Maison Bleue

I booked a table here at Maison Bleue for a Valentine’s Day dinner. I pre-​ordered the ‘Plateau de Fruits de Mer,’ with 48hrs notice as their website instructs. The service from the moment we walked in the door was very pleasant. I was looking forward to the Frog Leg starters listed on their online menu but was disappointed when we learned it wasn’t on their actual menu at the restaurant. So we opened with some foie gras, and eel instead. The wine selection is impressive and should suit just about anyone’s desire. When the starters were brought out we were a little disappointed with the eel, but the foie gras was on point.
Our main course, the Plateau de Fruits de Mer, is quite an impressive site when it’s brought out. It is a very healthy amount of shellfish piled high on top of a large bowl of ice. We dove in and had mixed reactions to the quality of the creatures served up to us. At the top of the serving sits the main attraction, lobster. For Suffolk, I’m guessing it’s as good as it gets. Unfortunately, if you’ve enjoyed lobster around the world, you most likely won’t be impressed with what Maison Bleue offers up.
Quality kinda went further downhill from there. Three out of five oysters weren’t cleaned properly. The crab was okay, but I’ve had better experiences at Red Lobster. The Langoustines were enjoyable, but they reminded me of what an unseasoned, dull crawdad might taste like, which just had me wishing to be back in the South for some real shellfish prepared with the love I have yet to find anywhere else on this planet.
I enjoyed their crème brulée for desert, but wouldn’t rate it much better than your average dish of pudding. Service also declined after our main course was brought out. The room did start to fill up, but it is a very small place to be ignored in when you’re waiting on the bill and after dinner espresso.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but not the cost of it. It’s one thing to walk out of a restaurant somewhat unsatisfied, and it’s another when you just paid close to $ 200 for it. I would like to try some of the other main dishes on their menu, but I’m afraid my first experience has left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Unless I’m told by someone I trust that there is a ‘must-​try’ on their menu, I don’t think I’ll be going back anytime soon.

Gorgeous, seafood orientated sister restaurant to the Great House in Lavenham. Service is highly professional, fish is very fresh, and overall standards very high. I’d highly recommend the fruits de mer.

Wonderfully French restaurant in the middle of town with a menu that concentrates on seafood. The menu is not huge but the food is very good indeed.
I started with spanking fresh Colchester oysters that were the very essence of ocean freshness while the man had a white gazpacho topped with carpaccio of prawn, a prefectly judged summer evening soup. I followed with monkfish beautifully matched with lentils and a delicate herb sauce. The man had sea bass with fennel — and gorgeous it was.
Desserts are tempting — and the plum tart was a sweet treat atop perfect short pastry.
The décor is simple and light but towards the back the ceiling feels a bit low and claustrophobic.
Service is charming