Samuel’s Family Farm Shop/Brothers in Arms, Walpole St Andrew
As our hungry reviewers eat their way around the county every month, recording their findings for those tempted to follow in our foodie footsteps, we usually begin, as is traditional, with breakfast.
However, on some weekends it extends so far into the day that it would be more accurate to call it lunch. If only there was some kind of commonly-understand portmanteau word for that wonderful meal between breakfast and lunch...
We booked a late breakfast at Samuel’s Farm Shop and Butchers in Walton St Andrew in the far west of Norfolk. It was more brunch o’clock than brekkie, but definitely still the perfect time to dig into a full English at this rather marvellous find.
The farm shop faces the road through the village and sells a huge range of food from fruit and veg and fine cuts of fresh meat, to home-cooked pies and its own home-cooked ready meals, plus lots of groceries including staples such as bread and milk, and honey from their own hives.
Behind the shop is the beautifully-designed restaurant. It is both light and airy, and cosy, with some brilliantly quirky rustic features ranging from vintage farming and cooking implements built into the walls and suspended from the high beamed ceiling, to displays of archive pictures and signs. Internal walls are studded with peep-holes made from old wheels and glass bottles.
The overall effect is charming and a lovely tribute to the history of the family farm.
Being a place proud of its meat, we were expecting great things from the breakfast and were not disappointed. The sausages were predictably delicious and everything else was pretty perfect too. The plate arrived laden with three sausages, rashers of bacon, two eggs, baked beans, mushrooms, sauteed potatoes and tomato.
I went for eggs benedict. Thick, crisped rounds of bread were covered with succulent salmon, and then poached eggs served at that ideal point of runny yolk and solid white, topped with a rich lemony creamy sauce.
Accompanied by a coffee and an orange juice each it was a brunch which saw us both all the way through to the evening.
The service was friendly and cheerful and it is easy to see why it’s best to book ahead.
The family farm originally raised livestock, poultry, salad and vegetable crops and flowers. A decade ago the farm shop was launched and last year the Brothers in Arms opened. It now serves a full menu of lunches and dinners with the emphasis on lots of local food.
Outside a play area was taking shape alongside pretty alfresco seating areas, ideal as spring unfurls.
brothersinarms.uk
