TGI Friday's New Lunch Menu*

Earlier this week I was invited to TGI Fridays to try out their new lunch menu which consists of a number of dishes for just £7.99 available Mon-Fri until 5pm (excluding bank holidays). We arrived at lunch time at TGI Fridays in Norwich which is located within the Riverside Retail Park. We were promptly seated and given a chance to ponder over the new menu which had all sorts of delicious items on and I struggled to choose what I wanted! From hotdogs to pasta to subs, there really is something for everyone including vegetarian options.

I was very kindly provided with some food vouchers so could try a range of items from the menu and I brought James along with me to help out. The first meal we went for was the Pulled Pork Sandwich. This consisted of BBQ smothered pulled pork with apple slaw in a toasted glazed brioche bun topped with pickled red onion. I had this served with crispy fries and garlic mayo. The pulled pork was delicious and there was plenty of it to fill the brioche bun. I could have upgraded my fries for an extra cost but I decided to stick with crispy fries and they were lovely.

We then decided to try the Duck Salad. This was crispy duck coated in Jack Daniel’s glazed piled on a bed of green leaves, cucumber, raspberries, crispy croutons and onions. This was served with a raspberry and chilli dressing on the side which was really tangy and delicious. I thought it would be a strange combination to include the raspberries with the duck but it worked really well. The duck was cooked perfectly and had a lovely crispy outer skin and was absolutely delicious with the Jack Daniel’s glaze. It simply melted in the mouth. This dish would be perfect for someone wanting a slightly lighter meal but with maximum flavour. Who said a salad has to be boring?

Lastly we ordered the Texas Chilli Bowl. This spicy beef chilli was served with rice, corn chips and cheese topped with sour crème, red chillies, jalapeños and coriander. This was pretty spicy but the cheese and sour crème really helped to cool each bite down. The spicy beef was cooked well and the corn chips were fresh and crispy.

The food was served hot and it was absolutely delicious. We didn’t have to wait long at all for the food despite it being a busy lunch time in the school holidays. Our server, Toby was very welcoming and made sure my unlimited refill drink was topped up throughout the meal. James said that he thought the portions could have been slightly larger but I think for lunch they are just the right size. You can still order from the main menu if you want something slightly larger but for me the lunch time menu really hit the spot (and you can always order an extra one to share like we did!).

I was really impressed with the TGI’s lunch menu. Thank you to Toby and the rest of the team who made the experience a good one! Will you be checking out your local TGI’s for lunch soon?

*I received this meal free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

The Gluten Free Cafe - Norwich

A couple of weeks ago me and Kim from Romanovs Views met up for lunch. As Kim is a coeliac (read more about this here) she suggested we meet up at the new Gluten Free Cafe that has recently opened on Timberhill in Norwich.

(Photo taken by Kim - Romanovs Views)

The Gluten Free Cafe is run by Louisa Kiddell and Tony Garrick, who used to run The Gluten Free Shop at Hellesdon Barns. Downstairs is a small cafe area and upstairs you have a shop. The cafe only opened a few weeks ago and was quite busy when we went inside.

The menu is displayed on the back wall and there is plenty to choose from. You can have soup, filled rolls or even quiche. Everything is gluten free and there are also plenty of vegan options too. There is also plenty of delicious looking cakes if you fancy something sweet afterwards. After we had queued at the counter and paid for our items we sat at our table. Our food was brought over to us shortly afterwards. The staff were friendly and attentive. Kim wanted a different spoon for her soup and they happily swapped it over for her.

 I opted for a ham salad roll which came with some vegetable crisps. The roll was filled to the brim and very tasty and cost just £4. You can see how colourful and vibrant the salad was that came with it. Kim went for leek and potato soup which was also £4 and served with a gluten free roll and dairy free butter. I also had a green tea which cost £2 and came in a little teapot which was nice.

After our food we had a look around the shop. There wasn't LOADS in there as they are fairly new but there were plenty of gluten free and vegan treats and they will be expanding the range once they are up and running. They have moved from their hellesdon barns location recently and will have lots in store to choose from! I enjoyed my food and the atmosphere of The Gluten Free Cafe. I think once they have been open a bit longer and running a bit smoother then this will be a really nice place to come for lunch and no doubt me and Kim will be returning!

Lunch at Jarrolds in Norwich

My mum recently treated me to lunch at Jarrolds in Norwich in The Pantry which can be found on the third floor. Jarrolds is an independent department store that is only in Norwich. They sell pretty much everything ranging from food to perfume to clothing items.

We had originally planned to go somewhere different for lunch but when that place was closed we popped to Jarrolds instead which wasn't too far to walk.

I admired the range of foods available in The Pantry. They serve carveries, jacket potatoes, fresh sandwiches, salads and delicious looking cakes. Me and my mum both decided to have a sandwich made in a large granary bap. There were a range of fillings available and we both chose chicken mayonnaise with salad. The baps were filled generously! We shared a bag of Kettle's crisps too.

I couldn't visit The Pantry without sampling one of the amazing cakes on offer. I chose to have the raspberry marble sponge. This was really nice and moist and the buttercream was sweet.

My mum chose to have a chocolate brownie. She ate the whole thing so I am sure she enjoyed it!

Overally I really enjoyed my lunch at The Pantry in Jarrolds. It was very busy when we visited at 12:15pm but we easily got a seat and the queues were kept to a minimum.

Do you have a local favourite?