I tried the village cafe that serves a towering fish finger sandwich
Sometimes with cafes and eateries, the more homely they feel the better. Lots of independent places all over Essex tend to go for the stripped-back approach with warm, creamy-coloured walls and aesthetically pleasing ornaments spread across the walls and tables.
These places can offer plenty of unique spin on the many chains and homogenous feel to them which you come across so much in bigger towns and cities. Our Essex Eats series[1] has always been about digging out these hidden gems in the county – and Robyn’s Nest is definitely one to add to the list.
This delightful little cafe is situated opposite Writtle Village Green in the village to the west of Chelmsford. Pink paint adorns the walls as you enter, with a giant clock on the walls and warm lighting through the small space packed with tables. When I popped in for a visit on a recent trip to the village, most of the inside was taken up, so I took up the offer of sitting outside.
As you walk there, you pass a wall filled with flowers and then enter the two-part green area with a function room and more benches and tables. Coupled with the pink china crockery your food and drinks are served on, this garden wouldn’t be a bad place to host the Mad Hatter’s tea party from Alice in Wonderland.
The menu for Robyn’s Nest is filled with your classic form of lunch sandwiches, salads, coffees, teas and of course plenty of cake, which all sit proudly in glass display cases on the main counter. I opted for something I’d not had in an awfully long time – the one and only fish finger sandwich, plus a coffee and apple cake slice to finish off.
The aforementioned pink crockery that my coffee and cake were served on really added to the charm of this lovely little cafe, with the apple slice proving utterly delicious, an excellent mix of tangy apple, sweet icing and wholesome cake mix.
Robyn’s Nest is based near Writtle Village Green (Image: EssexLive)
The fish finger sandwich came a little later, and it proved to be a massive stack full of fish, salad and tartare sauce. It looked mouthwatering, and it lived up to expectations. The fish was warm, well cooked and the tartare sauce was tangy and fresh. If it was homemade, it wouldn’t have surprised me. This sandwich has a very unique taste and had clearly been made in the last couple of minutes before it hit my plate.
It was very filling, and I had the additional compliments of some crisps and salad with a very nice salsa mix to go with it. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer meal for my lunch before I headed out to explore more of Writtle – Robyn’s Nest was my first stop, and it set a very high bar for the rest of the trip.
References
- ^ Essex Eats series (www.essexlive.news)
- ^ The beautiful village nestled in the shadow of Chelmsford that shows community spirit still exists (www.essexlive.news)