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I’ve heard nothing but praise for The Bake House restaurant in Wivenhoe. I’m not entirely sure why it has taken twelve months for @AnnaJCowen and I to experience our first meal in the historic building at the bottom of the High Street.

Speaking of calendar events, it was with apt timing that the landmark occasion of *cough* forty candles making an appearance on a makeshift Co-op sponge cake that led us down to the Bake House on Wednesday evening.

We arrived in good time for once, welcomed by mein host and offered a drink in the bar area before dining. Having eaten nothing but a Co-op sponge cake all day in anticipation of the evening, I made the strategic decision to go for the grub.

The onset of middle-aged grout [TRUE! - me, not her] has meant that booze has taken something of a back burner of late – well, for the past twenty-four hors or so since the rather gruesome self-diagnosis.

A glass of water and a small white wine for the lady arrived.

Um, chin chin.

I raised a glass to the birthday girl and admired the spacious Tudor beam interior within – no mocking, either. The Bake House is a truly historic and beautiful building within Wivenhoe. To be open and used as a restaurant space has to be celebrated.

So does a three course high quality meal for £15. The Bake House was hand picked for the forty candles thing – partly upon the cuisine reputation that we have been hearing about, partly upon the price.

I’m not quite sure how the cost and quality can be achieved, but £15 for a dining experience that you would expect in a Soho restaurant is quite remarkable.

As for the menu choices? Go with the good man that is Alfie the Barber has to be my mantra.

A short back and sides earlier in the day, and yer man Alfie told me tales of his Bake House experience earlier in the week. Fried whitebait as a starter and the smoked haddock fishcake were given eulogies that the Reverend Erwin up the road would have been proud of.

Always listen to the advice of Alfie, and never refuse fish when it is on offer. Live your life by these simple rules and you won’t go far wrong, friends.

Which is why @AnnaJCowen chose potato chive salad as her starter and a mushroom and ravioli delight of a dish to help generate some wind for the blowing out of those forty birthday candles later in the evening.

It was all good stuff. My starter soon arrived – a sizable glass jar brimming over with fish bait. Cooked to perfection, succulent and complimented by a tangy sauce and a lemon. I’m not bitter, but @AnnaJCowen is – which is why she sucked upon the lemon in full view of the other diners.

It’s my party, and I’ll… etc.

My amazing haddock fishcakes (steady) arrived just as the campanologists across the street at St Mary’s started to tug away on their bell ends. It was the most perfect musical compliment for the most perfect meal.

And then two hours later, I was fully fished up and still light on wallet. A full on meal, with booze (and water) clocked in at under £40 with a tip that was truly deserving.

We won’t wait twelve months before the next Bake House visit. I’ll be seeing Alfie the Barber again next month, and keenly anticipating his latest recommendations.

Something for the weekend, Sir?