We wined and dined at Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill and Hotel Coco, in Felixstowe

If you were given the chance to sample food overseen by a celebrity chef, would you take it?

Last week, Marco Pierre White’s company, Black and White Hospitality, relaunched the Brook Hotel, in Felixstowe.

Now known as Hotel Coco, the three-in-one venue also houses a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill and a new pub, The Queen’s Head – the first ale house under a new brand.

On Wednesday, I was invited for a taste.

First impressions were that Hotel Coco has undergone something of a glow up, with thorough renovations.

The Orwell Road hotel now offers 25 rooms and the steakhouse offers a 70-seat dining room with the option for private hire, plus a lovely outside seating area.

Mr Pierre White described his brand as ‘affordable glamour’.

Time to find out if it lived up to this billing...

I was not given a choice for food and was instead served pre-selected dishes to sample.

I was told he menu is designed to be seasonal, with most of the ingredients sourced from local suppliers.

The dining area is dark and atmospheric, but still welcoming – and with a well-stocked bar.

I sat down at one of its central booths and awaited my meal.

For starter, I was served smoked salmon, calamari and a Scotch egg – its yolk still slightly runny – with a summery Mirabeau rosé.

With smoked salmon, you know what you’re in for. Thoroughly decent.

Calamari is a tough one for restaurants, either being perfectly cooked, or overdone, leaving it rubbery and tasteless.

Thankfully for the steakhouse it was the former – and it went down a treat.

However, the Scotch egg was the firm favourite of this selection. I prefer my Scotch eggs with a runny yolk, so this did not disappoint.

Next, I was offered a main course which could probably be seen from space, let alone the other side of the dining room.

A 23-ounce tomahawk steak for two people appeared, having been carved but served next to the bone, so you could see plain as day the size of the beast it came from.

It was served with doorstep-sized chips, grilled vine tomatoes and salad with a truffle dressing.

Now, I like steaks bloody, so I was worried it might have been a little overcooked for my tastes.

People who are mad for steaks tend to recommend a cut still on the bone and it’s not difficult to see why. It was juicy, tender, well-seasoned and generally succulent.

The chips were nice and the salad was refreshing.

Unfortunately, we were not offered desserts, so this was where my gourmet experience ended.

Now to address the eatery’s main selling point: Affordable glamour.

According to the menu the smoked salmon cost £10.95, the calamari was £9.95 and the Scotch egg would set you back £7.95.

The tomahawk steak was listed as £69.

Steakhouses by their nature do tend to be quite pricey and this appeared to be a little higher than you might pay elsewhere, but would still be considered within the ball park of ‘affordable’ (if you’re looking for a treat).

It is also worth noting the menu was designed and overseen by one of the nation’s most affordable chefs and you are paying for the name.

In my opinion, the food is wonderful and certainly worth paying a bit extra for.

Hotel Coco opened last Monday, while the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill opened on Thursday.

The Queen’s Head pub is set to launch on July 4.