The Last Anchor Restaurant, Ipswich

...a residential area and alongside the many high quality flats and boats there is obviously a need for some dining facilities. There aren't very many dining establishments in the area but those that are there tend to be quite distinctive.

The Last Anchor is located on the Haven Marina which is opposite the main residential area. It is very popular with the sailing community and many people who dine there approach it from the quayside. ...
...when you first leave the main road you find yourself in quite a shabby and confusing area with rail tracks and gates to negotiate to get to the Marina. Once through these you eventually see it nestled amongst the boats looking quite unimpressive from the rear - more like the back of a pavilion than a high class restaurant. There is a small amount of parking close to the restaurant and overspill parking is available on the Marina car park a little ... more

Like many towns and cities these days Ipswich has developed its waterfront into a residential area and alongside the many high quality flats and boats there is obviously a need for some dining facilities. There aren't very many dining establishments in the area but those that are there tend to be quite distinctive.

The Last Anchor is located on the Haven Marina which is opposite the main residential area. It is very popular with the sailing community and many people who dine there approach it from the quayside. The road access to it is quite tricky as when you first leave the main road you find yourself in quite a shabby and confusing area with rail tracks and gates to negotiate to get to the Marina. Once through these you eventually see it nestled amongst the boats looking quite unimpressive from the rear - more like the back of a pavilion than a high class restaurant. There is a small amount of parking close to the restaurant and overspill parking is available on the Marina car park a little way away.

You enter the restaurant by a side door which makes you wonder quite where you are going for your meal. Once inside however it has a modern and clean feel about the place with stylish modern furniture, a small bar and a dining area overlooking the water. The view through the large picture windows is across the whole Marina with boats in the foreground and the new developments across the water. They also have a lovely terrace on the water's edge for those balmy Summer evenings.

My most recent visit to the restaurant however was on a January evening so there was no outdoor dining for us, we very sensibly stayed indoors to enjoy our meal.

I dined with a group of eight friends as part of a little dining club, we visit a range of restaurants in the Ipswich area and this establishment has had our custom on a few occasions. The restaurant required a deposit for a large party like ours which I find disappointing but perhaps reflecting modern times and serveral cancelled bookings from others in the past. We were seated at a long table in the centre of the restaurant. The staff were welcoming as we sat down to begin our evening however although some of party who arrived before me had got drinks no waitress came to take a drinks order for those of us who had arrived a few moments later which was a little disappointing.

The menu offered a set meal deal of two courses (starter and main) for £15.95 or a choice from the a la carte selection. Our party decided to opt for the 'meal deal' but a quick glance down the a la carte menu showed that they had a range of main courses in the price range from £14 to £24 which is somewhat higher than the normal range in Ipswich.

We pondered the menu, made our selections and as the waitress came to take the orders I took the opportunity to ask the waitress for a glass of wine with my meal which she promised to bring - she never did! Choice for the 'meal deal' was limited to four different starters and these were Soup of the Day (sweet potato, sundried tomato and fig) or Black Pudding, Leek and Stilton and (my choice) Deep fried squid. The party I was dining with are more used to simple restaurant fare so there were many expressions of concern that none of their favourite starters were on offer, nevertheless, orders were placed, meals served and a set of clean plates went back to the kitchen at the end of the course, a testament to the diners view of the food presented. Everyone commented on how good they were and they far exceeded expectations. Certainly my squid was delicious and served with a choice of two tasty dips.

The main course selection was a little wider and again contained more adventurous choices than the party was expecting. Not so much in terms of the core of the meal but all were cooked in and served with a combination of herbs and vegetables. The variations included pork, lamb, chicken, salmon, sea bass and a vegetarian option. Sadly as we placed the order we were advised that there were only three lamb shanks available which was a disappointment to our party as there were certainly more than three people who would have chosen that as a main course which meant that some had to make an alternative selection.

My own choice was the salmon but the most popular choice on the table was the sea bass (chiefly because of the unavailability of the lamb). All the meals were beautifully presented and came with a selection of fresh vegetable and new potatoes. Again most people enjoyed their meals although for myself I felt the salmon was a little dry which was disappointing.

None in the party had room for any desserts so I cannot comment personally but the menu selection sounded very tempting and tasty. These were from the a la carte menu and cost in the region of £6. We finished with a choice of coffees and teas which, at a modest £1.50, were a great way to round off the meal.

Overall I would say that this is a good restaurant with an interesting menu very different from the standard restaurant menus around the town. The food was well cooked, well presented and made a very appetising change. It is popular with the sailing crowd and thus can doubtless rely on their trade especially during the Summer months. It was evident from the number of bicyles leaning up outside on the terrace that this is a popular place for sailors as it is so handy for the moorings.

It is a little more expensive than many of the local restaurants, but not overly so, but it does offer something different from the norm to a varied clientele. I was disappointed that no one ever bothered to bring me my glass of wine but it wasn't essential to my enjoyment of the meal. It rather more reflects on a lack of attention to detail which lost the venue the opportunity to maximise its profits by serving us better with drinks during the meal. However it was a good night with good food with a lovely view over the water - worth a visit if you are in the area but not my first choice for dining in the area.

 

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