Just Lobsters Norwich - Review*

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to Just Lobsters in Norwich for a complementary meal via their twitter account. I brought James along with me as a paying customer. The restaurant is on Tombland in Norwich and is clearly visible by its bright red Samson and Hercules statues either side of the door. They even use Lobster font for the boards outside! The building previously used to be a nightclub that my parents remember as ‘Ritzy’s’ amongst other things and was built around 1656. Beneath the site there is said to be 5000 victims of the plague buried. Just Lobsters is the newest business to take hold of this building and I couldn’t wait to try it out.

We arrived at 7pm and were promptly seated by a friendly member of staff. We were offered the choice of 2 tables which was nice so we picked the bigger one so we could fit more food on the table! I wouldn’t say the restaurant was jam packed but there was a steady flow of people coming and going from the tables. The restaurant has been designed and decorated with great care and attention to detail There are lots of ‘lobster red’ colours and lobster themed artwork hanging around the room. Our drink orders were taken. I went for a frozen lemonade which was served in a mason jar style glass and James went for cranberry juice. Shortly after the waitress took our food order.

Having never had lobster before I was excited to try it. The menu is packed with tasty options ranging from just plain lobster to lobster rolls, steak and burgers. There is something for everyone, even those who aren’t too keen on the thought of lobster! Just before our main course were served the waitress asked if we wanted to wear a lobster bib. I love this little touch! I was happy to protect my clothing from any mess regardless of how silly I looked and besides, everyone else in the restaurant was wearing one.

The food arrived very quickly which was good as we were both hungry and could smell the delicious food cooking in the kitchen behind us. James went for the Surf and Turf – Just Lobster Style. This consisted of half a lobster and a juicy 8oz sirloin steak served with fries, salad and coleslaw. I must say it looked delicious and very filling. This is priced at £25 which I think is very reasonable. He said it was really nice and cooked to perfection.

I went for a dish called Lobsters & Crab Au Gratin. This was half a lobster stuffed with creamy crab claw meat and baked with breadcrumbs. This was served with chips and a corn on the cob. It was really delicious. Creamy is a good way to describe the filling and it all came served lovely and hot. The chips came in a silver bucket and were piping hot. Everything was really delicious. My only quibble was that as a complete newbie to the lobster thing I had no idea how to crack the claws or what you could or couldn’t eat. James just made it up as he went along and ate everything he could scrape out. I gave him my claw in the end too!

As we were paying the bill I briefly chatted to some of the chefs who were all very friendly and asked if we enjoyed the food. There was also a man walking around in a suit who I assume was the manager and he was chatting to some of the diners on the other tables. He told us that there is also a new bar section to the restaurant in another room serving cocktails. I had a quick peek in there and it seemed to be quite popular and somewhere I would like to visit again.

As previously mentioned, I was invited by the Just Lobsters Twitter account which isn’t actually run by the restaurant but a management company. This caused some confusion when it came to get the bill and an awkward moment of not wanting to tell them I was offered a free meal. I hate awkward situations like this and the manager had no idea I was coming. Despite all of this, it was all sorted in the end and as James was paying for his meal they even gave him a discount which I thought was nice. I think the fact they thought we were paying customers and not just there to review the food showed them in a truer light which was good. I didn’t receive special treatment to sway my review as they had no idea I was there for that reason.

Overall I had a really nice meal and James and I will definitely be going back. There are so many options on the menu that I want to try. What do you think of lobster?

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

Explore the Taste of the Americas - Encona Sauces*

It’s coming up to BBQ season and I can’t think of anything better than eating delicious BBQ foods, especially delicious marinated meats. When I was offered the chance to try a couple of sauces from the Encona range, I knew they would be a summer staple in my food cupboard if they tasted good. The sauces did not disappoint and I can safely say they will be sticking around and making an appearance this summer!

The first sauce I received was the Encona Mexican Smokey Jalapeno Sauce. This is made up of a delicious blend of chillies and spices to give a rich sauce with a smokey flavour. Perfect for adding to Mexican themed meals! This sauce is gluten free and of medium heat. I think it would be perfect for marinating chicken, adding to fahitas or tacos. We served this with some nachos and it gave them the perfect kick teamed with the crunch of the tortilla chips. This would also really compliment fish dishes to give them that extra bit of flavour.

