AD | Complimentary meal
We’re so lucky to have so many wonderful places to eat here in Norfolk. When in Cromer though somewhere most people visit at least once is the Cromer Pier, which also has it’s very own restaurant. The Tides Restaurant has just launched a brand new menu and we visited over the weekend to give it a try.
The menu
Large menus can often meal a lower standard of food, with restaurants having too much to think about. The Tides Restaurant’s new menu is fairly small however, there is a good mix of starters, larger main meals and lighter bites if that’s what you want.
Mains
Between us 3 adults we went for very different things from the main meals. Even though the menu is quite small, we all could have picked more than one thing and we really had to think about what we wanted because everything sounded so good.
My only slight criticism of the menu is a lack of vegan options. The choice of main meal is a spicy curry and as not everyone likes spicy food, this does alienate the vegan clientele somewhat.
What I did love about the menu was how fresh everything was. It’s clear from the options available that what you’re getting is good, quality food. After we’d ordered we were told that there was a little bit of a wait on food as the food is cooked fresh, with the fish pie taking slightly longer than other meals. It was nice to be told this so we weren’t left sitting and wondering where the food was. I’m always happy to wait that bit longer for food if it means it’s fresh.
All of our food looked, and tasted, absolutely beautiful. This isn’t food that’s just chucked onto a plate. The presentation was clearly thought about and each meal looked delicious… it tasted that way too.
The chips that came with my burger was the thickest, fluffiest chips I’ve ever had and the burger itself was absolutely massive. The fish pie was filled with cod, haddock, salmon and prawns and topped with herby potatoes. Last, but not least, the pan fried chicken really looked beautiful and was served with a leek and bacon sauce, herby new potatoes and seasonal greens.
Children’s meals
An area that I was really impressed with was the children’s meals. Erin couldn’t wait to try the chicken goujons, or big chicken nuggets as she calls them, and was absolutely sure of her choice immediately. When her food arrived we were all so impressed with the portion size.
The children’s meals cost £7.50 each but they do include a drink and and ice cream for dessert. Erin’s meal had a really decent amount of big, chunky chips as well as I think it was 5 or 6 chicken goujons. These were not your average cheap, frozen goujons though. You could really tell that they were good quality and Erin very kindly let me try a bit (a small bit) of one and they were delicious.
Erin usually doesn’t eat too much of a meal when we’re out and tends to pick at it but this meal was different. Erin couldn’t get enough of the chicken goujons and couldn’t eat them quick enough. It’s definitely something she wants to eat again.
Desserts
Desserts are not on the main menu but come on a specials board inside the restaurant. We were given these as options as well as also being offered ice cream sundaes with whippy ice cream. When you go to the seaside whippy ice cream is a must so I thought this was a really nice touch.
John and Mum couldn’t resist the temptation of the ice cream sundae, which came with a fruit compote. This came in a proper tall sundae glass and filled way past the top with ice cream. I have to admit, I did steal a bit of ice cream as whippy is my absolute favourite.
I wanted something from the specials board and was very torn between apple crumble and sticky toffee pudding. The apple crumble won in the end and it was a really good choice. The apple filling was hot and delicious, topped with a superb crumb. I loved having the custard in a little pot on the side so I could keep adding a bit at a time when I needed it.
Erin had the option of a cone or tub of ice cream which is always nice because cones can sometimes get super messy. The added touch of chocolate sauce and a flake really went a long way with Erin, as did her dessert being brought out first so that she didn’t have to wait.
Service
The staff at the Tides Restaurant really helped to make our visit so special. Nothing was too much trouble, if we had a little wait for food we were informed and Erin was very clearly thought about. This goes a really long way with me. If you can keep my child happy, you keep me happy and I’m sure most parents will feel the same way.
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat in Cromer then do consider the Tides Restaurant. The food really is quite special and it’s a lovely, family friendly restaurant.
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