Takeaway Time - Lim's Fish & Chips

Lim's Fish & Chips, Unthank Road, Norwich

Cuisine - Fish & Chips 

Options - Takeaway Only

Speed - 10/10 - A little bit of advice on if you want fantastic tasting fish and chips as fast as possible... Visit Lim's. The second you step in the door the two guys are literally edging to take your order with the fry cook buzzing acrossed if you want anything cooked to order. With no queue to wait in, I was seen to straight away having my order of cod, chips and mushy pea's being noted. By the time I took the money from my wallet the gentle scooped my chips and wrapped my meal quicker than a Christmas elf then had it waiting in a bag for me to take home. If you want something cooked to order take into consideration the obvious frying time but more times than not they have everything ready and hot. 

Taste - 8.5/10 - Patriotic passions are running high in the country seeing as it the World Cup and I couldn't get the craving of the traditional fish and chips out of my brain; to say my hunger was suppressed is an understatement. My chips curessed the classic taste and texture of the "Chippie" spreading an even amount of crispy pieces with plumped full potato sticks on my plate; the outer skin wasn't overly greasy, remained with a crustiness and was fluffy in the centre. With the cod their were a few areas for improvement as I prefer the thickness to be more on the depth rather than length however this being said it was ideal for flavouring. The flakes held together well and the fish itself was a lot more fleshy and tender towards the fatter end; one thing I loved is the fact that it was boneless and moist meaning you wouldn't have to worry about choking on a sharp bone. Batter can be easily ruined but Lim's seem to have nailed this crucial point; the golden coating on the fish was beautifully crisp with a slight seasoning which was peeled off of the whole fish with ease. The density of the covering was the same throughout but a couple of areas were a tad soggy but this didn't overly ruin the taste. Finally my portion of peas for one were mouthwatering by the way they were piping hot, plump but properly mushed and tasted the exact way you would expect from authentic chip shop peas. At the end of munching on my plate my lips did feel slighlty greasy but this is something you'd expect from a fried meal, at no point during eating did it taste overly oily. 

Price - 9/10 - The takeaway in total for a piece of cod, chips and a portion of mushy peas set me back an acute £5.30 with the peas being only fifty pence for the pot. To breakdown the whole plate for value this is a phenomenal bargain and by far one of the cheaper chip shops around. Portion wise my chips would have been easily capable to serve two people as the pyramid stack of potatoes was fit for a king, I really did struggle to plough through them all and my appetite was eating away at my stomach before I started the meal. Again the slab of cod was long and plump yet it was still cheaply priced up as elsewhere you get similar priced fish with a smaller scale size; more often than not you see a stubby flat piece thrown in your paper wrap for these prices tags. For one person my pot of peas was perfect because it wasn't too many that it slathered over the plate and it wasn't too little so you didn't get a taste; the fact that they offer more if you want is superb but for one person they hit the spot. 

Overall - 9/10 - What more can I say than Lim's is a fish and chip shaped diamond set in the middle of Norwich's golden triangle. Fish and chips are served up faster than you can say 'fast food Friday' here and the two guys who slave away in the shop possess such an energetic persona that even the quick charm keeps the customer coming back. The competitive, cheap prices twinned with the flavoursome, fresh food keeps Lim's in fighting contention to be one of the cities finest chip outlets as prices around town will mostly be more or equally good for the quality of grub you get here. With food cooked to order you will never leave disappointed so don't hesitate to drop by for a speedy takeaway if your tastebuds are tingling for some tradition. If you do drop by portions are hearty meaning you should go hungry and save yourself for some great quality chips. 

All Bar One Norwich Review

All Bar One, Tombland, Norwich

Cuisine - Gastro Pub 

Price Range - Low/Medium - Upon the food menu for the restaurant, nothing stands out as being extortionatly price or unaffordable. Meals vary from a small wallet tickling of £7 to the most expensive meal being a ribeye steak which sets the diner back £14.50. Drinks obviously depend on the choice and this bar prides itself on it's massive wine selection; you can buy by the bottle or the glass. They also offer great cocktails and beers and soft drinks are around £2.70 a piece. 

