The Garden

We had reserved a table at the restaurant but arrived a bit late because our massages at the spa ran over time. The spa contacted the restaurant to inform them of our delay, which was not an issue. We were seated on the beautiful sunny patio and enjoyed our delicious meal along with plenty of tea. The service, atmosphere, and food were all fantastic.

I took my mom out for Sunday lunch and we both decided to try the smoked trout salmon bruschetta, which was amazing. The mushroom risotto with vegetables was also delicious. And the Eton mess for dessert was fantastic! My mom was very happy and felt spoiled. I had also treated her to afternoon tea before, which was also amazing. There were so many cakes that we had to take some home in doggy bags!

We have stayed at Knights Hill Hotel multiple times and have always enjoyed our meals at the Garden Restaurant. However, during our recent visits with friends, we encountered some issues. On the first night, we had to send back a tough and inedible chorizo starter and a lamb main that was too rare, tough, and gristly. It seemed like others also had issues with the lamb, and the restaurant supervisor apologized for the subpar dishes. The following night, the restaurant staff did not have our names on the seating list, but we were eventually seated. Unfortunately, the service was slow, possibly due to a large group arriving for their pre-set meal. The staff seemed overwhelmed and disorganized, leading to constant apologies to other patrons. Despite arriving at 6:30, we only managed to have a starter and a main before leaving at 8:30, opting out of dessert and coffee to avoid further wait. This was not a relaxing experience. We spoke to the restaurant manager, who acknowledged the shortcomings and provided a significant discount on our bill. While we appreciated the gesture, we would have preferred to enjoy our meals without any issues.

This restaurant is trying but it is a hotel restaurant so has its limitations. The menu options are good, not a silly amount of options available but everyone is catered for. The food quality is fine but not fantastic, service is a little hit and miss. Product knowledge not the best and second round of drinks not offered. This wasn’t a bad experience though and if weren’t so much of a snob I would of loved it.

We ate at Garden Brasserie on the final night of our holiday in Norfolk. The restaurant is at the back of the Knights Hill hotel in a small section with views on to the garden. The decor is a little bit dated however it does feel like quite a traditional restaurant so in some ways suits its character. We were shown to our table by attentive staff who looked after us well during our meal. We were offered bread once we had ordered which was a nice touch, the number of restaurants that offer complimentary nibbles or bread is sadly very few and far between now. To start I had the mussels which were lovely, huge juicy mussels in a pot of rich white wine and garlic sauce. The mussels were a little bit gritty however the flavours were excellent and it wasn't enough to put me off. For my main course I had the sea bass which was cooked perfectly, melt in the mouth fish with crispy skin and plenty of seasoning. This was served with some lovely tenderstem broccoli, pureed butternut squash and fondant potato, all of which were excellent and made the dish actually quite a hearty meal. For desert we shared the chocolate brownie which was melt in the mouth and gorgeously chocolatey. The decor could do with an overhaul in Garden Brasserie but the food and service are excellent and more than make up for it. A lovely meal to end our holiday with.