back at benedicts

belated birthday celebrations!

Dear Sheddists,

at long last we're back in Norfolk enjoying the lofty skies and a profound sense of peace. We had planned a visit at the end of January to celebrate my birthday, but a flu infection which struck us both down within days of each other rendered this a 'no-go'.

But now it's time for that special meal we had planned for earlier in the year - another visit to the legendary Benedicts, our all-time favourite restaurant by a country mile.

The little touches that matter

The food on offer at Benedicts is the best we've ever tasted, but there's another even more compelling reason why we it's become such a special place for us.  It's those little touches that make all the difference between a good meal and a great experience.

It starts the minute we arrive. A warm and friendly welcome awaits from the front-of-house staff who demonstrate a common commitment to making diners feel relaxed and at home. So many high-end restaurants offer the exact opposite -  a threatening atmosphere of privilege and aloofness that is a million miles from what we've come to love and expect at Benedicts.

Adam, their genial General Manager asks if we're celebrating something special. We tell him of our aborted January mission and he disappears downstairs to the kitchen only to return a few moments later with a Belated Birthday card signed personally by Chef Richard Bainbridge, one half of the husband and wife team behind this amazing restaurant

Now that's a little touch that really is special!

Fine conversation

The relaxed atmosphere brings an added bonus to our trips to Benedict - the opportunity to strike up really interesting conversations with fellow-diners.  On this occasion we meet Mark the Mole Man and his lovely wife, Vanessa, both of whom offer excellent advice on how best to harness the spirited energy of a new puppy who recently joined our household.

There aren't many restaurants we can think of where such casual conversation takes place so regularly and it's no accident. The relaxed environment positively encourages people to speak, and in our book that's no bad thing at all!

Speak for yourself

The food speaks for itself. We choose the Tasting Menu accompanied by a delicious wine-pairing, the latter is introduced with great enthusiasm and knowledge by the ever-helpful Adam who lends an extra air of theatricality to the proceedings.

Stand-out favourites are the Light Pork Broth featuring Edgefield Shitake mushrooms and local wild garlic, and a delicious cod dish served in a crisp lettuce leaf.

To round things off Richard comes out to say hello at the end of the meal. Once again, you've done us proud, Benedicts!  Many thanks to Richard, Katya and all the Benedicts team for making our belated birthday celebrations so special.

 

 

Wedding anniversary celebrations

Dear Sheddists,

this year my dear wife and I celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary at our very favourite restaurant, 'Benedicts' in Norwich.

Sweet memories

 Regular readers will be aware it's our custom to eat fish and chips on our anniversary in memory of our very first meal together on our own as a young married couple.  It was all we could afford, but no less special for all that.

This year we had to stretch the definition of 'fish and chips' a little, but it was well worth it!  The fish took the form of brown shrimps, fresh from King's Lynn and the chips were four delicious home-cooked potato crisps nestled gently between the scales of a pine-cone.

The tasting menu

We chose the tasting menu, six courses of sheer bliss, accompanied by some equally delicious hors d'ouevres.  Every course was an epicurean delight, but the star of the show for us was the starter - Thornton Hall heritage tomatoes, summer peaches and coriander. It was absolutely sublime, balancing different flavours, textures and temperatures to create a taste-bud sensation.

Those special little touches

It's not just the food that was special.  Three delightful little extra touches made our celebration meal so memorable.

First was the piece of theatre that introduced the opening dessert, two splendid ice-lollies made from Norfolk strawberries. The waitress carried a mini-freezer to our table and opened the top to the sound of ice-cream chimes within.  Sheer magic!

The second was the chocolate-decorated plate bearing our final course - a deliciously light passion-fuit mousse.  You can see it in one of the photos below.

The final delightful touch at the very end of the meal was the small tube of love-hearts secreted with the metal acorn containing the bill.  What a fitting reminder, not just of yet another fantastic meal at 'Benedicts' but also thirty seven years of an absolutely wonderful marriage to the love of my life.

Thank you, Richard, Katya and team for making our meal so very special!

 

Edmund's