Service - 7/10 - After entering the bar we were quickly appointed to a table by our smiley hostess. It took a small amount of time to recieve our menus but when we did we were given a fair amount of time to decide our meals; the waitress was brilliantly attentative and cheerful throughout the visit but unfortunately we didn't recieve requested condiments and the tables didn't have their own salt and pepper mills. However this being said our food was delivered quickly and to a piping hot temperature. My dining partner was asked how he would like his steak cooked which shows great customer consideration and care. 

Atmosphere - 8/10 - Being a bar in the city, on a Thursday night, you expect nothing less than a busy, booming environment and that is exactly what we got. The place was dotted full of diners and drinkers all chirping away, relaxing on a night as the weekend draws close, this giving off an atmospherically positive vibe. In the background we had a selection of loud music playing which sometimes came across as too loud but I think this depends on where you are situated in the restaurant. Generally everyone was in high spirit but the only problem was that occasionally the noise did pose a bit too loud. 

Decor/Theme - 8/10 - Within the whole build an on going theme seemed to reoccur, one of which I am a huge fan of. A description I would go for is a prestine, upmarket, modern bar with the right amount of rusticness to balance it out. My favourite feature was the mass selection of wine bottles propped up in a glass frame near the door along with the stylish leather high tables for two. The style has been clearly set and nailed suiting the target market down to a T. Our high table was slightly wobbly but it was nothing too drastic. The open plan kitchen stated confidence from the cooking department and gave off subtle fragrances to hungry restauranteurs. My final point is about the long, clear bar which is easy to access if you were just joining as a drinker. 

Food Presentation - 8.5/10 - Refering back to my point of modern and classy, the food presentation again shows this. Effort has clearly been made to make the food look fanciful as multiple techniques have been put into play, firstly the whole meal was cutely served on a thin, tile slate, the fries were in the trending metal bucket and my dips in tiny pots beside those. They have understood the new wave of food service and appeal to the modernist market, making it a decent dining specimen for the current century. Upon the slate was a piece of paper which proved annoying when trying to pick up excess sauce and slaw but saved on mess at the end of the meal, also the burger was held up tall with a giant skewer, keeping it together well. Although a lot of aspects are taken into consideration, the food still came across as neat, appealing to the eye and yet still remained classy. Simple but affective. 

Food/Value for Money - 7.5/10 - The meal I opted for after a brief look over the menu was the crab and lobster burger. My plate came with a large sesame bun with, what resembled a fish cake inside it sided with a pot of skin on fries, a pot of sweet chilli dip and finally a mango slaw; all of which cost £10.50. First of all their were pleanty of fries, these provided the average flavour you'd expect, except they were brilliantly seasoned, had a fairly crisp skin and tasted authentic with the slight skin on. When it came down to the mango flavoured coleslaw I didn't really feel there was enough to comment on the flavour as the portion was poor and minimal, however this can't be said for the sweet chilli dip. Looking back at the chilli condiment the main highlights were the tantalising tang you immediately get from sweetness then a small rush came through to kick in the zing of the chillies; this was up their with some of the best dips I've had and gave life to the burger and the fries also. Finally my "burger"; I was really looking forward to this as not often do you get the chance to chow down on lobster and crab at such a cheap price but overall I was disappointed. The texture was completely off and after every bite it resolved to mush in my mouth, the bun was tasty and slightly sweet but it was overkill with the pulp in the middle. My patty in the bun would have been better off served alone as a fish cake because with the bun and various toppings it really failed me. There was a portion of crab and lobster I could taste but nothing to get any eater excited. Overall I don't think you can complain about the price for the meal quality as the affordable price gives you a just above average meal that leaves you satisfied to part with your pennies.

Overall - 8/10 - An interiorally beautiful establishment, posing as an upmarket wine bar which serves up a variety of dishes, All Bar One is the ideal place munch out if you fancy a long chilled evening on with a few bottles of wine and some nice food. With a bit of something for everyone's taste, both food and drink wise, I'd say this place would be ideal to take a partner on a date, as there seemed to be many couples dining out; not to mention if you fancy a relaxing gathering, the bar is for you. Nothing is too out of price, the staff and atmosphere are merry and finally the pro-modern style makes for a great experience. The food may not be the best but it certainly doesn't lack flavour and for the price you can't grumble; alongside the presentation  I'd say that the whole meal makes it justifiable and fair. Finally next time you dine out in the city or tombland for that fact, don't tick All Bar One off as it's an stylish gem that shouldn't be overlooked as "just another chain". 

