Big Eat Out - Bill's Restaurant

BILL’S RESTAURANT 

THE GEN: The story is a simple one; greengrocer turns restaurateur, with one flagship premises in Lewes, near Brighton turning into 42 nationwide – and counting. But it’s how that expansion happened that you really start to get under Bill’s’ skin. Just before Norwich’s Bill’s opened, I was actually sat in their mother ship in Lewes , by coincidence. Their rustic charm, invitingly casual staff, industrial lighting and wall-to-wall stacked branded Bill’s goodies (Bill’s labels up its own sweets, jams, cordials, beers, chocolate etc) made me seriously ask the question of whether they franchised. To my wife’s horror / delight / intrigue, the atmosphere alone made me want to give up being a writer and open a Bill’s in Norwich, where I knew it would fit so well. Weirdly, I got home, and the green ‘Opening Soon’ boards were up. They musta heard me.

ATMOSPHERE: I cruelly showed up with my begging bowl straight out of work on a Tuesday. 6pm on a Tuesday isn’t known for its dining buzz, but although quiet, it gave you the opportunity to take in the sights of the newly opened Bill’s. Although a chain now, there’s still a genuine feeling to their pastoral / industrial mash up. And it started to fill up healthily, with many excited diners.

STARTERS Grilled asparagus with crispy chorizo // Crispy lemon squid

Trying squid somewhere you’ve not eaten it before is a bit like going to get a tattoo by choosing your studio blindfolded. So obvious is the line between good and bad that it’s like playing Russian Roulette. What can I say? I live on the edge. Luckily, the crispy squid was just that, which is all you can really ask for – not limp, pallid-looking wet toilet roll coated elastic bands, as you sometimes get. It was classically matched with garlic mayo, which gives your mouth a brilliant hum. The asparagus was paired with some clever crispy chorizo, literally like a chorizo crisp, which were delicious. The hollandaise that came with it was just a bit runny, and too creamy – I like it thick and tart, which could describe the cast of a Carry On movie.

THE MAIN EVENT: Bill’s style BBQ pork ribs // Duck pie

Bill’s menu is eclectic; trad fish & chips sit next to greek-style chicken kebabs. The only footnote to the selected menu items seems to be that it’s ‘food people like’. The ribs were generous and tasty, with its skinny fries delightfully crispy and salty. The best bit was that the BBQ sauce came in its own wee jug, so that I could be the maker of my own destiny, sauce-wise. It’s the worst when it’s heavy-handedly ladled on. The sauce was clearly Bill’s own recipe – rich and fragrant with strong molasses. I was excited about the duck pie, but equally nervous for what I knew lay beneath… pearl barley, so often like accidently getting a rolled up tiny piece of cardboard in your mouth. But lo and be-facking-hold – Bill’s managed to cook the pearl barley in a way I actually liked it! Tender, meaty, gravy-covered duck doesn’t often get covered with cheese mash, but based on tonight’s evidence, it should every time. DE-LISH. The duck pie was so much more than I expected.