Bill’s at Freeport Braintree

Autumn is well and truly here, isn’t it? I love it, and it’s certainly my favourite season!

There’s nothing better than bundling up in layers and heading out for a day of shopping, stopping by for some food to fill up your tummy with warm goodness on the way, of course.

So what better food to fill up on than sticky chicken skewers, spicy gnocchi and creamy banana and honeycomb cheesecake…

I’ve been to Bill’s in Bath before, and Bill’s in Chelmsford for a birthday meal and various lunch dates, so I was looking forward to trying the brand new restaurant in Freeport Braintree which opened last month. The decor is homely and rustic: think comfy cushioned booths, quirky tiled walls, exposed lighting and crockery on the shelves.

The menu features some home comforts such as butternut squash soup, steak dishes and loaded burgers, with an extensive selection of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner for everyone to enjoy.

Without a doubt, whenever I visit Bill’s I always order a Pink Lemonade. It comes in crushed ice with fresh, sweet strawberries submerged in Bill’s very own pink lemonade. It’s sweet and has a lovely tangy after taste. You can actually buy a bottle to take home with you, which I always mean to do every time I visit! James ordered a coke, keeping it ‘iiiiiiice and simple!

We started with the Dakkochi chicken skewers; soft cubed chicken in a spicy Korean barbecue glaze, garnished with spring onion and lime. The chicken was tender and tasty, with a lovely spicy, tangy and sticky glaze on the top. It was a generous sized portion for a starter and can also be chosen as a main course, served with flatbread and salad.

We also ordered the crumbed halloumi sticks, served with garlic and lemon mayo. This is always my go-to starter in Bill’s. The halloumi is deliciously soft and melt in the mouth, with a crunchy crumb coating. It works perfectly dipped into the garlic and lemon mayo too! It’s without doubt my favourite halloumi starter – I’m yet to try better!

The Buttermilk Chicken Burger is always my-go burger at Bill’s, so I let James try it instead this time so I could try something new! James added cheese and bacon to the crumbed chicken breast, creamy slaw and sesame bun, making it an absolute beast to eat! The streaky bacon worked well with the fresh apple in the coleslaw, and added a slightly salty twist to the burger. Their sweet potato fries are usually crispy on the outside and fluffy inside, but this time they were slightly undercooked and greasy.

I decided to try something new, and the Diablo Gnocchi caught my eye straight away. The gnocchi was served with king prawns, spicy nduja sausage, chorizo, cherry tomatoes, garlic butter and sprinkled with Gran Moravia cheese. It’s my first time trying gnocchi and I loved it! It was soft, squidgy and flavoursome, it soaked up the chorizo and garlic juices perfectly. The chorizo chunks were delicious and the king prawns added a fresh twist too. I would have loved to eat more prawns as I only had 3 in my dish but I love fish so I’d add prawns to *almost* anything if I could!

With our bellies full to the brim, we somehow managed to squeeze in dessert. But hey, when has Hannah ever passed on a dessert?!

James ordered the plum and apple crumble, served with a scoop of fresh salted caramel ice cream. The apples and plums were deliciously soft and sugary, with a crunchy crumble topping on top. The ice cream didn’t taste as salted-caramely as we were expecting but even so, it was a delicious Autumnal dessert to get stuck into!

We also ordered the banana and honeycomb cheesecake and omg, it was one of the best cheesecakes I have ever had! The biscuit base had a delicious cinnamon after taste to it, and the sweet banana-cheesecake topping was soft, sweet and fluffy. Drizzled in caramel sauce, scattered honeycomb chunks and fresh vanilla ice cream, the cheesecake made for a perfect sweet treat after an indulgent meal.

 

I had a fantastic lunch here in a cosy setting with super attentive and friendly staff. I felt at home and at ease here, and left in the best kind of food-coma! They have a beautiful outdoor seating area too, decorated in fairy lights, fresh flowers and cosy wooden benches. I can’t wait until next Spring/Summer to enjoy breakfast out there!

 

So if you’re looking for comfort food in a cosy restaurant – Bill’s is the place!