The Ship Inn - Burnham On Crouch

TO BEAT the gloom of the seemingly endless winter nights, this month I went in search of restaurants where you can dine and stay over, thus avoiding a cold drive home in the dark.

- Stephanie Mackentyre

The Ship Inn has three boutique en suite guest bedrooms, all with comfortable king size beds and beautifully designed. However, it was the food first and foremost we were on a mission to check out. The restaurant is part of the Limeberry Group, which also owns the New London in Chelmsford and runs an outside catering company too. At the very front is a small, traditional bar and to the right of the building is a rather stylish restaurant. Both bar and restaurant were popular the night we dined, with families and couples enjoying the surrounding décor, a marriage of traditional and current styles. Our table was a little cramped and I had to sit with the table leg between mine, but the service was efficient and speedy. Grilled mackerel with soused cucumber, yoghurt, potato salad and a lime emulsion caught my attention but it was the duck liver parfait which swung it for me. Served in a baby