuff.

My doughnuts, meanwhile, were just a lot of fun. Trailed as 'Phil's homemade doughnuts', they were coated with cinnamon sugar and served with chocolate sauce.

I have no idea who Phil is, but I'd like to shake him firmly by the hand. And ask for more of his doughnuts.

Warm, sweet and not at all greasy, these little sugared balls really hit the spot. The cinnamon sugar made them extra special for me, that familiar taste enveloping me in a a big hug which put a smile on my face as I polished them off.

Mark's dessert at The Three Blackbirds - Phil's homemade doughnuts (Image: Mark Heath)

All told, our meal came to £77 - the starters were around £8.50, mains £17 and £18 and desserts £4.95 (doughnuts) and £8.

So certainly towards the top end of the scale for pub food, but also worth it, in my opinion.

I should also mention some of the sharing dishes on the menu, which I thought were a great idea - a 26oz Suffolk sirloin steak on the bone (£68.50) and a Suffolk pork loin to share. I'm afraid I didn't think to scribble down the price of the latter.

The ambience and style of the place is also worthy of note - it's a bit of a rabbit warren in terms of twists and turns and rooms, but in a charming, cosy way.

Think lots of wood, exposed beams and a general feeling of wellbeing. It's a Chestnut Group property, so if you've ever been to the likes of the Westleton Crown or the Northgate in Bury, you'll have a rough idea what I mean.

All in all, we were very impressed. A special place.