QUICK confession: I meant to review Wilkin & Sons’ longawaited first Colchester tearoom this week.

So I dragged my family up to the Minories only to find out the place wasn’t open on Sundays. My fault, obviously, not theirs.

In the ensuing hunt for somewhere to eat, I discovered the town centre’s restaurant choice is a little sparse on the Sabbath.

The reason why became apparent when we did find somewhere open.

The Warehouse has been rammed the previous times I’ve visited, but at high noon on Sunday we were the only ones there.

That was no reflection on the meal we enjoyed, however.

The Sunday menu is a little smaller than the regular one, but includes a fair variety along with the obligatory Sunday roasts.

There is also a children’s menu, which I’d love to tell you more about, but unfortunately my daughter would eat toast, and only toast.

I imagine the likes of AA Gill and Jay Rayner expect more from their dining companions when they’re out reviewing the nation’s finest eateries, but in her defence she is only two.

My starter was an appealing stack of chicken wings, cooked in a barbeque type sauce, which disappeared as soon as they had cooled down enough to handle.

My girlfriend’s goats’ cheese tart disappeared at similar speed.

Her chicken kiev, unusually but deliciously, arrived in the form of a chicken leg rather than the usual breast.

It had a little garlic butter in the middle, but my girlfriend was won over by being supplied a pot of the stuff on the side as well.

My sirloin steak, ordered medium, stopped just short of being overcooked but went down well, aided by a generous dollop of butter, chips and onion rings.

There was a little discussion over who would get to order the Mississippi Mud pie.

Inevitably, my better half won and found it every bit as excessively sweet as she had hoped for.

My runner-up prize – the waffles – ended up being nothing of the sort, not least because they were helped along with some pretty heavenly salted caramel ice cream.

Hopefully Sunday dining in Colchester town centre will start to catch on soon, and the Warehouse is as good a place to start as any.

THE BILL

Chicken wings: £6
Goats cheese tart: £6
Toast: £2.50
12oz sirloin steak with butter, rocket and fries: £18.95
Chicken kiev with fries: £13.50
Onion rings: £2.50
Mississippi Mud pie with chocolate ice cream: £5.25
Waffle with salted caramel ice cream: £5.25
Ice cream: £2

THE VERDICT

Atmosphere  3/5
Food  4/5
Decor  4/5
Service  4/5
Value  4/5