By Appointment Reviews

I have eaten there several times; the food is out of this world, the staff are very helpful and very good service. It’s a shame how some people will moan about something they know nothing about, that’s food by the way people.

I am amazed at Robert's review of October 2008. We have often eaten at this restaurant and it has always been a wonderful experience - excellent food, fantastic service and wonderful staff. Ignore what this gentleman says and follow what I and Dave and Sharon Southwell think - this place is great.

The place was overpriced, and overrated. The quality of food we had was at best average, the starters were tasteless, and the main course arrived cold. I suggest you avoid the place unless you want to be very disappointed.

We visited By Appointment for the first time last night. It was a wonderful experience, the food was exceptional, the surroundings intimate, the service was brilliant. We were there for an anniversary dinner and it more than met our needs and far surpassed our expectations. We have high expectations of restaurants and from the moment we were met at the door we knew the evening would not be a disappointment. We will be returning, hopefully to one of the Special Evenings they hold.

It was with some trepidation and a dislike of over fussy food which led to this restaurant being such a wonderful surprise. Great food, served by helpful and attentive staff in a unique surrounding. All the different dishes we had were of a similar high quality. It is impressive to actually be able buy decent wine without having to suffer the ridiculous mark ups of similar establishments. We have every intention of becoming regular customers.

I have eaten at this restaurant many times and have joined in their special evenings and events - like the evening at the opera. We have always had outstanding service and wonderful food. The atmosphere is unique and special and the manner in which the menu is verbally presented to the table makes on feel very much the valued customer. Not expensive for such a unique evening.

My wife and I ate there last night and were very disappointed. The service was very brusque and at times rude, we ordered steak and were told that the chef will cook it medium/ rare, I said my wife and I would like it well done which I know many chefs do not like doing but surely as I am paying I can request it cooked how we like it. It arrived rare and when I discretely complained to the Manager, away from the table, he said it was not rare, well he obviously needs glasses.

Basically no-one seemed to care, we did not enjoy our evening, it is by no means a cheap place and certainly far inferior to every other restaurant we have been to in Norwich. Not one to re-visit, unless the Manager has the courtesy to offer some apology.

It was my 40th Birthday. One of my dining companions ordered a starter with beef. She asked for a sharper knife, and was told that it was an English restaurant and hence they only used English cutlery. I felt so embarrassed - she is from Nigeria and I could tell she felt offended. It all seemed so unnecessary, not only for this to have come from the mouth of one of the owners (I'm not sure which one) to have made such a statement, but also to do it in such a loud voice for all the other tables to hear. And it was delivered in such a snooty arrogant and patronising tone. Very unprofessional. Being a gay run restaurant, and being gay myself, I felt doubly let down. I mean - whoever heard of a restaurant without steak knifes? But to be told This is an English Restaurant and we don't stock other knifes. I thought this was scandalously rude. The knifes I can say resembled large butter knifes. They were not adequate to cut meat.

Regarding our dining area - we were ushered upstairs into a very small room where they managed to cram approx 14 people in. The heat was intense from no air ventilation. The windows began to steam up and diners' clothes started to shed and this only the middle of April! Someone asked , please can we open a window. The answer: No - this is against our regulations.

To be told the windows couldn't even be opened a little bit was upsetting. They were sash ones to, not ones that opened outwards so what "regulations" would this have broken? I don't know, but the fact that our comfort did not appear to be a concern was disappointing.

In fact, when the owner's back was turned, the couple by the window managed to open it such that there was a few inches gap right at the top, and Thank God - fresh air flooded in. Onto the food and the general service.

It is novel to have the menu read out to the room by one of the (two) owners.My starter was "nice"-a goat's cheese based dish. But it didn't have the "Wow" factor. My main course,