Eat My Words: We review the Tobie Norris in Stamford
On a day full of sunshine our news team looked forward to leaving the air conditioned office for an evening at a local pub.
We regularly have a team day, usually at our Stamford office where reporters from across LincsOnline and all parts of Lincolnshire get together in person.
Although we have a daily news meeting online it is great to see each other face-to-face to discuss the weather and other equally news breaking stories.
I love the team days at Stamford so always make sure I pop into the aesthetically appealing town - a desirable place to live with its stock brick buildings - to mooch around the charity shops which are like boutiques.
So as the Friday home time bell tolled we closed our laptops, and visited the Tobie Norris - named after a family of bell founders who owned the building which dates back to 1280. It’s a venue that our Secret Drinker also appreciated.
Having saved myself for a delectable feast and a chilled drink after a hot and sticky drive - the sun melted the Snickers bar snack I had stored in the glove compartment - I was not disappointed.
My colleagues - now known on this occasion as the Stamford Seven - concur that the evening was lovely with really good food and drinks provided in what I would term a ye olde worlde pub.
With a table booked we made our way up the stairs to a dining room which soon filled up with customers during the evening.
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Having been given a menu ahead of the meal - that’s how organised we are - I was torn between choosing the pizza which the pub is well known for or something else.
Choices included olives and bread for starters to braised beef and ale pie or herb roasted cod as mains - with vegan options such as sweet potato and kale pie and gluten free items available.
So, something for everyone.
We ordered drinks - zero cider, white wine, and refreshing pints (not of white wine) - which were all welcomed to finish off a busy week, so we could sit down and finally relax.
I always get food envy after I order - especially when I saw our news editor Vikki’s huge portion of crispy fish and chips, with a side dish of mushy peas and tartare sauce.
The pizza fans ordered some huge pizzas with a choice of toppings that also came with a deal that included a bottle of white wine.
Reporter Fionn ordered a ‘not-so-big pizza’ and benefited from the white wine deal, sharing it with Kerry, our senior editor.
Fionn said: “The portion size was very generous - but I'm not complaining.
“I was also pleasantly surprised with the amount of toppings I was given as often places tend to skimp out of the olives.
“Over all it was a very tasty classic pizza, with a crispy thin crust, and paired nicely with a glass (or two) of white wine.”
Kerry added: “Fionn and I had the two pizzas and wine deal, where you can choose two toppings for each pizza and it's very good value for money, I'd say.
“The wine tasted especially good on a Friday night as well!”
Skipping on a dessert after the meal, Fionn ran to catch the last train home - with the white wine no doubt putting a spring in his step as he made his connection by a few minutes.
Eloise, another reporter, and I chose the same dish - a lamb kofta salad.
Although I felt there could have been a dip to go with the lamb such as minted yoghurt - I asked for some mayonnaise to dip the kofta in which sufficed - it was a tasty choice.
Eloise said: “The lamb kofta salad was the perfect light yet filling meal, with tender meat, soft flatbread, and refreshing salad packed with crumbly feta, olives, crunchy onions, juicy pomegranate, and crisp leaves.
“The portion size was suitably generous with a full flatbread, hearty serving of salad, and four decent chunks of lamb.
“It paired very well with the white wine (and lots of it!) I selected to have alongside it, perfectly refreshing and perfect for a warm day.”
News editor Suzanne and reporter Maddy also enjoyed their choices of pizza and agreed with Fionn that the portion sizes were really generous.
After the meal Eloise skedaddled and raced to the station in Cinderella style - no doubt the white wine making her light of foot in catching her train just in time.
So with numbers dwindling - now the Stamford Five - the rest of us had another drink.
As Vikki and I were driving I introduced her to non alcoholic cider which is a nice alternative to a soft drink.
None of us could manage pudding but, as is my tradition, I ordered a pot of tea and shared the miniature chocolate brownie that came with it with Vikki.
The pub is a real delight with nooks and crannies, a snug and separate dining areas - and award-winning in its famous freshly-made pizza.
Pretty good value too, working out at under £20 each when we split the bill at the end.
Good company, a relaxed atmosphere and tasty morsels - a jolly good time was had by all.
Out of five:
Food: We all enjoyed our dishes ****
Drinks: We each had varied drinks - the zero fruity cider was served with ice, a slice of lime and fresh strawberries - a nice touch ****
Decor: Traditional decor and different rooms makes the pub an interesting visit - and the ladies loos were nice ****
Staff: Great staff - friendly and obliging to our requests ****
Price: Good prices - the pizza offer for two ‘not so large pizzas’ with two toppings is £23.75 and if you add a bottle of wine it is £38 (see website for details). We split the bill at around £20 per head ****
Have you had a great meal? Share your own Eat My Words reviews or tell us where to try by emailing: news@lincsonline.co.uk
