THERE is a touch of magic about Le Talbooth - the go-to restaurant for generations of foodies looking for the perfect place for a special occasion.

And not satisfied with continually being at the top of any self-respecting Essex diners list, the independent fine dining venue is celebrating being recently awarded three Rosettes by the AA restaurant services.

Found on the banks of the picturesque River Stour, the former tea rooms was turned into a restaurant in 1952, explains operations director Stas Anastasiades.

Until that point the building, in a prime position within the village of Dedham, had still been within the culinary world, as but a tearoom.

Under the ownership of the Milsom Family who also own the nearby Maison Talbooth hotel, the eponymous Milsoms and Idle Waters which are also both in Dedham, the Pier Hotel in Harwich and Kesgrave Hall over the border in Suffolk, the venue has undergone a great many transitions to become what it is today.

Stas says much credit, for the recent accolades and continuing success, must go to the kitchen team led by head chef Andrew Hirst and senior sous chef Jamie Jackson.

They are ably supported, he explains, by a brigade of chefs who worked tirelessly to achieve the third rosette alongside the front of house team who look after the guests.

Of the award, Stas says : “It is fair to say that the process has been tough which makes it even more rewarding to achieve this prestigious award.

“To be awarded three Rosettes means the world to the whole team at Le Talbooth; this gives us the confidence to continue cooking with the very best local and British ingredients with love, lightness of touch and creativity.”

He explains Andrew and Jamie, who did his apprenticeship at the restaurant and has worked there ever since, are both from Colchester and were trained at Colchester Institute.

Stas says often restaurants can be a bit “hit and miss” and so it is very important to Le Talbooth to be consistent and keep customers returning.

The consistency was also something which inspectors from the AA were focusing on.

“We had three inspections to go from being two rosettes to three and it is a real notch up.”

But while the accolades are hugely well received, Stas is keen to stress they have never worked towards them and their focus is purely on making the dining experience one diners want to keep coming back for.

And clearly they do.

“We cook purely for our customers and when we are changing our menus, or interviewing new chefs, we will have a panel of people who will help us with that.

“By doing that, we have full restaurants. We don’t want people leaving hungry and some people equate top level dining with smaller dishes and we don’t want to do that.

“We are in rural East Anglia where there are delicious ingredients all around and we want people to be fulfilled,” he adds.

This extends to the ethos of locally sourced produce wherever possible which is to a very high standard.

“Husbandry is very important for the meat and with the fish and we focus on seasons too.

“It is really important that we are, where we can, supporting local suppliers too,” says Stas.

This is evident in the wine diners enjoy at Le Talbooth, which comes from Mr Wheeler - formerly Colchester stalwart Lay & Wheeler which has a huge pedigree and fruit and vegetables from Anglia Produce.

“We were actually one of their very, very first customers and we also get much of the fish we serve from Marfish which is based near Stansted.

“They really, really know their business.

“So the focus for us is on cooking with the very best ingredients.”

Among the tasty dishes on offer are Citrus cured hand dived scallops with dill gremolata, keta caviar and pickled ginger, Thetford Forest venison carpaccio, mustard croquette, golden beetroot and apple to start and poached baby monkfish tail in nori seaweed watercress, saffron potatoes and gambas or fillet of dry aged Dedham Vale beef rossini, rosti potato, spinach and Madeira jus for the main course.

And all this could be followed up with Madagascan 64per cent chocolate and black cherry millionaire, pistachio, honeycomb or apple and gooseberry soufflé with vanilla milk ice-cream for dessert.

All this combined with a beautiful setting in historic Constable County, by the river, make Le Talbooth a go to, whether it be a special occasion or just the need to treat yourself and a loved one either watching the river flow past with a pre-dinner drink outside, or cosying up inside during the colder months in front of the fire.

Stas continues: “We have always made sure it is about the overall experience, from the welcome when people arrive to choosing from the hand-made chocolate box when it is brought round with coffee at the end of the meal.

“We have been there for a lot of the milestones in their lives, even funerals

“And now we are attracting the next generation of customers which is wonderful.”

Rosettes or not - this is a venue showing no signs of losing its place in the top ten of go to restaurants to mark seminal life events.

Visit www.milsomhotels.com/le-talbooth/restaurant/