The Garden House // Food Review

THE GEN: If you’ve drooled over the food-porn scenes on Man Vs Food and had to suffice with just imagining what racks of heady, smoked meat might taste like, you now have a new primary destination. The Garden House is a Golden Triangle favourite, a staple location in the summer when the namesake garden is a haven of beer and sunshine (sometimes). Previously you could snaffle a quick burger on the weekly BBQ, or tuck in to a warming roast, but now, there’s something new in town – their very own Smoker! Boasting the only one in town, it would be criminal not to take on the challenge – Woman vs Food.

TO START: Breaded Mushrooms // Mixed Tempura Vegetables The starters on the menu were a precursor to the smoky selection, but introduced early that American deep south twang to the menu with Creole prawns and crispy chicken wings. We went veggie, preparing for the meaty onslaught of the mains. The tempura veg were super fresh, accentuated by the zingy, coriander-rich fresh salsa that came with it, giving it a tex-mex twist. The mushrooms weren’t the kind that have a gaping cavity between tiny mushroom and crumb – they were heroic slices of field mushroom, breaded in the Garden House signature crumb. Their substantiality was a welcome surprise, and the crumb was packing more herbs than Snoop Dogg at a Norwegian airport – a little too many for me, but a rugged palate would see it off no worries.  

THE MAIN EVENT: Crispy Southern Fried Chicken and Creamed Corn // Smoked Slow Cooked Beef Brisket Faced with a tempting selection of mains before we even got to the smoked part of the menu, we chose a course from each. The idea of crispy chicken and creamed corn transported me to the deep south and the flavour left us some biscuits and grits short of being in Tennessee. It was a wonderful and tasty escape. After deliberating over which rub to add to our chosen smoked option, the Beef Brisket (if you’ve watched Man vs Food, you’ll know it’s the staple drool-maker), we asked the chef, who gave us the Horseradish and English mustard mix, which he later shared with us was called Tiger Sauce in the US. The meat fell apart; it was as if its inherent gravy had permeated every sinew. The accompanying pickles and potato salad played a sweet and tangy seesaw to the fortitude of the beef. We gladly swapped our wet Thursday in Norwich for a culinary trip along the Mississippi.