The birria tacos at Potro Lounge in Newmarket, England. The dish consists of four beef tacos served with guacamole, pico de gallo, two fried vegetables, chips, cabbage and a cup of birria sauce. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)

A rare sunny day in early spring had me in the mood for comfort food while walking along High Street in the English town of Newmarket.

The eclectic food focus of Potro Lounge, the local outpost of the small Lounges chain originating in Bristol, appeared to fit the bill. The restaurant lies about 10 miles from RAF Mildenhall.

I chose a table by a window so I could enjoy the sun during a late lunch. While I hunkered down for a multicourse meal, I noticed that most of the 20 or so patrons were socializing in groups while enjoying small baked treats and coffee.

Potro Lounge in Newmarket, England, has the capacity to comfortably seat close to 100 people. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)

After a friendly greeting and a long look at the menu, I waited only about 10 minutes for my first order to arrive.

I was impressed by the clean, organized presentation as well as the amount of food served in what was billed as an appetizer.

The plate had four tacos, two fried vegetables, chips, cabbage, pico de gallo, guacamole and birria sauce in the center.

While the beef in the tacos was tender, nothing about them screamed birria until the sauce was added.

Birria meat at its best is braised in ancho and guajillo chiles and other spices for at least three hours. But these tacos had very little flavor on their own. The paired sauce, while mild, did a lot more to get the dish going.

The pico de gallo and chips were exceptional and fresh. The guacamole, however, could have used some more seasoning.

I also ordered harissa honey chicken skewers, which were recommended by the server. But I didn’t taste any hint of honey, nor did I care for the mint and yogurt combination, and the thin strips of chicken were quite dry. A side of garlic mayo was instrumental in helping me finish them.

In contrast to the speedy appetizer service, the entree took just over half an hour to arrive despite there being fewer patrons than when I had walked in.

The Sri Lankan curry at Potro Lounge in Newmarket, England, is a coconut curry with coriander rice, lime and spring onions, pictured here with chicken and garlic flatbread. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)

Out came a bowl of Sri Lankan curry, coconut milk-based with coriander rice, lime and spring onions with an add-on of chicken and garlic flatbread.

The curry was only mildly spicy but still gave a wonderful burst of tangy flavor that I could tell used fresh coconut. The coriander was prominent in the steaming hot rice, the spring onions had a satisfying crunch and the flatbread served as a great base to sandwich food between.

The chicken, however, was so dry that it was a chore to chew. I even tried just leaving the chicken in the sauce in hopes it would gain some moisture.

I washed everything down with an elderflower cooler. Refreshing and delicious, it wasn’t watered down or exceedingly sweet.

While Potro Lounge had many options, I didn’t discover anything that would rank my lunchtime experience above a casual outing with middling expectations.  

Potro Lounge is located on High Street, a main road that runs through the center of Newmarket, England. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)

Potro Lounge

Address: 58-60 High St., Newmarket, England

Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-midnight

Prices: 10-15 pounds for brunch, burgers, flatbreads and entrees; desserts, 2-7 pounds

Information: Phone: +44 1638 262005 Online: thelounges.co.uk/potro