http://www.allbarone.co.uk/all-bar-one-norwich/

TGI Friday's Norwich Review

TGI Friday's, Riverside, Norwich

Cuisine - American Bar & Restaurant

Price Range - Medium/High - On the menu the price ranges from the lowest being a £8.99 which is a spicy pasta dish and a Caesar salad, a few other items pose around the £10 mark which are burgers. An average for a meal will set you back about £14 like the chicken and faijitas but the high end of the plates are peaking at £21.49 being a sixteen ounce steak. Drinks in TGI's can be expensive if you opt for the alcoholic side with 330ml bottles of beer emptying your pocket at £3.99 a punt and pint sized ciders being £4.39; cocktails are obviously costly depending on your choice. Finally the soft drinks settle at £2.69 and are of unlimited refills, proving a real bargain if you're a thirsty person. 

Service - 8/10 - The service within TGI's was overall, pretty much faultless. From the moment me and my party stepped in the moment we left, we were looked after brilliantly by the waitress who chased down all our needs; throughout the meal the young lady was chirpy, smiling and enthusiastic about her job, leaving us as comfortable customers. When it came down to the delivery speed of food and drink, again faultless as it was all out and ready for chowing on in unassailable time. The staff do make you feel extremely welcome and the fact that one waitress looks after one table makes it that extra bit more personal. An element I did notice was that ninety percent of the waitress were female. My final point is how I noticed a few ladies were walking round making balloons for people, upon which they then got to keep. A negative I did find, also reflecting on the food quality, was how they didn't ask one of our party how he wanted his burger cooked, this showing not the best attention to deal or food quality. 

Atmosphere - 9/10 - Being a massive worldwide brand, TGI's has a high end reputation to live up to, so I didn't expect no cuts in the atmosphere department. The place seemed alive at all times as the murmur of customers buzzed, the background music played out and the multiple flat screen tv's ran out clips of a variety of videos which also links with it's US diner theme. Within my hour and a bit visit the staff must have had a birthday celebration boom as they had to deliver, what sounded like a ritual chant. Each customer who had a birthday had their table approached by multiple members with a dessert, then proceeding to sing a birthday celebration song/chant which can be heard throughout the diner; this is quite an awesome touch which adds to the overall experience. 

Decor/Theme - 8.5/10 - In a few words I'd describe this eatery as glittery, glamourous and in your face American. Most of the things you associate with the modern Hollywood lifestyle you can find here alongside the charm of the world famous New York diners. It's as though the creators of TGI Fridays took the best of the west coast and mixed it with the east to create a restaurant shaped love child. The bijou booths scattered around the building settle nicely alongside the bolstering bright lights that replicate those you see round dressing room mirrors, also the open kitchen and rounded middle bar are real positive USP's. Customers can even sit around the bar on cute stools to share cocktails if you didn't fancy sampling some of the food on offer. My two favourite things in the restaurant were firstly the TGI/Jack Daniels Harley that's in the window and secondly the fact that nearly every spirit you can think of is placed above the bar on show, leaving me admiring the huge selection of liquor.

Food Presentation - 7.5/10 - Upon reflection of the look of my plate, presentation wise it's neat. The meal had been delicately sectioned in a trio, dividing the protein, carb and veg into seperate areas with the sauce placed in its own little pot. An aspect that could be improved is if the sauce pot was much bigger as I would argue that it was far too little for the amount of grub I had to dip into it. As for the prawns, the fact that the fantail was left on marries well with the attraction element and often makes the fish look more genuine. The dish served it's purpose properly being the perfect size for the meal, my chips looked rustic with the slight skin on which I enjoyed but the veg was thrown together on a side of the plate, not giving off any fanciful feeling at all. 

