Cuts the mustard (Rushcutters)

Member Name: ermintrude

Product:	Rushcutters
Date:	01/05/01 (288 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent food; wide choice; good service; plenty of room; no need to book

Disadvantages: A little out of the city (need a car); car park can get full; trains pass close by

Okay, so you're in Norwich and looking for somewhere for a cosy, fireside evening meal. If you ask me (and by reading this review, you did, kind of), the Rushcutters is the place. How about a summer lunch by the river? It's the Rushcutters you want. A pint of good beer and a snack with a group of mates, somewhere a bit different to yet another Wetherspoons? Yep, you guessed it - head for the Rushcutters.

Set a couple of miles out of Norwich, the Rushcutters is a large chain pub (Chef & Brewer) which somehow manages to feel a bit more like a small local than others of its ilk. The focus could be said to be on food, in that it's mainly large tables, and there are plenty of chalkboard menus around, but no-one's going to stop you occupying a table if you're only after a beer. As it's large, the fact that they don't take bookings isn't really a problem - you can usually find a table without waiting, although times like Sunday lunch may prove the exception to this. The space is cleverly split up into smaller rooms with half-walls and balustrades, so you never feel like you're sitting in one of the barn-like city centre bars, and there are a few real fires and plenty of candles dotted around, giving the place a really cosy, welcoming feel. They *do* play music (why???), but at least it's quiet, unobtrusive, and reasonably tasteful (Billie Holliday is more likely than Britney Spears).

For the finer weather (we do get some occasionally, you know), there's a spacious patio by the river, and a large area of grass as well. There are always plenty of well-stocked hanging baskets and window boxes, making a stunning display in summer, although the atmosphere is somewhat tainted by the railway line a few yards away. Still, trains only rattle over the bridge three or four times an hour, so it's not too bad. Boats are welcome to moor at the pub providing they can get under that bridge - it's on the way from Norwich
to the Broads, so ideal for holidaymakers. A word of warning - with the river so close, and there being no wall at the edge, you'll have to keep a close eye on toddlers, who will no doubt be intent on feeding the ducks.

Enough of that. I know you're all wondering two things - it's a pub, so what's the beer like? And it's a restaurant, so what's the food like?

Well, the beer is great. Not only is there the usual selection of bottled beers (Bud, Becks, etc.), other bottles (Bacardi Breezer, Smirnoff Ice, and so on), fruit juices, and soft drinks. There's lagers and cider on tap, and always a couple of real ales, and they do know how to keep the beer. Last time I went I had Fuller's Honey Dew, an organic honey beer. Prices are around the £2 mark for a pint, so well in line with city pubs. There's also a pretty good wine list, and the bar staff do actually know what they're talking about if you ask them to recommend something. You can add your drinks to the table's bill, too.

And the food? Weeeelll.... This is not a pub for Librans :) If you have trouble making a choice, you'll be here all night! There must be at least 30 main dishes on offer, plus three or four on the fish board, and maybe a couple of specials as well. In addition to this, there are at least 10 starters, and probably 5 or 6 desserts to choose from. The variety of food is absolutely amazing, too - everything from steak, roasts and mixed grill to Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Cajun and more. I've been several times now, and everything I've tried has been excellent - if you want filling up, try the chicken with thyme dumplings; if you fancy something spicy, then the blackened chicken is a must; or, on the lighter side, roasted Mediterranean vegetables with feta cheese could be the thing for you. If you want something less substantial, there's a menu of fresh baguettes, jacket potatoes, and other snacks. I can hear
tily recommend the ploughman's, preferably accompanied by a good pint and a sunny day!

All the dishes use fresh, local ingredients, and might take a while since they're cooked to order, but they're always, always worth the wait. Unlike some places, this doesn't mean the vegetables are cooked to death, either - a steaming plate of nicely-done veg will be brought alongside your meal. There are plenty of waiters/waitresses around if you really are concerned that you've been forgotten, though, and they won't be all sniffy with you either - they seem genuinely friendly, and actually ask if everything's OK as if they mean it! I've never had a problem, but once saw someone on a neighbouring table who was unhappy with something on their meal, and they got offered a replacement and refund very quickly without any hassle. So top marks for service as far as I'm concerned. Starters come in at £4-6 or so, prices for main courses are in the £5-12 range, and baguettes etc. are around £3-6.

The desserts are pretty damn good too (£3-4). There's usually a few rich options (okay, I'm talking chocolatey) and one or two lighter, fruitier ones for the full and the dieting. Oreo Cookie is two large chocolate biscuits with an indecent amount of creamy filling between them; profiteroles seem to be a perennial favourite; and I think there's been lemon sorbet (tangy, not sickly) every time I've been, too. Add in the usual range of coffees and a rather wicked hot chocolate, and you'll be rolling out of there. You can definitely have a tasty, satisfying 2-course meal and a drink or two for £20 a head, which I think is well worth it.

How to get there: unfortunately, you really need a car. It's too far to walk from town, and I'm guessing a taxi would be the best part of a fiver, if not more. I believe there is a bus (which goes out to Thorpe Sainsbury's), but it doesn't run very late. The drawback
of this is that the car park can get full, but we've always been able to find a space by waiting a few minutes.

Summary: