The Flitch of Bacon

Essex's finest

mackerel, dill, mustard

Where do I start with The Flitch of Bacon... If you have been following my blog, you would know I am a massive fan of chef Tim Allen's cooking. First, at Launceston Place in Kensington, followed by The Wild Rabbit in the Cotswold, both pretty much gained Michelin status instantly thanks to Tim and his wonderful team. The Flitch of Bacon is his very first owned restaurant in Essex, which happened to be pretty close to where I live. So of course, a visit to support The Flitch of Bacon was high on my agenda. The restaurant spit into a bar and dining area, with a back garden that also has its own bar and BBQs, which make it a far-cry from Wild Rabbit's super posh setting. The dining room currently only offers a la carte menu, but we were lucky to be offered a special tasting menu to sample some of Tim's latest creation.

bacon, scallop, cauliflower, cracking

monkfish, chicken wing, sea vegetable, anchovies

Veal, asparagus, mushroom, shallot

The restaurant's signature dish: Bacon with scallop was a thing of beauty, never before I have experienced bacon in such an exquisite manner. The sweet and umami taste had a perfect balance, and it worked so well with the meatiness of the scallop, I can happily eat another 10 plates of those. Another strong dish was the monkfish with a chicken wing, I really enjoy how Tim combine luxury ingredients with humble ingredients. The fish was moist and somehow, the rich flavour of the chicken wing, along with the anchovies, almost acted like a seasoning and really enhanced the taste of the monkfish. The main course of veal was extremely tender and finely seasoned, the crispness of the asparagus and earthiness of the mushroom synced up all other elements nicely together, everything just combined wonderfully to make this such a great tasting plate of food.

Custard tart, rhubarb

Strawberry, buttermilk, basil

Pineapple, cheesecake, lime

To sum it up, it was a really enjoyable meal and it is always nice to see the development of Tim and how he has adapted his cooking in a new setting. Some top-notch wine pairing was offered on the day too, so good that I even bought a bottle to take home! I was very pleased that I got the chance to sample Tim's cooking again after he left Wild Rabbit, and it was great to see some familiar faces from the front of house team. It is still fairly early days for The Flitch of Bacon but I am sure it will go from strength to strength and could become one of the finest restaurants in Essex very soon.



Food 4.5/5

What I paid: 
£120 per head with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£49

The St, Little Dunmow, Dunmow CM6 3HT

http://www.flitchofbacon.co.uk/