Understated luxury at Tuddenham Mill
Oh my. I have been spoilt rotten. Mrs HB here, hi! It was my birthday earlier this week and I had no idea that Mr HB had planned a night away at Tuddenham Mill in Suffolk. Arriving to ominously dark clouds, it was a relief to make it to reception before the heavens truly opened on us.
The reception area is modest and functional with some lovely splays of flowers dotted around, but it’s the welcome that instantly makes you feel at home. As our room wasn’t quite ready to check in, we decided to migrate to the bar area and have a spot of lunch. A glass of Mâcon-Villages pour moi, a Miso Old Fashioned for Mr HB, and crab croquetas, wood-fired pigs cheeks and truffle fries to share. They were respectively light, rich, crispy and flavoursome – and just the right amount to see us through the afternoon.
But let me tell you about the accommodation before I tell you all about our dinner tasting menu. We were in one of the loft suites and these are quite something. They don’t look anything special from the outside to be honest but step across the threshold and you’ll find a light and airy open-plan space with white walls and white-washed floors. In fact, there’s a lot of white, including the two-person bath tub in the middle of the living room! Now that might seem a little odd, but when I tell you that the bath is strategically placed so you can wallow whilst looking out over a vast expanse of countryside it’ll make more sense. The views from this particular loft are lovely but there’s lots to look at inside the accommodation too.
As the whole loft space is open plan, you can’t avoid the superking bed with its crisp white sheets, low bedside tables and subtle lighting. And as you make your way to the bathroom which is sectioned off but not entirely private, there’s a beautiful waft of citrus and lemongrass from the essential oil sticks in the corner. And the bathroom – spotlessly clean – has his and hers sinks and a lovely waterfall shower, with snuggly branded bathrobes to pad about in. There’s also a separate dressing area with a full length mirror, and I’m pleased say they’ve remember the essentials – sensible lighting (you wouldn’t believe how many places I’ve been to where it’s been SO difficult to apply my makeup because of bad lighting), hairdryer, and a good quality iron and ironing board.
In the living area, there’s a chic gas fireplace gently flickering in the corner, providing both ambience, warmth and a focal point for the room. And the vast comfortable settee is the perfect place to kick back and chill with a glass of the complimentary sloe gin and homemade chocolate truffles they’ve left for us to enjoy. It’s all a little bit if understated luxury.
The loft suites are more roomy than the other options available at Tuddenham Mill but they have not skimped on the stylish luxury in any of them. There are 21 rooms in total, ranging from individual wooden pods (‘Nooks’) to the three Mill rooms on the top floor of the mill which have vaulted oak-beamed ceilings, lots of light and views over the mill pond. There are even dog-friendly options to accommodate your furry-friend. Staying here requires reasonably deep pockets, with Nooks and Mill Stream rooms starting at around £150 per night in the off-seasons; and Loft Suites at around £295 per night. But please don’t let that stop you booking; you’ll regret it.
Tuddenham Mill’s four AA rosettes are more than well deserved
There are a a couple of options for decent eating at Tuddenham Mill, all under the steer of Chef-Patron Lee Byes. The Tipi On The Stream offers more casual daytime dining (until 7pm) in the now-permanent tipi which is beautifully decorated with vines, fairy lights, wooden benches and tables, and sheepskin rugs to keep your backside warm on a chilly day! It’s a rather romantic setting and perfect for whiling away a few hours, regardless of the weather.
But I’m booked in for the tasting menu Upstairs At The Mill – the main restaurant that has appeared in the Michelin Guide since 2011, but which has recently won four AA rosettes for its outstanding food. It’s a lovely calm space, in the restored mill with the original millstone, cogs and wheels on display, and solid oak beams (mind your head if you’re tall though!).
Guillermo, our sommelier and waiter for the evening, is one of the most personable and knowledgeable people I’ve come across in the hospitality industry in a while. And, despite there being a fair few diners in the restaurant, he took the time with us at every course to discuss flavours in the dishes and how these balanced and complimented the wines.
You don’t have to have the tasting menu but it’s a good way of understanding the complexity of the dishes and everything that’s on offer here. And it’s worth investing in the wine flight too, because Guillermo really knows his stuff. From the very first amuse bouches of beetroot crackers (which are far more complex than they sound) and Duroc pig croquettes, to the final cheese board, he presented a fabulous selection of wines:
- A glass of English sparkling from the local vineyard down the road was the perfect beginning to this English rose’s evening (couldn’t resist the pun, sorry!).
- The Babiana chardonnay-blend from award-winning South African Vondeling Wines paired perfectly with the fish course of black bream with local Brancaster mussels and delicately light crosnes (Japanese artichokes) and a rich beurre blanc.
- Our main course of Coniston lamb with the season’s first wild garlic (from the grounds outside no-less) was paired with a hearty Res Fortes Côtes du Rousillion.
- A glorious 2006 Banyuls Grand Cru from L’Etoile finished our meal beautifully alongside the selection of cheeses.
In fact, when Mr HB didn’t fancy the sweet wines on offer, Guillermo (mostly known as Will) went and found alternative wines that he knew would still compliment the food. That’s not always an easy task when you’ve got combinations of meat, fish and cheese from different regions of the UK. It shows a deep knowledge and understanding of flavour and wine combined.
Every dish served to us throughout the evening was lovely to look at and even better to eat. Inventive and innovative, with ingredients that are sourced from throughout the UK, not just locally, the balance and depth of flavour in each dish are testament to the cookery skills of Senior Sous Chef Abigail De-Ats.
- The rich oiliness of the sea trout tartare was perfectly cut through by the gentle sweetness of the blood orange and rock samphire.
- The squab pigeon has just the right amount of caramelisation to balance the liver parfait and sweet Yorkshire rhubarb
- The chocolate parfait with pops of citrus granita was a much lighter way to end a meal (before the cheese of course!) than some chocolate dishes I’ve experienced.
Possibly the only dish that didn’t make my tastebuds sing was the Young Buck with pear ice cream and buttermilk crumb. If you don’t know, Young Buck is a raw-milk blue cheese from Northern Ireland. It’s a creamy, rich cheese with a lingering saltiness and definitely needed the pear and buttermilk to bring some sweetness to the plate. Texturally it ate well but for me, it was the late harvest Pinot Gris from Apaltagua in Chile that brought the dish together. The additional sweetness from the wine just made everything a little more palatable. But that’s just me, and Mr HB – who doesn’t usually like any type of blue cheese – really enjoyed the dish, so I guess it comes down to personal taste.
But other than that, I couldn’t fault anything else about the meal. And it’s clear from the other diners that they thoroughly enjoyed their meals too. The evening moves at a steady pace and you don’t feel rushed at all between courses. Service is more than attentive with no need to ask for anything. The music playing is modern, edgy and somehow refined – and I think that’s how that best describes the food here.
Even our breakfast the morning – after a very comfortable sleep back in our loft suite – was beautifully presented and tasty, with homemade jams and delectably hot plates of bacon, soft poached eggs and avocado.
And I’m left with the words of the chef herself ringing in my ears… “It’s all fine and well to use local ingredients. But why would I do that when they’re not always the best?” Abi, I applaud you for taking this view; it’s refreshing, and you really did serve us ‘the best’.
If you’re looking for an indulgent minibreak which ticks all the boxes and then some, I recommend you get booking.
The Hospitality Boss Rating
Overall rating (out of 5)
