The Reindeer, Norwich // Food Review
The Reindeer gently coerces you to jump slightly left of your comfort zone, and expectations of pub grub – all for the better...
THE GEN: Lurking flirtatiously near the end of St Benedicts St, The Reindeer sits on the city end of Dereham Rd, and was taken over by The Rumsey Wells posse six months ago. It has the strength of character that its sisterhood with the Rumsey would suggest, with a British heritage feel that would rival any Norfolk country pub kingpin – King’s Head, Bawburgh included. With Michelin-trained Simon Walton at the hatch, it was only right to sample the fayre; our party of three was dazzled by a menu that celebrated British fodder, from nose to tail – as their occasional BBQs of the same name reinforce – making swift decisions impossible, but intrigue piqued.
ATMOSPHERE: We hit The Reindeer on a bustling Friday night; with enough space for both, social drinkers sat alongside the evening’s diners with no jarring in atmosphere.
TO START: Rabbit and Pistachio Terrine // Norfolk Dapple Soufflé // Smoked Mackerel Paté With three dishes in rotation round the table, the terrine is first up. The delicate rabbit at times took a thumb from the apricot in its midst, but the fresh crunch of pistachio gave a well-rounded cold starter. The soufflé (tricky buggers, we know, from watching Masterchef) sat loftily and inviting like a warm cheese bath, and celebrated the Norfolk cheese with rambunctious flavour. The mackerel paté deserved, and was, heaped generously atop its toast, as meaty as a fish could get.
THE MAIN EVENT: Ox Tongue, Potato and Ox Cheek Fritter // Sea Bass, Mussels and Saffron Potatoes // Pork Four Ways, White Bean Mash and Crispy Pig’s Ear. Oh pork, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways; loin, belly, jus and ear seem just right to quantify it, and were crafted delicately and with sympathy towards the pig, which married with the neutralising, creamy bean mash exquisitely. The sea bass dish was the star; all-round favourite with an intoxicating broth of the sea, causing you to hunt out the non-empty mussel shells voraciously. The tongue was the wild card of the table; it was a mind over matter moment for this oft-ignored cut, which turned out to be a willing sponge for the red winey reduction. The cheek fritter was a cheeky (pun not intended) fried treat, giving the dish comfort.
PUD: Pudding denied: Maximum tummy capacity reached.
DRINKS: Being in The Rumsey lineage, there’s the choice in bottle and on tap that shows well thought-out choices trump the staples. With 22 draft beers from around the world, it’s a wonder I managed to opt for the less gut-busting option of wine – a moreish house red that really belied the word ‘house’.
VALUE: In the same way that mussels used to be an everyday snack for the peasantry-on-sea, these times of austerity seem to have ignited a passion again for the cheaper cuts – and cheek, jowl, hair and whisker – of an animal, much to the swelling pride (and profit margin) of the British chef. At starters floating around the £5 mark, and mains at a max of around £15, you are being given the opportunity to experience the alternatives in British fayre, cooked expertly, at a price you can stomach.
OVERALL: When the only ‘safe’ option on the menu, Chicken, Leek and Mushroom pie was taken off the menu that night to be replaced by humble pie, a pastry encased medley of Lamb’s offal, the gauntlet was laid down. The Reindeer gently coerces you to jump slightly left of your comfort zone, and expectations of pub grub – there’s not a bit of scampi in sight, it’s good to know before you go – are reimagined. All for the better – you just have to trust us, and the chef, of course.
