If you haven’t been watching my every move on this week, you’ll have missed that I recently visited The Ivy Brasserie in Norwich for breakfast.
Like many locals, I’d been eagerly anticipating its arrival for weeks. And when I received an invitation to a Blogger Breakfast on opening day I was thrilled.
So, without further ado, here’s my review of The Ivy Brasserie in Norwich…
I arrived bright and early at The Ivy Brasserie on Tuesday morning, albeit slightly bleary-eyed because I’d skipped my breakfast espresso in my haste to leave the house.
Upon arrival, I was greeted at the door and given a warm welcome, before being shown through to the restaurant.
And it is stunning. Opulently decorated, every last detail has been considered.
From huge chandeliers that fill the restaurant with a warm glow, to the art-deco bar, the monkeys on the wallpaper and the abstract artwork lining the walls, it’s impressive.
Upon closer investigation, there are nods to Norwich everywhere. There are canaries hidden in the wallpaper. There are maps of Norwich. It’s been very thoughtfully executed.
While I’m giving you a rundown of the decor, the ladies’ bathrooms are very pretty. The gold chinoiserie wallpaper on the ceiling is intricately patterned with flowers and butterflies, the walls are lined with botanical prints, the sinks are glossy dove-grey marble and the air is filled with the heady scent of cedarwood.
Dining here is a decadent experience!
Breakfast at The Ivy Brasserie
The Ivy Brasserie describes itself as an all-day casual dining restaurant. A cursory glance at its website reveals a plethora of menus dedicated to different days and times of the week.
We started the day with the three-course breakfast, which was divine.
I opted for a black Americano to accompany a selection of warm miniature pastries, which were presented while we selected our dishes.
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ll probably know that I’m a sucker for eggs royale. There’s something about the combination of smoked salmon and poached eggs that I can’t resist.
I confess that I was tempted by the hot buttermilk pancakes, but felt the eggs were the more virtuous option.
After the pastries, I was presented with an Instagram-worthy smoothie. Bright green, with apple garnish, served over ice, it looked stunning. However, I will admit that it tasted very… healthy.
Made up of avocado, mint, celery, spinach, apple and parsley it was lovely, but it was a little bit too early in the day for me.
The dishes arrived similarly presented. My eggs royale were neatly arranged on the plate and topped with watercress; the buttermilk pancakes were topped with fruit and dusted with icing sugar. The avocado, tomatoes and, sesame on granary toast (not pictured) gave me a twinge of food envy!
It tasted as good as it looked, too.
The eggs were poached to perfection. The yolks were liquid amber, while the whites were firm. The English muffins were fresh and lightly toasted and it was all topped with just the right amount of hollandaise (again, I reiterate how much I love eggs royale).
As you’d expect, the service was impeccable. There were regular check-ins throughout the meal to see if we needed anything, water was topped up regularly and nothing was too much trouble.
Needless to say, I’ve been trying to book in for an evening visit in the next few weeks, but there is basically no availability. I’ll just need to keep trying…
Been anywhere interesting for a meal? Use the live chat app in the bottom right of the screen to send me a message with recommendations and tips!
