One last stop at The Workshop

On Friday 25th July I graduated after three years at the University of East Anglia studying literature.

My ceremony wasn't until the afternoon so after driving up from London we stopped for a light lunch at one of my favourite spots in Norwich.

I've posted about this place before.

I first discovered it in my second year after moving out of halls into a house in Norwich's notorious 'Golden Triangle': a Bohemian hub of cafes, leafy parks, artisan bakeries, pubs, shops and restaurants, housing young professionals, families and students. The Guardian even recently named it as one of the top places to live in the UK- likening it to London's Notting Hill.

The Workshop is an unusual place: it has a shabby-chic laid back vibe and from the outside you wouldn't be mistaken for not realising it was a café at all. Inside you could be at a friend's house for lunch- bookshelves, games and art work line the walls and the lighting is dimmed with sofas dotted in hidden corners.

It was a glorious day (in the middle of that July heatwave) and we nabbed a table outside, looking onto Earlham Road.

Flagging and frazzled from the 2 hour drive in a hot car we started with some freshly squeezed orange, whilst the boys went for cooling beers. 

The juice is thick and sweet, full of pulp and Vitamin C.

I have the same thing every time I visit: baked eggs and haloumi. Needless to say I had it again, but shared it with Mum along with a summer salad.

The baked eggs and Cypriut cheese brilliantly compliment each other: runny orange yolks break over salty chunks of haloumi, yogurt, tomato salsa and Turkish spices.

The salad we had was recommended to us by the barman: feta, onions, tomato and watermelon, with pistachio nuts generously sprinkled on top. It was brilliantly cool and refreshing, although I found the combination a little odd.

Dad chose a chicken sauteed kebab on crisp bread with a wedge of orange for drizzling. The chicken was tender and fell from the bone.

The grilled bread they serve is delicious; crisp, thin and yet somehow also fluffy and filling.

Jack, quite a connoisseur of paninis and not the most adventurous of eaters, went for a cheese and ham panini and remarked afterwards that it ranked quite high on his list.

After eating we had a quick change into our smart stuff and headed off to the ceremony.

I shall thoroughly miss being able to pop round the corner to The Workshop for a late breakfast or light lunch, or a coffee and catch up with friends and I shall miss Norwich even more.

Who knows when I'll be back again? I'll have to find a new favourite hang out in London.

Au revoir for now Norwich!