Pies are a big deal in the UK so it’s no wonder we hold British Pie Week every March to celebrate our love of the humble pie. Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa in Newmarket got in on the celebrations and invited me and Paulo to try out their British Pie Weekend menu at Squires Restaurant.

This 2 AA Rosette restaurant, with Executive Head Chef Sean Melville at the helm, provides a modern dining experience in beautiful surroundings. The restaurant prides itself on sourcing their produce locally whenever possible, and their suppliers are all within a 50-mile radius.

We were greeted warmly by restaurant manager Manfred Seibert and shown to a cosy table in the corner with comfy armchairs. The excellent service continued throughout the meal.

We ordered drinks while we perused the three-course pie menu: Adnams Ghost Ship pale ale for Paulo and a glass of Prosecco for me.

We enjoyed some fresh, warm bread featuring sun blushed tomato & tarragon and beetroot & apricot.

For my starter, I chose the pie with scallops, bacon and black pudding. What was served didn’t look like a pie but showed wonderful imagination. It contained all the ingredients of a pie, including filo pastry, but with a creative twist. The tasty scallop, bacon and black pudding mixture with tomato confit was served in a scallop shell and topped with crispy, light filo leaves. The whole dish really worked with the classic combination of scallops and charcuterie flavours.

Paulo’s starter consisted of a traditional hand raised pork pie, served with Suffolk chutney and pickles. It was beautifully presented on a wooden board.

The pork pie was the perfect size, designed not to be too filling as it was only the first course. I was pleased to see that each course wouldn’t consist of a lot of pastry as the flavour and texture could get repetitive. However, the chef showed wonderful innovation in the creation and presentation of each dish. Tom came out from the kitchen to ask how we were enjoying our meal, talk about the dishes and ask if we had any questions.

Our mains were served with a side order of perfectly cooked mixed vegetables (mangetout, green beans and carrots) with the right amount of bite to them.

At this point, it wasn’t surprising that Paulo’s second course didn’t look like a pie either. He had the East Coast Catch Pie with chopped cod, haddock and salmon packed into a circular shape on a bed of crushed peas and topped with mash. It had all of the flavours of fish and chips!

I had a taste and we both agreed that this delicious creation would make a fantastic item on their regular menu, so we really hope to eat this again!

I enjoyed the succulent braised Suffolk lamb cobbler with leeks and Adnams ale, served with potatoes in a small pan.

The tender chunks of lamb and the scone-like biscuits on top were a hearty and tasty combination.

Manfred really spoiled us when he ordered all three dessert options for us. These were warm apple pie with bourbon vanilla ice cream, pecan pie with salted caramel sauce and roasted peach pie with white chocolate anglaise.

The pie with its apples encased in light, sweet pastry was heavenly. The vanilla seeds were clearly visible on the ice cream and complemented the bourbon’s vanilla, oak and caramel notes.

The peach pie was delightful. The soft, light pastry didn’t deter from the delicate taste of the roasted peaches and the accompanying creamy white chocolate anglaise didn’t overwhelm the pie.

The pecan pie was sweet and sticky with an intense salted caramel sauce. The whole dessert was rich and incredibly decadent.

Squires Restaurant’s take on a variety of pies showed originality and a flair for creative presentation. Their three-course pie menu was a fun and scrumptious contribution to British Pie Week!

I was invited by Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa to sample their British Pie Menu. Although the food was complimentary, all views are my own. Drinks were at my own cost. I did not receive compensation for my review.

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