The Cross

The Cross, Woodbridge, England

From New York, we were scheduled to fly to Dublin, connecting through London Heathrow. We had to adjust our plan when the volcano in Iceland flared up and our flight got cancelled. Rather than stand by  for the next day and hope it cleared up, we rebooked for two weeks later. This actually worked in our favour, allowing us to avoid coming back to London before heading off to the Netherlands. The last minute change left us without a Couch Surfing host. Luckily, we knew someone living in Leiston, a small town in Suffolk, England, about 90 miles northeast of London. We stayed in Leiston for a few days and drove to Ipswitch and Woodbridge one afternoon. In Woodbirdge, we stopped in for dinner at The Cross, a fine dining vegetarian restaurant and cocktail bar.

Bruschettas Selection

Bruschetta Selection

We went to The Cross on a double date. Our dinner companions ordered the bruschetta selection as an appetizer, which consisted of five rounds, each with a different topping. Priced at £5.50 GBP ($7.93 USD), the five varieties were tomato & avocado, roasted sweet pepper tapenade, olive & garlic tapenade, beetroot pâté, and plum chili chutney. We didn’t have a chance to try them but they looked delicious and the plum chili chutney seemed to be the favourite.

Suffolk Asparagus Soup

Asparagus Soup

The Cross had two menus, their regular dinner menu and a special asparagus menu featuring a vegan soup and risotto. I was excited to have a local and seasonal vegan option and decided the soup sounded nice. This was the first encounter with asparagus soup. John really liked it but I just don’t think I like asparagus enough to enjoy it as the main ingredient in a soup. I think asparagus is better when grilled or paired with grains. It was served with vegan margarine and a slice of baguette. For the £5.00 ($7.21 USD), I wish I’d picked something else.
Spicy Onion & Chickpea Fritters with Cucumber and Mint Soy Yogurt Sauce

Spicy Onion & Chickpea Fritters with Cucumber and Mint Soy Yogurt Sauce

From the regular menu, I ordered another appetizer, the spicy onion & chickpea fritters with cucumber & mint soy yogurt sauce. This one was £5.50 GBP ($7.93 USD). I really liked the fitters and sauce. They were both filled with lots of herbs and well spiced. I don’t usually like soy yogurt but the mint and cucumber made for a fresh and light sauce that was a perfect match.

Sweet Potato Tikka Masala Dahl Curry with Chapettis & Tomato Lime Chutney

Sweet Potato Tikka Masala Dahl Curry with Chapettis & Tomato Lime Chutney

John ordered the sweet potato tikka masala dahl curry with chapattis and tomato lime chutney. This dish was the best of the evening, and the most expensive at £11.00 GBP ($15.86 USD). The chutney and chapattis were packed with flavour. The curry was sweet and spicy, just the way we like it.

The Cross

The Cross, Woodbridge, England

The Cross had a great vibe, eclectic but classy. It’s always fun when we have a chance to eat at a fancy vegetarian restaurant and find it packed with people from all walks of life, some vegetarian but mostly not. They had a diverse menu with interesting, healthy dishes that showcased the beautiful organic produce found in the region.

The Cross

The Cross, Woodbridge, England

With a name like The Cross, it wouldn’t occur to the average person that this is a vegetarian restaurant. Instead of having any signs that say vegetarian, they have a small, inconspicuous (v) above the side window. The rest of the signage is focused on promoting their cocktails and wine. The Cross is a hidden jem, in a small town that’s worth a road trip from any nearby village in Suffolk.

The Cross
www.thecross1652.com
 2 Church Street
Woodbridge, England
Tel: 01394389076