We all love eating out, right? I may be more partial to it than most. I don’t need a restaurant, just give me a food truck and I’m there. Doesn’t matter what they are serving. It’s the lights, the smell and characters.

Eating at a restaurant is just as unique. When a place gets the food, ambience, price and occasion right then dining out can be something you remember for a lifetime.

Obviously, it can get expensive trying every restaurant in Essex. That’s why we find the ones we like and we go back time after time. I’ve had the privilege of living in Southend, Chelmsford and Colchester so I’ve been about.

We’re all guilty of having our favourites and here’s a quick selection of restaurants in Essex (that I’ve had the privilege of dining at):

Bogaz

Turkish food feels better for you than most other cheat dinners out or takeaway. You get grilled meat, salad, rice and the usual peasant accompaniment of bread and delicious dips. I’m from Rayleigh, lived there for most of my life and I had to put in one of my favourite haunts.

Bogaz has expanded since I went there originally, so the place is double the size and it has lost a bit of its magic for me because of that. Prices have gone up, but the food is still spot on. Get yourself sat down, ordered somw stunning Yakut red wine, devour the bread and dips and order your favourite kebab style. I go for a combi or chicken shish and adana kofte, never without a side of hummus. Heaven.

They’ve opened up a Chelmsford branch called Blaze soon, and I always grab a takeaway from there when in Mid Essex.

Shahjan

The newish fad of whitewashed Indian restaurants with horrible bright uplighting and chairs that belong in TOWIE, are not what I want for my curry nights. Give me understated signage, burgundy velour seating, wood everywhere and a front of house that is a relic of the past.

Surrounded by other restaurants, you’d be forgiven for missing Shahjan. I was lucky enough to get drawn in for no reason one midweek evening. It just feels right in there, what an Indian should be. It’s hard to describe.

Shahjan is a little slice of paradise hidden on a bustling street. It’s open late too, so perfect after a night at the Odeon or a few too many in the Nag’s Head over the road.

Oh and have the Lurahi Mangsho, a slow cooked lamb curry, which is simply to die for.

Banquet 1408

A restaurant named after an B road or is it an A road? Who cares. Naming stuff is hard but not as hard as serving up top quality grub time after time. Banquet 1408 may not have been blessed with the most imaginative name hut it more than makes up for it with everything else.

I can’t even tell you what to order as you should do it the proper way and get a plethora of main and side dishes to share and make the most of your evening. The food is stunning and you could even try some dim sum or a morning for something different.

It’s not cheap but it’s an as authentic experience as you’ll find locally, so certainly worth it.

These are three of my best restaurants in Essex. They may not be for everyone, but for me I feel lucky to have them within driving distance of my home. There are more of my favourite places I will share with you in coming blogs, so stay tuned…