Review: Moreton Hall pub in Bury St Edmunds delivers delicious food in comfortable surroundings

Earlier this year our local underwent a £330,000 internal and external refurbishment, so we thought it was about time to check it out.

The Moreton Hall, in Lawson Place, Bury St Edmunds, has always been popular, so it was nice to see pub/restaurant company Mitchells and Butlers investing there.

Our visit was a little bit of a family celebration for a 20th wedding anniversary – but lack of a babysitter meant we included our five-year-old daughter in our 'date night'.

As such, we arrived shortly after 5pm on a Saturday, thinking it would be quiet. But we were definitely glad we had booked ahead as the place already had a gentle buzz of diners and drinkers sitting in and outdoors.

Before I even had a chance to browse the full menu, a drinks flyer on the table caught my eye – two for £10 cocktails after 5pm. Well, we were there to celebrate so it seemed rude not to order two Long Island Iced Teas.

Then we had the task of choosing and ordering our food.

We ordered from our table using the Ember Inns app, which was a little fiddly and time-consuming, but that might be my husband's fault and we would no doubt be more familiar with it for future visits.

Dining out with a fussy child can be a nightmare, so we were relieved to discover the pub's children's menu is a 'build your meal' format.

Dishes are aimed at smaller appetites (seven years and under) – with two courses costing £4.99 or three for £5.99 – and larger appetites (£5.99/£6.99).

Our littlie chose a starter of garlic ciabatta with sour cream dip, a main course of grilled pork sausage with added chips and peas from the wide range of sides on offer.

Finally, the Belgian chocolate brownie sundae – brownie cubes with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles – piqued her interest for dessert.

My starter – calamari seasoned with salt and pepper and served with lemon mayonnaise was hot, fresh and tasty.

Meanwhile, my husband's Japanese-style crispy chicken coated in chipotle sauce, served on Asian-style slaw, received a resounding thumbs-up.

The chicken was so crispy one piece flew off the plate and straight onto his T-shirt.

Luckily, as parents we were armed with wipes which soon eliminated any stains.

Our daughter's garlic ciabatta was definitely a sign of things to come, as she was delivered a portion I would have been happy to receive as an adult.

Our picky eater soon devoured the lot (ruining her appetite in the process, but we were just glad she had eaten something during a meal out for a change).

The main courses were soon being marched in our direction out of the kitchen, even before our starter plates had been cleared.

My butternut squash risotto (one of several vegan options) was piping hot and a colourful combination with the squash, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, spring onion, thyme, a baby salad topping and something I'd never tried before – a vegan alternative to Greek-style feta cheese made with coconut oil.

I admit, its description on the menu almost made me not want to order the dish as historically I'm not a fan of vegan cheese alternatives, however I'm very glad I did.

Far from being an item I pushed to the side of my play, the vegan feta was so creamy and delicious I started to wish there was more on my plate so I did not have to ration it.

My husband's mixed grill was similarly spectacular.

His platter included grilled rump steak, chargrilled chicken breast, thick-cut gammon steak, two sausages, two fried eggs, a portion of chips and a generous jug of peppercorn sauce (optional extra).

My daughter soon swiped one of the fried eggs for her own plate, while I half-inched a few of his thick-cut chips after I practically inhaled my delicious risotto.

To describe the children's main meal as 'spectacular' would be an overstatement, but it was perfectly cooked and elicited no complaints from that side of the table.

In fact, by the time our daughter's dessert arrived – that sundae she had been so excited about – her belly was clearly full as she merely played with it.

I, on the other hand, appreciating a break from a healthy eating regime, had ordered a 'mini pud'. These are a smaller-sized portion served with a tea or coffee of choice.

My latte arrived complete with three Smarties on the spoon (my daughter was not too full up to enjoy these) and a warm mini waffle with cream, berries and chocolate sauce.

The latte was good, but the waffle was even better. Everyone's eyes widened when they saw it and I knew they had food envy.

Luckily, due to the 'mini' portion I could justify not sharing it (at least, that was my excuse).

We finished our meal the best part of two hours later having received speedy and courteous service, yet never feeling rushed – even when the pub started filling up for Saturday evening.

All in – with drinks – our bill came to £63.25: a price well worth paying for what was a delicious and enjoyable experience.