The Trafford Arms, Grove Road, Norwich
Renowned for its real ales and traditional community feel, the Trafford is winning even more fans with its pop-up kitchens. Churros and Chorizo bring burgers and churros on Tuesdays, Luca Pizzas park up outside on Wednesday and, Thursday to Saturday pasta impresarios Al Dente take over the kitchen and bring a taste of Italy to the Trafford. (And on Sunday they are back with a wonderful range of roasts.)
We called in for a post work treat, ordering drinks at the bar and food from a menu which included an imaginative small plates section (think ariancini, aubergine parmigiana, meatballs, cheese, and courgettes fries and flowers.)
Nonetheless the pasta bar was calling me – pick a hand-made pasta (I liked the sound of strozzapreti), add a sauce (mushrooms and tarragon), a vegetable (grilled courgettes) and a cheese (parmesan). I sometimes steer away from pasta when eating out, believing I can make something similar at home. Not this lavish feast of strozzapreti and an abundance of many mushrooms, coated in creamy sauce.
Emma chose from the specials menu and described the spinach and ricotta ravioli as intensely savoury and pleasingly plump pasta pillows adorned with toasted nuts and moreish sage butter, adding: ‘It’s gone straight to the top of my list of desert island dishes.’
And so to dessert. Emma had Oreo cheesecake and said: ‘I like that they add some texture and crunch to their dishes, as well as being masters of flavour - here the finishing touch is crumbled amaretti biscuits.'
Homemade pistachio tiramisu was another joy, the pretty green pistachio topping and made and served in a glass bowl so that it looked as good as it tasted.
traffordarms.co.uk
