Decent restaurants in Essex - no Michelin Stars

Now, I'm a bit of a foody... In fact I love my food and the constant battle I have between my waist-line and the gym is something of legend among my friends.

Having returned from the Loire valley recently and a gluttony of Michelin-starred restaurants (at reasonable prices too), one thing I don't understand, is that in Essex, the county where I live, we don't have a single Michelin-starred restaurant. NOT ONE! I find it kinda hard to believe that given the size of the county, there isn't one chef out there that deserves this accolade.

There are plenty of establishments out there that must be close: Rubino Kitchen in Maldon and the Magic Mushroom in Billericay spring to mind. Rubino's in particular is a place that must be watched over the coming months. Sure, it's a small and exciting restaurant now but I'm sure it's destined for bigger things.

I'm just wondering when Essex will break its duck with a Michelin Star. Is there some kind of conspiracy against the fair residents of this wonderful county? 

In later articles I'll give details of some of my favourite places to eat around here but for now, I'll get back to my Michelin Star crusade!

Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with either of these places!