Food/Value for Money - 6.5/10 - Disappointing overall, my meal walloped the wallet at a £14.99 price tag and consisted of mainly frozen produce. I opted for the jack Daniels cajun battered shrimp from the menu which, when it arrived, had a total of eleven battered fantail prawns, a jack Daniels bbq dip, skin on fries and a small portion of vegetables. First of all the veg was cooked nicely as they still had a bite to them, however it was few and far between as I had minimal greenery on the plate. The fries were flavoursome with a potatoey, crisp, rustic skin on them, not to mention the seasoning was decent and their was a pleantiful amount to get through; my main concern here though was that the chips did tend to get cold quick. Moving into the prawns and they were about average to sum them up; the batter was bubbly and crisp with an acute spicy flavour but the actually fish itself was lacking somewhat. The prawns flesh was plump and tart but it just didn't pack the cajun punch I craved from the menu, also the fish flavour really wasn't their, however you cannot argue with the quantity as eleven prawns tops up the tummy tightly. Finally onto the sauce which was one of my favourite items from my meal, it was delicious. With a hint of smokey bbq flavour concocting beside the sweet JD taste, this sauce just works perfectly when anything is dunked into it; the whiskey flavour was subtle yet noticed and also it contained small pieces providing texture, overall giving off a sweet, tangy taste that tantalised the taste buds. Everything but the sauce could be bought elsewhere cheaper in my opinion but the portion size was filling. 

Overall - 7.5/10 - As far as restaurants go, this place is more of a tourist attraction than a exclusive eatery as TGI's itself holds a big brand reputation worldwide. Many people will know that the franchise only normally establishes restaurants in larger cities, as it grew out of New York City, so it's a unique experience to Norwich to get such a place. If I ever recommended anybody to go to TGI Friday's it would be for the atmosphere and service as after my visit these were the things that made me want to go back. With friendly staff that make each customer feel special and a shibaz, showbiz American theme, the place has a shining persona, attracting people who pass by. Sadly the food and value really let the hype down because not only can you find the meals at any other "American" restaurant, you can also find them a lot cheaper also; more than anything here you are paying for the brand as the food doesn't take incredible skill to cook and replicates any high street diner out there. I'd like to mention that they do offer a wide range of decadent cocktails here and the variety in drinks is second to none, these are something I certainly come back to shuffle through. TGI's is one of those places you visit to say you've been, just don't expect nothing out of the average food wise, not to mention the prices are too high for the quality; portion wise, you'll leave full. 

https://m.tgifridays.co.uk

Takeaway Time - Flaming Galah Review

Flaming Galah, Ber Street, Norwich

Cuisine - Pie & Mash

Options - Takeaway or Order for Collection via Social Network or Telephone

Speed - 10/10 - Absolutely nailed all the aspects people look for when going to a takeaway joint, fast food, in your hands within the time it takes to exchange your English pounds with the cashier. My meal was ready within an instant, serving as a real treat for my rumbling stomach. It possibly took me longer to read the menu than it did for the gentleman to take my order and whip up my meal, the cue was non exsistent also. Be warned that not all pies are available upon entry, so to curb that ring in advance and pre-order your pie craving; I was advised that any pie on the menu can be made to order and takes roughly twenty minutes. 

Taste - 9/10 - With my classic pie taste buds tingling all week, I opted for the traditional mince beef and onion pie bonza deal which tops the pastry off with a dollop of mash, scoop of mushy peas and a slosh of gravy. No words can describe how my hunger was suppressed from the first bite with a beautiful fork full of flavour. First of all you get the peas which were flavoursome and didn't come across earthy as sometimes peas can do; the gravy was at a perfect consistency and possesed an ideal temperature that didn't burn the pallet; my mash was some of the best I've tasted with it's beautiful, smooth creaminess and subtle seasoning. One thing I would say is that the whole dish would benefit from a touch more gravy and peas as they were so morish, leaving me scraping for seconds. Moving onto the main event, the pie; the lid was deliciously crisp and made a good crunch when I pierced my fork through it, the taste was buttery, crisp and had the flaky texture a pastry should have. The whole pastry casing was cooked to precision as all of the crust packed full flavour, wasn't soggy and for filled the true heartiness of the dish. Overall the casing was rather deep with the filling bursting through the brim after breaking through; my mince beef and onion filling kept a piping hot heat, warming my stomach and the flavour was meaty, rich and moist to the bite. Overall the meal filled my empty stomach to the brim but left me craving more scrumptious pie.

Price - 9/10 - The menu within Flaming Galah posts up three main options depending on how hungry you are. First up you can opt for any pie on its own which sets the wallet back £3.95; this price is totally fair because the pies are large and the variety of fillings would cost tons more elsewhere, for example, some of the exotic meats. The second choice is for what they call a bonza deal, being any pie, a large ice cream sized scoop of mash, a slathering of peas and finally a ladle of gravy, this setting back the consumer only £4.95; for an extra pound this seems like an ultimate steal and the flavour is certainly worth the upgrade. The final meal option is as above but with a choice of hot or cold drink, only being another pound on top at £5.95. 

