Stratton's Hotel, Swaffham, Norfolk

Today, Her and I have a couple of nights away in Norfolk staying at Stratton's Hotel with it's excellent restaurant, more of which later, but prior to that I must mention that we visited Wells-Next-The-Sea (yes, it that is the proper spelling) for a walk down the beach and an ice cream, though it was a touch bracing. Wells is a lovely seaside village with a couple of excellent fish and chip shops and a large expanse of salt marsh with a massively wide beach at low tide. The row of colourful beach huts against the dark pine trees at the back of the beach is a signature view of the place. It's well worth a visit.

The beach at Wells-next-the-sea

We arrive in the late afternoon with a Jubilee party ongoing on the Quayside and after a short walk up the main drag we find a shop selling Ronaldo Ice Creams. We both go for slightly left-field choices, she has Apple Crumble and I have Toffee and Pecan. Both are excellent, the apple crumble especially, which made us wonder why no-one had done this flavour before! Ronaldo's is Norfolk based so I recommend you be drawn towards an outlet selling them when you're in the county and in need of cooling refreshment.
For this weekend away we stay in the colourful boutique hotel that is Stratton's in the otherwise unremarkable town of Swaffham and after visiting Wells there is just enough time to check in and head down for dinner.
We start with drinks in their first floor lounge admiring the paintings and collages with a sleepy friend while we consider the menu; it's £40 for a 4 course menu on Saturday nights.

Our sleepy friend in the lounge

There is pride in the restaurant and indeed the hotel in sourcing local products and it's a nice touch to name check their suppliers at the rear of the menu. She has the in season asparagus soup to start and I have bread crumbed rabbit with a spicy sauce.

Rabbit starter

 The soup disappears before I can take a photo so it must have been good, so I tuck into my rabbit pieces, dipping it into the jar of sauce. I am to learn later that these little jars are something of a signature of the place. The sauce has a lovely spicy tang about it and the coating on the rabbit is crisp, though disappointingly some of pieces are a bit tough and I make an absolute mess, meaning that I have to go and clean up before the main course. Taste wise though it is very good. For mains, she has slow roasted Mutton and I have grilled Indian style Mackerel.

Slow roasted mutton

Indian style grilled mackerel

She has again chosen well. The mutton has a beautiful pink hue and a melt in the mouth texture over large couscous which has absorbed  mutton stock with shards of meat in amongst it. The plate is finished with pomegranate seeds. However, my mackerel is excellent too. The whole grilled fish is moist and smeared in a spicy paste; the flesh pulls easily away from the bone. On top of fish are three discs of crunchy fried potato in an Indian style and the whole lot comes on a bed of saag paneer. Very good. With mutton and fish we share a bottle of Australian rose wine which has strawberry flavourings running through it. Before dessert are a couple of small cheese tasting plates before she has her choice of a Cheese Slate and I have a Mead Poached Pear.

Mead poached pear

Cheese slate

 The Cheese Slate is a perfect way of showcasing a number of different local ingredients: 3 different types of cheese, quince jelly, an apple, various nuts, homemade biscuits and most intriguingly a pickled walnut. The walnut has a firm, almost jelly like texture and looks like a Frankenstein component though is pleasingly matched with the cheeses. There is plenty on the board and even though I help her out we don't manage to finish. My poached pear is tasty, it's sweetness complemented by the creamy mace cheese and crunchy homemade biscuits.
Overall, the meal was excellent, the best being the mains followed by the desserts. The service was friendly though a bit uncoordinated at times and there is a relaxed atmosphere in the dining room. For the quality and providence on show it is excellent value for money and well worth a stop when in West Norfolk.