Our food reviewer Mark Heath and his wife Liz visited Lucy’s Restaurant in Fornham All Saints for a Friday dinner. Here’s what they made of it...
Food
There’s been a buzz about Lucy’s on the Suffolk foodie scene since it opened late last year.
It’s been on our list to try pretty much since then, but global events have obviously not been conducive to popping out for dinner.
While Lucy’s did a roaring takeway trade over those difficult months, they finally re-opened their doors to eat-in diners again earlier this month.
When we visited for an early Friday dinner (6.30pm) there was already quite a buzz about the place - within all the guidlines of Covid-19 restrictions, of course.
Tables are well spaced out and some are not in use, while you order all your food via a link on their website - tap in your table number, make your picks and pay.
Sitting looking at your phone is not ideal when one heads out to eat, but under the current circumstances most understandable.
Lucy’s is currently running a limited menu – again, understandable – but what was on offer certainly looked good to us.
There are a number of sides which I guess you could have as starters if you wish – garlic bread, rocket salad etc – but we decided to head straight to the main event.
And at Lucy’s, that main event means freshly-made pizza and pasta. I went for the basil pesto and romano pepper pasta, while my better half eventually chose the sausage meat, chill and red onion pizza. I say eventually, because all of Lucy’s pizzas sound enticing - picking just one is a test!
With a couple of glasses of fruity Sangiovese red wine also ordered and paid for, we settled in to await our food.
Lucy’s has an open kitchen so, if you’re sitting in the side room, you can watch the pizza dough being made and tossed, plus being plunged into their very impressive, bespoke, Italian-made pizza oven. A nice bit of theatre while you wait.
Of course, theatre is all well and good as long as there’s substance to go with style - and I’m pleased to report that the food at Lucy’s merits a standing ovation.
My pasta was wonderfully fresh, with the sweetness of the peppers working so well with the savoury, slightly salty pesto and rich cheese. Pesto pasta is such a simple dish but so easy to get wrong - happily, this was spot on.
I noted a similarly simple Italian pasta classic, cacio e pepe, is also on the menu at times, and I’d love to give that a whirl too.
Anyway, across the table, Liz was tucking into her pizza. It looked tremendous - a fluffy-crusted sourdough treat, topped with plenty of sausage meat, red onion and chilli.
It ate well too, the toppings each packing plenty of flavour, while the crusts were wonderfully light and chewy. A cracking pizza.
Main events devoured, our minds turned to dessert. And when a brownie is listed as ‘famous’ on the menu, you have to order it, right?
We duly did, along with a latte for me - good coffee too, by the way – and the brownie lived up to its grand billing.
Rich, gooey and sweet, with a few raspberries offering a nice sharp, fruity contrast and a scoop of vanilla gelato rounding the dish out nicely.
Simple but superb pizza, pasta, brownie and red wine - what’s not to like?
And, with the food already paid for, there’s no waiting around for the bill either.
We’ll be back.
Drinks
A good selection - prosecco, white, red and rose wine, two different beers, gin and tonic and numerous soft drinks.
My coffee was excellent too.
Takeaway
If you don’t fancy eating in, Lucy’s has a vast takeaway pizza menu too - and it’s hugely popular.
There were a steady stream of folks in and out of the restaurant to collect their Friday night treats while we were there. A good sign.
A love story
Lucy’s is a passion project for talented young chefs Lucy Davis and Francois Pretorius, who met and fell in love at the renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland before taking the plunge and opening their eatery.
They fully refurbished what was the village’s organic shop, and say they pride themselves on fresh, simple food.
Setting
There’s a nice feeling about the restaurant, even given the current restrictions.
It feels bright, stylish and was abuzz with diners - both eat-in and takeway - while we were there.
Value
My pasta was £13, while Liz’s pizza was £15 - for fresh food of such quality, that’s entirely justified.
Highlight
Liz loved her pizza, and my pasta was delicious.
When it’s kept fresh and simple, you can’t beat Italian food!
Summary
Simple but superb - an exciting addition to the Suffolk food scene.
Rating: 8/10
- Our food reviews are always independent. They are the opinion of the reviewer based on their experience of the venue when they visited. The establishment is not aware of our visit, is not informed we intend to write a review and bills are paid by the reviewer. The choice of places reviewed is also independent and is not based on venues which do or do not advertise in our publications.
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