Dinner At The Shoulder Of Mutton, Strumpshaw, Norfolk
Published On Tuesday 18 Mar 2025 by Sticky Beak
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Another evening, another venue to eat out at whilst we’re away from the nest! As is our usual habit, we put feelers out for suggestions as to where to dine out in groups local to where we were visiting (Norwich area, this time) and one lovely lady, named Clare, suggested we visit her workplace, The Shoulder of Mutton in Strumpshaw. Strumpshaw, what a fabulous name for a village!! We had a quick squizz on Google maps to make sure it wasn’t a two-hour drive away from our base, Sprowston Manor Hotel, Golf and Country Club; it wasn’t, it was about 10 miles away, which is easily doable. Now, we like folks with a bit of get-up-and-go and clearly Clare was proud of where she worked, so The Man booked us a table for ‘hump day’ [i.e. Wednesday] evening.
The pub has its own car park, with the usual (obligatory, it seems!) creative parking, but we managed to bag a spot near to the entrance. Walking in to the bar area, we were greeted warmly and then shown over to our table, a lovely, tucked-away spot complete with bench seating and Lord Farquhar for company. Who’s Lord Farquhar, I hear you ask? This tall, dapper chap is, in fact, a suit of armour, standing proudly with his poled Axe (I don’t know the proper historic term for this weapon), procured from another local business that The Shoulder of Mutton supports. Other items from this shop can be found in both lavatories, and some are for sale should you wish to purchase them.
Anyhow, once inside and drinks ordered from Daisy (sparkling water for me, diet Coke for His Maj), we set-to studying the menu. Stupidly, we’d caved in to snack-cravings late in the afternoon/tea time, so our appetites had been softened; consequently, we skipped starters and went straight to the mains. As you’d expect from a pub that does ‘grub’, all the usual crowd-pleasers were there, and initially, the Fisherman’s Pie (£15.95) caught my attention, but then I spied the Chimichanga (£14.95) - available with different fillings, I went for Spicy Beef Brisket – from the Mexican section of the menu. The Man Bird vacillated between the Enchilada and the Chicken-n-Rib combo (£18.95), eventually opting for the combo.
In the interlude between ordering and being served, I studied the interior of The Shoulder of Mutton a bit more closely. I felt a bit like Lloyd Grossman, piecing together clues; a Saltire flag and ‘Lassies’ sign above the ladies’ loos were definitely giving off Scottish vibes, but the pub couldn’t have been a more traditional English village pub if it’d tried! So, what was the skinny here, then? Enter Robert/Rob/Bob the landlord, who had sauntered over to introduce himself; this gentleman has Scottish heritage, so he’d brought reminders with him.
Gotta say, he’s a really nice fellow, even if the presence of out-of-town bloggers had him like a Rabbit in headlights! Chatting away, we found out that the Tapas menu had come about during the Covid Pandemic lock-downs; primarily as a way for locals to get tasty home delivered food, but they proved so popular that Chef kept them on as a permanent fixture on the menu. Priced at £7 each (a single one is a great nibble with a pint/glass of wine/soft drink after work), 3-4-£19, or 5-4-£30, they offer flexible dining that’s perfect if you can’t make your mind up or if you just fancy a ‘picky tea’. Another fact we gleaned during the conversation was that The Shoulder of Mutton supports other local food businesses, using them to supply their meats, poultry, fruit and fish where possible. I love it when communities help each other thrive, especially in difficult trading times such as these.
It wasn’t long before Daisy was placing down our plates in front of us, and I wished I’d had the foresight to take a photo of His Nibs’ face!! Top tip: if you go for the Chicken and Half-rack of Ribs, make sure you have a hefty appetite; if this was the half-rack, I’d love to see the size of the full-rack – it’d be the size of Norfolk, I reckon! Saying that, my Chimichanga wasn’t a slouch in the size stakes; I was certainly going to have my work cut out, that’s for sure.
As well as the Beef Brisket, Spring Onion Salsa, Cumin and Mozzarella-filled 12” Tortilla, there was a mound of Chipotle Rice, generous heap of Re-fried Black Beans, Guacamole, Tomato Salsa and Soured Cream to savour. The flavours were all superb and complimented each other perfectly, and I especially loved the subtle spice hint to the Beef Brisket which, FYI, was utterly glorious in its tenderness and depth of flavour. There were nice contrasts, texturally, within this dish, too, so you get to chew and crunch, rather than just wolf the meal down. I’ve eaten a fair few Mexican dishes in my time, and this is up there with the nicest of them – well done, Chef.
His Nibs was applying himself with gusto to the task of demolishing the Pork Ribs; the knife got used to cut the rack into more manageable ‘chunks’, then each rib was prised from its neighbour with his hands and then chomped on. Let’s just say that the sauce will find its way onto your face as well as into your mouth; there’s no ‘tidy’ way to eat Ribs though, is there, if you’re doing it right? The Buttermilk Chicken Strips that come in this dish are every bit as good as their Pork peers; super-crunchy outers and soft centres, which is just what you want. Chef had ensured that the breast meat remained moist and tender [and creamy-tasting] which popped against the spiced coating. The Sweet Potato fries were a nice touch; something just a bit different to regular spud-done fries, and the Coleslaw was in a separate pot – perfect for those out there that don’t like ‘wet’ food touching ‘dry’. Completing the meal was a colourful side salad of mixed Lettuce, sliced Peppers and Red Onion; beautifully cool and crisp, and a lovely temperature contrast to the warm meats.
Bless her, Daisy couldn’t have been happier when she’d checked back to ask if we were enjoying our food, and even more so when she was whisking a couple of clean plates back to the kitchen. This young lady is very persuasive, I’mma just gonna say! Stuffed to the gunnels, we most definitely weren’t in the market for pudding, but then Daisy painted such a fab picture of the desserts that we caved. And, yes, I know we’re not renowned for our restraint when it comes to food, but she gently brought us round to the idea in a manner that a cat weaving around your legs would’ve been proud of.
There’s just something irresistible about a home-made fruit pie, and the Apple and Cinnamon one (£6.95) did sound rather scrummy. As it happens, it was blooming delicious in the flesh, so to speak, as well. What we both really liked was the fact that the pie was an individual one, rather than a slice of a larger offering. The pastry had that gorgeous rippling where the sides and top have been hand-pinched together, and its fat content meant that it melted beautifully from the tongue’s warmth. As with the other dishes that come out of The Shoulder of Mutton’s kitchen, the filling inside the pastry was more than generous; soft Apple slices had that lovely comfort-food feel to them. Apple and Cinnamon is a classic pairing, and there was nothing not to like on this occasion; the warming spice was used very skilfully and its sweet edge danced wonderfully with the unsweetened fruit. If sugar had been utilised, the Cinnamon wouldn’t have shone so nicely and its effect with the Apple would have been dulled. As it was, it was simply divine...especially with lashings of warm Custard, provided in a large jug, separately.
The Man and I had had a wonderful evening in Strumpshaw, at The Shoulder of Mutton; Hot Wings very happily given here. If you find yourselves in this neck of the woods, do pop in; your tummy will thank you!
To book a table call 01603 926530 and to find out what events are on and to view the menu, visit the website www.themuttonstrumpshaw.com
The bar is open Weds-Sat Noon-11pm, and Sun-Tues Noon-9pm; the kitchen is closed on Monday, opens Tues-Thurs Noon-8pm, Fri & Sat Noon-9pm, and Sunday Noon-5pm.
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