Overall - 9/10 - For a long time I've really been looking forward to reviewing Flaming Galah because of it's fame on trip advisor and ever growing custom, and I think it's fair to say I definitely wasn't disappointed. As far as I know this is the only pie and mash outlet within Norwich and I can guarantee it's the only Australian pie and mash shop within east anglia, so straight away it has a great glowing unique persona within the city. Not only this but the establishment often boasts exotic specials on a weekly basis, giving foodies from all round the chance to tease their taste buds with something new, as they have offered up boar, kangaroo and various other combinations all in a pastry pie. With restaurant standard flavours at street food prices, Flaming Galah is an unsung hero for food in Norfolk and it's unlikely they will fail to satisfy customers as it's a cheap, hearty meal. The speed is instant, the price is fair and the taste is divine so make no excuse for not visiting this place, they offer pleanty of variety, from meat lovers to veggies pies and are happy to take pre-orders over social network and telephone. My final point would be to say if you want something other than the classic pies, then you be best to order in advance as they seem to fly off the shelf, don't hesitate to call or contact as the customer service is second to none. Flaming Galah is worthy of its great reputation and trip advisor rank; make no question about it; if you love pie go there, if you don't, this place will turn you into a true pie boy/girl.

Tel: 07837915375

Takeaway Time - China Garden Review

China Garden, Colman Road, Norwich 

Cuisine - Chinese

Options - Takeaway & Phone Order for Collection 

Speed - 9/10 - Upon arrival outside China Garden I was somewhat sceptical seeing as there was a few people inside and it being seven o'clock on at Saturday evening but I was wrong to be. After a brief look over the wide varietied menu, we placed our order of two curries, one Cantonese style prawn dish, three rices and one portion of chips, then deciding to stay in the shop and wait for the arrival of our food. Within a short wait of fourteen minutes our takeaway was ready to go, in this time the girl had served another six people showing how flowful the Chinese gets, the business is non-stop so if you want to avoid a ten minute wait it's best to order for pick up. It's worth a mention that the shop has benches to sit whilst waiting as well things to read and a television to watch. 

Taste - 8.5/10 - Chinese is always a tough choice for me as I'm quite indecisive with my food, so I opted for something different in the form of a sweet and sour king prawn Cantonese style with a portion of the essential that is egg fried rice. First of all the prawns were certainly worthy of the 'king' title as they were large and meaty, not to mention I had around eight or nine of them which I felt was a generous amount. The sauce was flavoursome and had a syrup like texture with a nice tang to it; I thouroughly enjoyed the balance of sweet and sour in the dish because of the juicy pineapple chunks along side the crunchy vegetables. Variety of the vegetables was a pleanty with the savoury bite of the peppers and the slices of onion, however I wasn't too keen on the fresh tomato as I feel it didn't really have much of a place in the dish. With the prawns they had a thin batter which was properly seasoned and possessed a crisp crust, making for tasty combustion in your mouth with the sauce. My rice portion was filling and wasn't dry like you sometimes find with the fried dish, the freshness made it fluffy and it also had a lot of chunky egg pieces within it. If I was to pick out one negative it would be the sauce should be of a larger quantity as it was that delicious I was left craving more with my uncovered rice. 

Price - 8/10 - Independant takeaways like Chinese and Indian seem to be getting ever more expensive nowadays as more pop up, providing tough competition for each other. My meal came to a total of £7.30 which you'll find is cheaper than your average indian meal, the king prawn Cantonese was £5.00 on it's own then £2.30 for the egg rice. The menu for China Garden does have a massive variety of dishes and sides which are obviously all at different prices depending on the contents, for example chicken balls are £4.10 and set meals start around £7.00. If you really fancy a Chinese takeaway treat they offer up a whole duck for just over £20. When it comes to average prices China Garden is on par with other Chinese's and showcases a wide varied menu. A key point I will point out is that prawns are expensive to buy in the current times so actually £5.00 for around eight battered king prawns is about right. 

