Mitch and I visited Le Talbooth to celebrate my birthday on a beautiful May afternoon. This is the first time I visited a Milsoms restaurant and I was very impressed. Le Talbooth is a beautiful picturesque restaurant on the banks of the River Stour in Constable Country and a haven at the end of winding lanes, infinite hedgerows and Essex fields - it truly epitomises the term 'charming'. Le Talbooth is frozen in time, with immaculate gardens and Tudor beams, and the setting is picture perfect. The decor inside is modern and clean, complementing the dated building; and the service is relaxed, pleasant and chilled whilst still paying attention to your every need and without being obtrusive. The menu is creative, the ingredients are seasonal, and the food seems effortless. We both passed up on starters, choosing instead to have some of their freshly baked bread rolls; and for the main course Mitch chose filet of beef, while I went for a poached chicken. The meat was tender, and so flavoursome and the portions were perfectly sized. The main courses were almost perfect - and the desserts, well they were perfect! Mitch's cheeseboard was a triumph, with a variety of large chunks of cheese, crisp crackers and really scrummy homemade chutneys. I had a chocolate tart which was so rich and creamy, and the dish was perfectly matched with creme anglais, calvados apples and salted caramel ice cream. Honestly, I would go back to Le Talbooth just for the desserts, but there's more to the restaurant than that. Eating great food, al fresco on a beautiful sunny afternoon with people you love and care about - realistically, there are few places I'd rather be!