Although I'm sure it's common knowledge to most Norfolk foodies I'd only recently discovered Byfords serves dinner, having always considered it more of a lunch or afternoon tea venue.
Once seated at a cosy table within its 'higgledy-piggledy' interior I was even more pleasantly surprised to find they have a dinner deal called the '3-2-1 special' where you get three courses and a drink for £27.50.
The great thing is you get to choose from practically anything on the menu so it seems a top opportunity to try out something new.
Starters come from the 'grazing' menu, and my wife picked one of her all-time favourites, the calamari (£4.40 - prices given here will be for when you're buying things separately), which was served with a harissa and lime mayo for dipping.
The calamari was crispy and fresh and was delicious when combined with the tangy mayo.
I chose the Scotch egg, which arrived cut in half on a large dollop of garlic mayo (£4.40).
I'd never seen Scotch eggs on a starter menu before, but they work great in that role - a good range of flavours from the seasoned pork to the crumby crust and the fresh egg itself.
The mayo was another good contrast and the dish was not too big or carby, just enough to whet the appetite for the impending main.
We didn't have to wait long for the next course - my wife sticking to her seafood theme with the pan-fried seabass (£17.50).
This was a beautifully-presented dish - the fish came out spread atop a mound of new potatoes and samphire, and sauce vierge was drizzled around the plate.
The mashed potato was mixed with Cromer crab, I tried a bit of this and it was delicious. The samphire had a more subtle flavour than I expecting, only slightly salty, and also very tasty.
But my wife said she was slightly let down by the dish, partly because it came with olives, which wasn't mentioned on the menu, and she considers them to be 'evil grapes'.
I went for the house curry, which you have with vegetables as the main ingredient (£16.75), king prawn or chicken (£17.50) which I went for.
This was fantastic, spicy but not too much, a good amount of chicken in the curry along with beans, peppers and other vegetables.
It came with a side tray on which there was a pot of basmati rice, a warmed naan bread and two pots - one with mango and pineapple chutney and the other with the minty Indian sauce, raita.
This was an occasion for mixing everything together and piling into, and afterwards I was thoroughly satisfied.
There was still room for pudding - they're all £7.75 on the menu. I went for the chocolate brownie sundae whole my wife picked the Byfords mess.
They both came in the same sundae glasses but the contents were quite different.
The mess was based around piles of whipped cream and vanilla gelato, with meringue pieces lending a bit of crunch and blueberry compote a blaze of fruity flavour. I didn't try this one but I'm told it was excellent.
The last chocolate sundae I had at a different restaurant - not long after Easter - came with a Creme Egg on top, and the whole thing was too sickly I couldn't finish it, which never happens between me and desserts.
Byfords' version though, was far superior, very chocolatey but not too heavy. As well as large chunks of brownie, the glass was filled with vanilla and cholate gelato, chocolate sauce and whipped cream.
There was also a big chocolate straw stick poking out it - complete bliss.
Setting
Byfords is in the middle of Holt which as you will probably know is a very pretty and popular place.
The venue is itself a delight to look around - wooden beams everywhere, nooks and crannies galore and fascinating decor including books from decades past.
Value
Our bill came to £55 as we both went for the '3-2-1 special' which they serve from 5pm. As mentioned, this gives you the choice of anything from the grazing menu, a main, a desert and a choice of drinks.
I thought this was great value - adding up the value of the individual dishes and drinks went well above the £27.50 each.
Drinks
I had a ginger beer and my wife ordered a glass of white wine to go with the meal.
There's a long beverage menu - juices and soft drinks, cordial which you can have with prosecco, beer and cider, cocktails, wine, gelato shakes, coffee and tea.
They also have what the menu describes as a 'huge hot chocolate' which I'm keen to try out next time we're back there.
Service
We went for an early dinner (the booking was for 5.15pm) so there were few other diners.
The waiting staff were friendly, looked after us well and we didn't have to wait too long in between courses.
Toilets
There are some clean and tidy toilets on the ground floor.
Accessibility
There should be no problem for anyone with mobility issues in getting around inside - although there are quite a few corners three seems to be enough space in between tables, etc, and the dining area is all on the ground floor.
Highlight and summary
The food seemed to match the ambience well - very Norfolk, top-quality, pleasing to the eye and goes down a treat.
Everything I ate was great so it's hard to pick a favourite, but I'd say the Scotch egg is the one I'd most readily order again.
Byfords is also part of the Norfolk Passport scheme which means you get 10pc off food and drink - although this doesn't apply to the 3-2-1 special.
Disclaimer
Our food reviews are always independent. They are the opinion of the reviewer based on their experience of the venue when they visited. The establishment is not aware of our visit, is not informed we intend to write a review and bills are paid by the reviewer. The choice of places reviewed is also independent and is not based on venues that do or do not advertise in our publication.
If you like that, try these...
The Garden Street Grill, Cromer - Expect a generous portion and a warm welcome at this traditional restaurant, which serves homestyle classics steak, fish and burgers.
Biddy's Kitchen, Market Place, Aylsham - This cosy tea room has the same vintage look and feel to its counterpart in the Norwich Lanes. It's a great spot to relax over a few scones and a hot brew.
Christopher's Cafe and Bakery, Church Street, North Walsham - There is plenty of seating and a great selection of pastries inside this town centre cafe, a popular spot in North Walsham town centre.
Did you know?
Byfords is in what is believed to be the oldest house in Holt. It is one of few which survived the Great Fire of Holt in 1708, which engulfed almost all of the timber buildings in the town.
Holt was rebuilt afterwards in stone, flint and brick, giving the town its 'Georgian' character is is still so famous for today.
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