Review: The Anchor, Burwell

We were looking for a "worth it" Sunday roast this weekend and The Anchor at Burwell was recommended to us, so we went with it... Well, this was just fantastic. We were welcomed by the resident dog (just beautiful, what a nice welcome for a country pub) and noted for next time that this place is dog friendly, great to know. The staff were super friendly and knowledgeable on the dishes and wine list, but we opted for cider and soft drinks today. We hadn't planned to have starters, but were super tempted by the (artichoke) soup of the day (£5) and the smoked mackerel with pickled cucumber and sourdough (£7). Both were delicious and generous servings for a starter. I wouldn't normally go for fish, but I really craved it and the freshness of the cucumber and the mackerel together was perfect, I really want to recreate this at home, it was so simple, but it worked. The only niggle (not really for us) was that we were asked again by another waitress if we wanted to order once we had ordered and they served a delicious bread basket with olive oil & balsamic vinegar before our starters, we finished this and then another waitress brought another basket out.... admittedly we were hungry so we nibbled on both sets, but it confused our first waitress.... they are a little too eager on the service perhaps - but we didn't personally mind. The roast dinner menu seemed on the pricier side (£18 for 35 day aged sirloin beef and £15 for Blythburgh pork loin) but I can honestly say it was worth every single penny. Our roast dinners came with meat, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and gravy on the plate, followed by a huge side dish of individual vegetable bowls... carrot & swede mash, broccoli & green beans and a deliciously creamy cauliflower cheese which worked surprisingly well with the meal. We also were provided with mini bowls full of horseradish and apple sauce, we didn't have to ask for it, they served it with the meal which was a lovely thing to note as you normally have to ask for these and wait a while until they bring it. Our meals were beautifully cooked and there was far too much for us to finish (perhaps the second bread basket wasn't a good idea haha) and so we didn't conquer the dessert menu. But the mini doughnuts with salted caramel sauce looked amazing on the table next to us, so next time, we will save ourselves for pudding! I had also seen on their website they do a homemade Bakewell Tart with Amaretto Custard, well... that MUST be sampled at some point very soon! This was a fantastic sunday lunch, the service was super fast and friendly.... even the telephone call I made to book ahead that morning was brilliant. The guy I spoke to advised that he had a large group coming in that afternoon, so between 2-2:30pm would be great to come along so that we don't have to wait ages.... great service, we really appreciated his honesty and that he didn't just shoehorn us in for the booking. We will be back and highly recommend this for a drive out from Cambridge or Newmarket, with the stunning autumnal colours out at the moment, we had a great time driving the country roads to Burwell taking in the oranges, reds and browns around us, I just love this time of year. www.theanchorburwell.net Read my "About Me" page here! See more of my travel videos here and more of my food review videos here. Or get in touch via social media through Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for a natter about life in general! Please note – I am in no means obliged to blog or write about this event, brands associated to it or their offerings, but I simply choose to share with my readers, should I wish to do so. Any questions or to discuss a "Secret Stay" or review, please do email:hello@misssueflay.com All images © 2017  Miss Sue Flay, these may not be used or reproduced without written permission from the owner, many thanks in advance.