Blue's Kitchen @ The Rosebery

The Gen

 Only my laptop browser has more long term pop ups than Norwich’s food scene, but the plates on offer from the Rosebery’s kitchen are far more welcome. Slinging dishes since December last year, they made their name with their impressive lockdown takeaways. Now this was my chance to go out, into the real world, and try it first hand. 

The pub itself is a chunky, Victorian, red brick monolith, standing alone and socially distanced from the nearby houses of NR3. (If you’re not sure, NR3 is like NR2 but for young people)

Atmosphere

It feels like an eternity since I ate out of anything other than aluminium foil containers. Time has lost all meaning, it’s passage charted only by the extra notches on my belt.

As I step into the Rosebery I realise I’ve forgotten how to act like a normal human. I’m not sure I ever knew, at least my mask hides half of my concerned, vaguely baffled expression.

The pub has the comfortable feel of a spot to enjoy a pint or 6 and the drinker is well served, the beer menu is longer than the appendix to The Lord of The Rings and with more silly words. The only people who like bad puns more than me are the folks who come up with the names for real ales.

Midnight blue walls are accented with dark woods, brass fittings and satisfyingly elaborate light bulbs. Despite the dark décor, the high ceilings, large windows and wide doors flung open keep the place feeling bright and spacious and the late summer evening is welcomed in. 

The light shades hanging precariously over the bar have the exciting appearance of a half assembled Mouse Trap boardgame. 

 Starter

The Crispy Panko breadcrumbs are dark and firm and yield with a welcoming crunch to the tasty and savoury oyster mushrooms beneath. The panko has the nice addition of sesame seeds to give another touch to the taste. A liberal glaze of pomegranate and chilli give a contrast of flavours, at once both deliciously sweet and warming to the tongue. If the glaze starts to feel sickly the refreshing pomegranate seeds cleanse the palate. 

A simple but enjoyable bite and a great way to start the meal.

The Main Event

By this point in the meal I’ve started to settle down. I’ve remembered what it’s like to eat off a plate and I’ve been in public without saying or doing anything stupid. After so long away from civilisation this feels like a win. The welcoming atmosphere and the great real ale can’t have hurt either.

My main arrives hot, a steaming plate of loveliness, the heat haze distorting the air above like a delicious, meaty mirage. My grandma always said food should be served on a hot plate… she also said a lot of unkind things about Irish people but she was right about the plate thing. Norfolk beef cheek is a richly dark slab that’s so tender it could be cut with a particularly blunt spoon. The meat falls apart like badly assembled IKEA furniture and melts succulently in the mouth. Served with creamy Maris piper mash and a soft marmalade carrot it’s not a dish that asks much of your teeth – but delicious nonetheless!

We also had a bowl of their loaded garlic pizza fries, with marinara sauce, mozzarella and pesto. Great chips and generous with the toppings, I did eat more than a bit of the paper they came in but they were nice so I didn’t mind!

Pud

There were two dessert options and two of us, it was fated to be!

The Dark Chocolate torte was delicious and so very dense, like an indulgent black hole, topped with the flaked remains of a ferrero rocher massacre.

If the Cranachan pretends to be the healthy option because of the fruit and granola its lying to you, the chewy meringues and sweet honey making a delightful end to our meal.

Conclusion

The menu at Blue’s kitchen is limited but this is often a smart idea, allowing you to expertly prepare  a few items fresh instead of spreading yourself too thin. The dishes we had certainly were lovely and the menu does allow the flexibility of a full meal or for some snacky sharing options to enjoy while you drink. Be brave, venture back into the world and give Blue’s kitchen a crack!

Venue – 8

Fodder – 8 

Value – 7

Overall – 8