Encona sell a range of authentic, versatile, hot and spicy sauces from around the world. With over 20 different sauces and marinades there is something for everyone with flavours from across the world. With heat levels ranging from mild to extra hot there is something for all tastes. You can use the sauces for dipping, marinades, stir fries and salad dressings. They are incredibly versatile and there are so many different flavour combinations you can come up with.

The next sauce I tried was the Encona Brazilian BBQ Sauce which is also a great marinade for all fish, meats and vegetables. I can imagine brushing this onto chicken and vegetable skewers before barbecuing for a perfect spicy meal. I added a teaspoon of this delicious sweet and spicy sauce to my Boston Baked Bean and Bacon Soup and it gave it the perfect kick and really livened up my lunchtime. This particular flavour is even suitable for vegans.

Next time you’re in your local supermarket why not check out the range of Encona sauces available and cook yourself a feast. Head over to the Encona website for hundreds of recipe ideas for your sauces!

*I received these sauces free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

I recently made my mum a cheesecake for her birthday after deciding that the usual sponge cake or cupcakes I make were getting a bit boring. I debated between making a mini egg cheesecake or a chocolate orange one so in the end I settled for the chocolate orange knowing my mum is a big fan! Keep reading for the delicious recipe.

Ingredients:

15 Plain Digestives
120g Stork Margarine
200g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
180ml Double Cream
100g Icing Sugar
2 Terry's Chocolate Orange's

Method:
Start off by crushing your digestive biscuits until they resemble a fine powder. If you've got a food processor it may be easier to put them in there but I just put mine into a sandwich bag and crushed them with a rolling pin. Melt your Stork Margarine and add this to the biscuits. Press your mixture into a cheesecake pan and set aside in the fridge whilst you prepare the rest of the cheesecake.

Mix the Philadelphia and icing sugar together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk your double cream until it becomes whipped and has stiff peaks.

Open your chocolate oranges and set aside around 10-12 segments for decoration and melt the rest. Mix the melted chocolate with the double cream and then fold into your Philadelphia mix and whisk until light and fluffy.

Place your mixture on top of your biscuit base and decorate with the remaining segments. Pop in the fridge to set for around 4 hours and enjoy!

I thought this cheesecake was going to be sickly with how much chocolate I put in there, but it was actually really refreshing with the orange. One slice wasn't quite enough! Let me know if you try this recipe - or if you have any other great ideas for future cheesecakes!

Blend Bros Savoury Protein Powder*

I’m not one for protein shakes, I can’t seem to find a flavour that I like and they always seem powdery for me so I am forever trying to find other ways to up my protein sources, especially on days that I have had a good work out at the gym. When I heard about Blend Bro’s Savoury Blend high protein sauce range, I couldn’t wait to try these. 

Blend Bros kindly sent me a couple of samples and a large tub of their Mexican Pibil Stew mix which costs just £19.99. Such a cost effective way of getting that extra protein in your diet without breaking the bank on tubs of bland whey powder. The flavours are varied and also come in Thai Jungle Curry and Spanish Tomato and Chorizo.

Firstly can I just mention the packaging? I love the design of the tins and they come complete with a scoop inside so you can easily measure your portions.

My boyfriend is trying to up his intake at the moment and these protein rich sauces are the perfect addition to each meal packing in a whopping 20g of protein per serving. They are so easy to prepare, you simply mix the powder with water and stir and heat – really straight forward! 

 

 

The range of sauces go with meat fish and vegetables to create that perfect meal. I tried the Thai Jungle Curry with some chicken to create a delicious curry meal. Serve with brown rice and vegetables for a healthy balanced meal, and perfect for that post gym protein hit. 

I mixed the powder with water and then poured it over cooked chicken on the hob. I let this simmer to thicken the sauce and it came out perfect. At first I thought it was going to be too watery but it turned out fine in the end.

No corners have been cut with the flavouring, this meal really was delicious. You wouldn't have any idea that this was high in protein, to me it tasted really flavoursome.