Overall - 9/10 - As far as Chinese's go in Norwich, China Garden is well up there in being one of the greatest, better still, one of the best takeaways in the City. For as many years as I can remember the establishment has been positioned where it is, with a solid reputation that keeps customers coming back for more, even more so since Chinese became Britain's most popular takeaway. It's success is evident, serving busy weekends Friday to Sunday, for the past decade. The taste of  China Gardens food fulfils every Chinese craving, leaving the treat of the unique tastes tantalising your taste buds. As well as the speedy service and tasteful food, the shop gives off fair pricing and variety making for a really well rounded eatery. If you live in the area, fancy a great quality Chinese meal or are just treating yourself to takeaway make sure you visit China Garden as you'll struggle to find a better food den in Norwich. A certain must try for all food lovers and hungry people around town. 

Tel: 01603507798

Number 12 Norwich Review

Number 12 Bar & Dining, Norwich, Farmers Avenue

Cuisine - Gastro Pub

Price Range - Low/Medium - Number 12 prices up the meals on an average between the £10 and £20 mark, depending of course on the contents of the plate. The cheapest meals are set at £8.95 which is the homemade lasagne and also the burrito, where as the high end of the menu peaks at £19.95 being the twelve item mixed grill. All steak dishes will set you back £18.95 and are a hearty ten ounce cuts of meat. The pub offers smaller plates as light bites which are cheaper to go with the lunch time menu, where you can buy two selected meals for £12. Soft drinks cost £2.00 each and a pint of larger is around the £4.00 mark. 

Service - 9/10 - After booking a table in the mid afternoon, we arrived at Number 12 later in the day where we were greeted by the bar man; then being happily pointed towards our ready set table upstairs where we quickly had our drinks order taken. Their was a short wait for the food menus to arrive but the waitress was apologetic about this when they did arrive. Throughout our meal the staff were extremely friendly, attentative and punctual, delivering food, drinks and condiments at a fast rate. It's very clear that they are well organised and are very used to dealing with busy situations as most of the tables were full. An area of sheer brilliant customer care was when one of our party was offered an alternative to the burger as he could eat beef, the waitress was fast to act upon this and asked the chef if he could make a chicken burger instead, then going ahead to make it. This statement shows real consideration and is a genuine act of consideration. 

Atmosphere - 8/10 - Obviously being in the city centre and an ever growing, popular bar on a Friday night, the place was jam packed. This gave the whole area a real nice vibe and atmospheric noise, however sometimes it came across slightly too loud, meaning I had to shout across to other party members. An upstairs segment for the restaurant go-ers seperates them from the bustle of the bar area, making the atmosphere more comfortable, eating downstairs is an option but would make meal time a tad awkward. Nice touches to be noted are the fact they offer live music on certain nights with Lee Vasey and have a jazz like background music when you can hear it. 

Decor/Theme - 8/10 - The pub poses as a friendly, laid back, homely establishment and it doesn't fail there. With a bar area downstairs for drinkers and a swarve upstairs dining area, Number 12 caters for all lovers of the British pub, welcoming customers young and old. My favourite aspects that make the pub comforting are the classic, detailed chalkboards that state specials, the modern, home like wallpaper on the feature walls, the cute lightings and also the multiple heart warming fire places. All the tables are set out beautifully as they are neat, clean and have matching seats. If I were to pick a negative it would be the area was slightly small but that's at no fault of the management. Upon the walls, in the menu and around the pub you have quirky little quotes that show a good sense of humour, for example they have "happy minute" every day at 14:59-15:00.

Food Presentation - 7/10 - For the size of my portion and taking into consideration the number of items on my plate, the chef done a decent job. The tomatoes on the vine were something that immediately struck my eye, giving a nice subtle touch of colour; also the rustic affect of the skin on chips were different from your average skinless spud. The salad was neatly placed to one side of the plate, splitting the distribution of food nicely aswell as the drizzle of garnish over the meal, making for flavour. Overall it did feel that the food was a bit piled up as the chips and onion rings were hidden under the steak, however this showcased the mass portion you do recieve at the 12. A member of my party who had the burger had his chips served up in a pastel coloured paint pot which I thought was quite jazzy.

