Those of you who follow my blog and Insta know that I’m a real lover of food, sweet food in particular. So when me and my bestie (Tallulah) decided that we would go for afternoon tea for our joint birthday celebration we knew we had to find somewhere truly scrumptious. A place that also catered for my awkward dietary requirements without causing a fuss.
Finding the perfect location
We spent what felt like hours scouring the web for somewhere that could offer a gluten-free menu with little or no notice without giving me sandwiches that tasted like cardboard… gluten-free bread is often pretty awful if I do say so myself. Anywaaaay after searching and looking at reviews we decided to go with Barnham Broom Hotel (which is close to Norwich) , there were several afternoon tea options (which you can browse here) all at what i consider to be a very reasonable price (£15.95pp), with a spectacular view.
Our visit was on a Sunday around midday and we were greeted upon arrival and given the choice of seating, of course we had to sit by the window because after all we are natural-born people watchers… (we have no shame).
Now for the bit you came for (the food)
The waitress was extremely lovely and didn’t mind that I was awkward and asked for soya milk and that I may have taken a little too long choosing my tea (so many choices) oh and that I also forgot what loose leaf tea was and she whispered that ‘it’s the posh stuff‘ so we went for that, as we were trying to be ladies that lunch after all. Oh and not to forget the tea and coffee were unlimited too!
The regular option (August)
Our individual tea pots and food arrived in no time and boy did they look delicious. I went for the gluten-free option and Tallulah went for the regular option. It was lovely to see that they had tried to make my food as similar to the regular option as possible with gluten-free sandwiches, cakes, pastries and scones too (can’t forget the scones can we?). I really enjoyed being able to go out and actually eating dessert and baked goods without upsetting my stomach or getting that FOMO feeling (something I rarely get a chance to do).
It didn’t take long for us to make our way through our finger sandwiches. Mine included smoked salmon, ham, cream cheese with cucumber and chicken too. The only difference between the sandwiches was the bread and I can deal with that!
We then tucked in to our warm, yes that’s right I said warm scones which were accompanied by strawberry jam, cream and butter. Ever since I was young I’ve loved a scone and the fruit scone I had brought back many memories of baking with my grandma when I was young.
Now my favourite bit was obviously the dessert. I always have been and always will be one for desserts because I have a sweet tooth which I can never seem to satisfy no matter how hard I try. Mine included; a Cherry Bakewell, a cotton candy macaron, what I believe to be a chocolate salted caramel mousse and a chocolate brownie which was divineeeeee.
The gluten-free option (mine)
Throughout the year the menus change depending on the month, you can check this out in advance online to see what the current menu is.
A little bit about the service
As someone who works in customer service I really value good customer service. Not just the ‘I’m going to pretend I’m happy because I’m working type‘ but the kind of people who actually care to remember your dietary requirements even when the room is full of others. Or those who are busy but still find the time to make sure everything is ok without imposing. Especially long after you’ve finished eating when you’re still having a natter and probably should leave to pay the bill.
I was really impressed that the manager knew all about the gluten-free bread and the types they used. You could say that the staff should know as they work there but quite often people have no idea when it comes to alternative diets. Personally for me I think it’s the smaller details that make a difference. No-one had to stand and talk to me about bread and to be honest I wouldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to… but when you get treated somewhere nicely it really does make you want to go back.
P.s By the time we left we were both absolutely stuffed so if you’re planning to go make sure to leave room for all the food and drink. It’s easy to underestimate how filling it all is!
Thank you for reading,
Love Saff x
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