The Ingham Swan, Norfolk

The multi award winning Ingham Swan never fails to deliver

When it’s cold outside, and the wind blows across the marshes just to the east of Stalham in North Norfolk, there’s no better place to be than sitting down to a meal at The Ingham Swan. In fact, it’s a pretty good place to find yourself any time of the year, including the height of summer.

The Ingham Swan has a long history. In fact, Ingham village is mentioned in the Domesday book! Originally part of the local priory (hence its position next to the local church) until the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII, this 14th century building has been a coaching inn and pub for over 600 years.

However, that all nearly came to an end in September 2017 when the Ingham Swan suffered a devastating fire that ripped through the the building and decimated it. But not one to let something so traumatic get in the way, just 18 months after this event (and over £1 million investment no less), The Ingham Swan got back to business.

This beautiful old pub with rooms has a new lease of life. It is a cosy and welcoming place with little more to the public area than a bar and two modestly-sized dining areas. The interior has been sympathetically restored, with brick, flint and stone walls left unadorned, inglenook fireplaces and dark oak beams that reference its past, whilst bringing the place into the modern day to reflect the contemporary British cuisine on offer. There’s low and atmospheric lighting and wooden tables with comfy dining chairs on parquet flooring.

But forget the interior and the decor, I’ve come here for the food. Because someone told me it was rather good. And true to his word, Chef-Patron Daniel Smith’s ‘insatiable appetite for the finest and freshest food’ utterly shines through in every forkful you eat. His awards and accolades are testament to that.

Norfolk-born Daniel Smith is a restaurateur of the highest level and has over 25 years’ experience of fine dining, having worked with Michel Roux Jr at the Michelin-starred Le Gavroche in London, and Galton Blackiston at Morston Hall. There’s a very good reason that the Ingham Swan has achieved such a high level of recognition.

Mrs HB and I downed tools one sunny July day and went for a country drive (how very old fashioned and quaint I hear you say). However, driving around the Norfolk coast in the summer holidays is not necessarily a pleasant experience… it’s full of tourists and caravans. Fortunately, they weren’t all descending on this place! And it was a hot day – almost too hot for sitting indoors. But to be honest, I’d rather that than the sand in my sandwich amidst the throng of holidaymakers on the beach…

Protected from the glaring sunshine in the smaller dining enclave, we had a moment to acclimatise ourselves with the Du Jour menu. It’s modest and offers a choice of two or three courses for starters, mains and dessert. Perfect. The a la carte menu offers double the choice but remains modest – and I would prefer this every time over a menu like the one you’d find at San Carlo.

The food is the highlight at the Ingham Swan

Our entire meal was not only perfectly prepared and delicious but beautifully presented. We started our meal with an intensely flavoured carrot velouté with a coriander oil; and a pea ‘hummus’ with toasted hazelnuts and beautifully light and airy, warm bread rolls – small mouthfuls to whet the appetite in preparation for the rest of the meal.

Our starters comprised locally-sourced scallops with the most delicious cauliflower puree, braised chicken thigh, enoki mushrooms, and a deep, shiny jus that pulled the whole dish together; and plump prawns with roasted cauliflower, samphire and toasted rice. Now, this isn’t a combination that I would imagine going well together, but I was wrong. The oils and purees that accompanied this dish brought it all together to a lovely balance of flavours.

I couldn’t resist the steak for my main. And it was cooked just to my liking – pink. But the rest of the dish was fairly standard. It came with your usual roasted mushroom, grilled tomato and triple-cooked chips. And a mountain of rocket. This would be a rocket-lover’s paradise, but it’s not my thing and there was just too much of it on the plate. Mrs HB ended up eating most of it! And speaking of Mrs HB, she had the sea bass. Cooked to perfection, with a herb mash, chorizo and dehydrated beef tomato. For me, this was the winner.

To finish, Mrs HB had cheese with sweet frozen grapes, homemade toasts and fig chutney. Followed by coffee and chocolate petits four which really were the last bite we needed. And for the life of me I’d love to tell you what I had for dessert, but needless to say to was absolutely delicious… that’s probably why I’ve forgotten what it was! But take a look at the photo; winners on a postcard please!

You can come in here for a drink – it’s a nice place to do just that – and you can also stay the night in one of their seven beautifully presented rooms. But I’d undoubtedly and unreservedly come here for the food, first and foremost. The food is spot on – locally sourced, well presented and simply delicious. Thanks Dan and the team!

I couldn’t resist the steak for my main. And it was cooked just to my liking – pink. But the rest of the dish was just a tad disappointing. It came with your usual roasted mushroom, grilled tomato and triple-cooked chips. And a mountain of rocket. This would be a rocket-lover’s paradise, but it’s not my thing and there was just too much of it on the plate. Mrs HB ended up eating most of it! And speaking of Mrs HB, she had the sea bass. Cooked to perfection, with a herb mash, chorizo and dehydrated beef tomato. For me, this was the winner.