So, with relatives staying in Norfolk last week, it was a nice opportunity to take someone out and show them around the fine city – shopping and seeing the sites.
After many hours of walking around and trying things on, I suggested going to Jarrold’s for lunch. I visited The Pantry Restaurant a few months ago and wanted to see if it was just as good. The Pantry is located on the third floor of the department store and is beautifully decorated with a quaint chicken patterns and pale colours – it’s perfect for someone as twee as me!
I was surprised at just how busy it was on a Tuesday at 2pm – there were no tables available at all, which I suppose is testament to how popular it is. That might be because it serves such a wide range of food from slabs of fresh cake, hot meals, salads and sandwiches. Much of it is serve-yourself, which gives it a slightly canteen feel, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
I opted for the salad bar, which is £7.95 (I think!), and allows you to fill a plate with a range of cold meats, fish, pasta, salad a veg. I have a bit of a thing for smoked mackerel at the mo, so I was quite pleased to discover it among the cold meats. If you were prepared to load your plate scientifically, you could problem get a helluva lot for your money.
The sandwiches are freshly made to your order too, which is a nice touch – it means the bread isn’t at all soggy and tasty. And of course, no inNorfolk food blog would be complete without cake; the carrot cake is beautiful – all moist with a sharp cream cheese topping – I thoroughly recommend it.
If you’re looking for somewhere for lunch in the centre of Norwich, try The Pantry Restaurant.