Food/Value for Money - 8/10 - My meal I opted for was a healthy ten ounce rib eye steak which set me back £18.95. Firstly I'd like to state what the plate served up which was multiple tomatoes, salad, two large onion rings, hand cut chips, a huge mushroom and a ten ounce steak, needless to say I left full. Everything was superbly seasoned and satisfied my tastes, as the chips had a good dusting of salt along side a tasty salad dressing which I believe was a mustard flavouring. The onion rings were crisp, giving off a balanced onion flavour to go with the mushroom was delicious as it was sizeable and didn't leak juices over the plate, showing it was well cooked. An aspect I was pleased with was the chips as they were fresh, chunky and had a crisp skin on texture, from the first bite you could tell they were better than the commercial frozen French fry. Unfortunately the steak was a tiny bit over cooked as it was more of a medium than a medium rare and I feel it lacked in full flavour, take nothing away though as the meat was still succulent and satisfying, fulfilling my appetite. With the vine tomatoes I thought their could have been a few less as sometimes removing them from the stalk was an obstical, however I did enjoy them and the balsamic dressing on the fruits was devine. Overall I feel the plate was great value for money, giving you an excellent, modern take on the British pub steak. Meat like this elsewhere in the city would set you back over the twenty mark and you wouldn't get all the trimmings like you do here.

Overall - 8/10 - Being branded the best pub for food in Norwich on TripAdvisor, Number 12 has a high end reputation to live up to and in my opinion, it certainly does that. Offering up a large selection of upmarket spirits and drinks to go with the selection of great food, the pub satisfies all crowds, giving options to everyone's tastebuds; not only this but the menu boast locally sourced produce which is great support for local business' alike. Reasonably priced tasty meals appeal to all hungry people within the city, giving customer delicious food every day; whether you want to pop in for a lunch time plate whilst out or you are dropping by for an evening of wining and dining, Number 12 makes for a quality eatery. Sublime customer service and a warm, comforting decor is something you look for in a pub, so if that's what you're looking for then pop in and treat yourself as the staff never fail with their genuinely friendly personalities. It's clear to see why Number 12 is so successful and it's certainly a must visit in my eyes, this place growing gastro pub with a bright future ahead of it. 

www.number12norwich.org/

Recipe Book Review: Save with Jamie

Save with Jamie

Overview - This book comes from Jamie Oliver, a man who has produced a large variety of culinary cook books over the past decade and embraced our tv screens with his foodie adventures. 'Save with Jamie' boasts that it will help you save money and states how to be more cost affective when choosing your meals; for example the book contains recipes for all your everyday meats and also has a veggie section, not to mention it enforces the use of leftovers so you have no wastage. A unique selling point the book has is the fact that it lets readers into secrets on various ways to store and buy produce so you save money, also stating how to joint a chicken so you can use every element of the bird. 

Average Recipe Difficulty - Easy 

Most Beneficial Readers - Students, Families, Beginners.

My Three Favourite Recipes'...

Roast Beef Brisket - A nice twist on the British classic of roast beef, Jamie shows how to create the classic plate using a cheaper yet still effective select of beef. Normally roast beef is difficult to perfect with topside often coming out chewy and tough, not only that somewhat expensive. This recipe helps you create a flavoursome, moist piece of beef at half the price you would normally pay. It's worth mentioning that the book then goes on to show what you can create with the leftover beef.

Lamb Burgers - What more could you want on a summers day than to chow down on a meaty lamb burger fresh from the BBQ, topped off with a drop of mint yogurt?. The recipe is fresh and will get your taste buds dancing as it posses a simplicitic method with few ingredients. 

Chicken & Chorizo Paella - My final favourite, I love Spanish food and at the top of my list is by far chorizo, so this recipe was a cert from the moment I picked up the book. Again it's cost efficiency and simplicity will help any budding cook create a delicious Spanish dish that they can enjoy as a quick midweek meal. 

Final Verdict - 8/10 - Overall this book is a real gem, giving a great help to the credit crunch climate that we currently live in. Not only does the book give insite into money saving tips when using food, it also promotes some really great recipes, showing people that they can still enjoy good food at low costs. The main factors I love about this recipe book is that it shows you how to use leftovers effectively and ways in which you can store goods that may not be used, for example it briefly explains pickling. An area that could be improved is if they added a couple more hands on recipes and removed some of the really basic page fillers where it's generally just using a carb with the protein, an example of this is the lamb burrito or the salmon taco. To round up this review I'd say this is a must have on the book shelf of a student on a budget, a budding cook that is looking to develop skills and finally the family cook who wants meal ideas and to tighten up on food costs.