Bitoque – The Common Room Cafe, Framlingham

Wondering around the pretty Suffolk village of Framlingham, marvelling at the rows of idyllic cottages, and on the whole feeling rather English, the last thing I expected was for my taste buds to be transported to Portugal. Yet tucking into a Bitoque in The Common Room Cafe, I could easily have been in the Portuguese Beiras.

This traditional lunchtime dish is favoured all over the country, comprising simply of a minute steak with a fried egg on top. The lean cut of beef can sometimes be replaced by pork, and is often marinated in garlic before being grilled on both sides. Only a short time on the heat is essential to avoid overcooking the meat, ensuring its interior remains a medium-rare pink and it retains its tender texture.

My bitoque delivered on all of the above, boasting a beautifully crimson cross-section and succulent consistency. It was clear the marinade had done its job; not only was it there to provide a strong allium flavour, but also to keep the meat soft as it cooked. The salt in a marinade does this by breaking down myosin, a protein responsible for meat’s toughening when exposed to heat.

Now that’s all fascinating stuff, but other things played on my mind as I ate. Would the egg be perfectly cooked, it’s runny yolk oozing onto the plate once split? As is evident in the picture above, the answer was yes. Would it well-seasoned, with specks of black pepper adorning the egg’s glossy surface? Also yes.

Am I a picky critic…? Probably. But I’ve been disappointed with steak countless times before, and it was somewhat of a relief to enjoy this bitoque feeling as though my £11.95 was worth it.

There are many fascinating and mildly amusing names for the bitoque: one being “bife com ovo a cavalo”, which translates to “steak with an egg on horseback”. It’s obvious this refers to the egg ‘riding’ on its trusty steed. For the egg to turn out fried and the steak flat as a pancake… all I can say is it must have been a hell of a ride.

Bitoque is often accompanied by French fries and some kind of salad, both of which I received here (rice is also a common side). The skin-on fries were some of the best that Tribudishional Food has seen so far: gorgeously crispy and sprinkled with the perfect amount of salt, they were a fitting addition to the dish.

As was the hearty salad; drizzled in a pesto dressing and topped with paper-thin slices of onion. Either some serious knife work had been involved here, or more likely, a mandolin was used. Whatever the case, it worked well, lending the salad a lightness to contrast the otherwise rich nature of the bitoque.

As the meal progressed and my hunger became satisfied, my eyes turned to the surrounding cafe and I began to take in its quirky features. Countless headshots of famous musicians covered the walls, leafy spider plants draped down from shelves, and a record player lay beside stacks of records. Better still, diners here are invited to ‘spin the platters’, choosing a suitable soundtrack to go with their meal.

The atmosphere in The Common Room Cafe was something special, and I hope to return someday soon. When that day comes, one thing’s for sure: I’ll be ordering the bitoque again. Tribudishional score: 9.0/10.

©The Tribudishional Food Blog