We visit a popular cafe in Diss.
Food
Amandines Cafe in Diss is a gem of a place. Tucked away in one of the Heritage Triangle's many courtyards, the vegetarian/vegan cafe boasts an atrium-style interior, which on a bright day is flooded with sunlight. This, coupled with soft jazz playing in the background and the occasional waft of wood smoke from the log burner keeping the large open space warm makes for a fantastic setting in which to enjoy a meal.
A vegetarian establishment, Amandines' regular menu boasts an array of toasted paninis, sandwiches, salads and jacket potatoes, plus a daily specials board, featuring mains and desserts.After much deliberation we ordered the lasagne from the specials board, the Italian panini and a hummus dipping platter. The food arrived quickly and looked great, with each dish accompanied by a bright, intriguing and carefully considered salad. My lasagne, featuring layers of pasta, a rich tomato sauce, soya mince and the occasional red pepper beneath a blanket of béchamel sauce, was nothing ground breaking and a little too light on actual vegetables for a meat-free version of the Italian classic. But nonetheless deeplysatisfying and everything I hoped it would be. And judging by the number of similar orders that passed our table, a popular Amandines dish.
Across the table the Italian panini was also happily devoured but for both of us, the salads accompanying the main component of each meal wherethe stars of the show. Colourful and featuring interesting textures and flavours, each bought a new more sophisticated element to dish.
When your colleague comments that the panini has merely become a vehicle for the getting the salad to their mouth you know what the stand out part of their meal is. On the side, the hummus platter, although featuring some very good homemade hummus and the same stand out salads, was a little lacklustre, and not the platter we were expecting.
Drinks
A working lunch so no alcohol here but the cafe offers a well stocked bar and wine selection for those who wish.
Atmosphere
As mentioned the courtyard interior is lovely, and on a bright sunny day one could be forgiven for thinking they were in a far more exotic location than Diss.
Service
Delightful, the staff were friendly and attentive without being intrusive.
Loos
Perfectly adequate and did the job. The main loos are up a flight of stairs but for those unable to use stairs ground level toilets are available.
Parking
The are various car parks around Diss, one of the nearest being Mount Street. Parking is free for the first hour and after 6pm.
Location
Situated in the Heritage Triangle, nothing in Diss is more than a five minute walk away.
Price
The bill for two of us came to a total of £26. The average price for a dish of the specials board is £9.95 whilst sandwiches and paninis are closer to £6.95. On the whole we felt it was good value for money but we did feel that for something described as a platter the £6.95 hummus dish was a little expensive for what it was. Amandines is also a cash-only establishment so make sure you visit one of the many near-by cash points before arriving.
Highlight
The ambiance and atmosphere of the courtyard interior is lovely.
Summary
Amandines is a hidden gem in Diss, the perfect place for a long lunch. When you come a way from somewhere feeling like you've just been on holiday, you know they're doing something right.
This is an independent review
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