I can't wait to experiment with the other flavours I received and think these savoury blends are a fantastic idea.

What flavour would you like to try?

*I was provided with these Blend Bros Savoury Protein Powders free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Easy Flapjack Recipe Feat. Choco Writers*

I love making cakes and other sweets and recently I had some time off so decided to bake something quick and easy that is also super tasty. As Halloween is just around the corner I thought it would be a great idea to fit these Flapjacks in with that theme with the help of my new tool..

I recently received these Choco writers and I couldn’t wait to get creative in the kitchen and think of some ways of using these. After browsing the website, I had plenty of ideas on what I could do with my Choco Writers. I came up with this delicious flapjack recipe and the Choco Writers enabled me to create a really fun topping for them.

Ingredients:
120g Butter
100g Light Muscovado Sugar
250g Oats

6 tbsp Golden Syrup

For the topping:
200g Milk Chocolate
Choco Writer in contrasting colour.

Method:
In a saucepan on a medium heat, mix together the butter, sugar and golden syrup until everything has melted down. Turn off the heat and stir in your oats. It's that simple! Press your oats into a baking tray, I use a silicone dish so the flapjacks are easier to remove at the end. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees C for about 25 minutes or until golden.

The Choco Writers are so easy to use. The chocolate is already in the tube so there is no messing about with piping bags and melting chocolate. Simply pop the tube into hot water to melt, snip the end off and then write, swirl and draw at your own free will. I couldn’t believe how simple they were to use and I loved that there was no mess to clear up and the end.

To decorate my flapjacks and to keep with the Halloween theme, I covered the whole of the flapjack with melted milk chocolate. I then used my white chocolate Choco Writer to draw a spiderweb on top. I think it turned out really great, and it was so simple to do. I also did it in the reverse colours and that worked out really well too.

Choco Writers come in 3 different flavours, white, milk and dark and can be bought in national retailers across the UK including Lakeland, Asda and Sainsburys.

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

Urban Munch - Norwich

Working in the city has its perks such as LOADS of places to eat at lunch. If I had unlimited money I would eat somewhere different for lunch every week however as this isn't an option I always bring packed lunches and once a month have a payday lunch treat.

One of my favourite places to pop into for a quick lunch is Urban Munch, located opposite The Bell on Castle Meadow in Norwich. Formally known as Baguette Express, Urban Munch has a wide variety of baguettes ranging from chicken to sausage to hog roast. They also sell amazing roast dinners to go comprising of meat, roasties, gravy, stuffing, onions and if you go large a Yorkshire pudding.

I have been to Urban Munch quite a few times now and usually opt for a roast dinner. This time, I decided to go for the 'triple dog' - 3 succulent pork sausages, moist fried onions and all of the ketchup you can dream of in a crunchy white baguette. All this for just £3.

My colleagues went for the small pork roast dinners for £3.95 with crackling, and not a scrap of food was left. Whilst I was in there I noticed some new signage up advertising salads so you can even pop here for something healthy.

Where do you like to go for lunch?

Super Simple Mince Pies - Recipe

When it comes to mince pies, I can't get enough of them. As much as I'd like to make my own completely from scratch, it's just so expensive to buy all of the ingredients when you can just buy a 6 pack of mince pies for 99p. I personally think this is the next best thing. These mince pies are so easy to make and eating them fresh out of the oven is the BEST.

 

This recipe uses just 3 ingredients. Mincemeat, ready rolled shortcrust pastry and icing sugar to dust at the end.

 

My ready rolled pastry didn't really roll.. so I just pulled it out of the packet and rolled it myself onto some flour to stop it sticking. I then cut some circles for the bottom of the mince pie, and some star shapes for the top.

I placed my circle pastry bottoms into a greased muffin tray, and filled each one with a teaspoon of mincemeat before popping the star shaped top on top.

I then did this for the next 12 holes until my tray was full of yummy mince pies.

 

I baked them in the oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes until they started to go golden. They rose a little bit, but they still tasted fabulous.

  

I can't believe how quick and simple these are to make, I served mine with whipped cream and ate them straight from the oven.