Lark
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Entry
Punching above its tiny, 24-cover weight, youthful Lark has added some fresh, contemporary energy to already well-fed Bury St Edmunds. 'It’s imaginative, quirky, friendly and delicious,' noted one reporter; for another, it's simply the 'epitome of a great local restaurant'. Book ahead or get lucky on a sunny day with one of the outside tables kept for walk-ins. The menu is designed for sharing, and dishes arrive as and when ready. Regulars may home in on fixtures such as smoked cod’s roe dip with a lick of chilli heat to be scooped with house-made crisps, rich sopressini cacio e pepe (showered luxuriously with black truffle), or a trifle that shifts with the seasons and the chefs' whims. Come summer, courgette flowers, still connected to their firm young vegetable and stuffed with goat’s curd, are tempura-battered and deep-fried into lacy eccentricity, the sharpness of the curd balanced by sweet chilli jam. Crab is piled high onto warm hash browns with slivers of radish and a little Umai caviar (the latter is a supplement, but its layer of saltiness takes this dish to the next level). Find surprises on the specials board such as monkfish tartare, positively, lip-smackingly alive with lime and ginger; it’s a masterclass in the chef's meticulous sourcing and hands-off approach. And check out the ‘kitchen selection’ menu, an absurdly generous feast for £70, where you’ll discover the golden-crusted shank pie that has become a Lark signature. It's switched up regularly, but you could land on a rabbit and black pudding day, or local hogget with harissa, or even the stunning muntjac. Dessert? Yes, you can make room for that trifle – a dessert that will satisfy every retro pudding fantasy, right down to its stemmed glass bowl. Or return to the specials board for a jaunty choux bun filled with bright passion fruit curd and that most seductive, short-seasoned of fruits, alphonso mango. A compact wine list, created in collaboration with local bottle shop Vino Gusto, opens at around £26 for a Portuguese red and white. There’s particular value at the top end, with bottles such as Au Bon Climat ‘Santa Maria Valley’ (a classy Californian Pinot Noir) and Gaia Wines ‘Wild Ferment’ (a zippy Assyrtiko from Santorini) in the £70+ bracket.
Dining Information:
Wheelchair access, Credit card required
6a Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1UZ
01284 652244
