Missing money. (Red Lion Cafe, Coltishall)

Red Lion Café,

Coltishall,

Opening times Tue-Sun 9-4

Today I took the opportunity of trying out another pub/cafe hybrid. Currently cafe cycle rules only allow a pub to be considered for a review if it has a completely separate cafe area and not just if it sells coffee and cake at the bar. The last qualifying cafe of this type I had visited was the Acorn tearooms at the Oak pub in Poringland but sadly the venture didn't last and closed earlier this year. I knew the Red Lion at Coltishall also claimed to have a separate cafe to the pub so with cycling guests Mrs Crusader, Barry and Helen and their Tandem we set off to find out if it was suitable for review.

Things didn't start well when Helen suddenly demanded we stop to buy eggs available at the end of someones drive. Whilst photographing the event, as it was the most exciting incident on the ride, I realised that I had lost the £10 that Mrs Crusader had asked me to look after. Despite tweeting a picture of a similar looking £10 no one came forward to return it so I hoped it won't be an expensive stop.

Helen buying eggs while I sure for the missing tenner

We arrived at the Red Lion Cafe in Coltishall where I was relieved to see that the cafe area was completely separate and even had it's own entrance, thus clearly qualifying it.

Outside the Red Lion Cafe special non pub entrance

It was too late in the year to make use of any outdoor seating so it was straight inside to check the cake selection which wasn't bad. It was also good to see that sausage rolls were available for #SROTY testing.

Cake selection

The drinks, cakes and sausage rolls soon arrived with sausage roll tasting causing much debate. As they were of the short crust variety, favoured by Mrs Crusader, she was keen it made the sausage roll off finalists list which is currently heavily weighted towards flakey. As I was already in her bad books I agreed that it had just crept in. 

As the discussions got more heated I completely forgot to take the cake and drinks picture so you will just have to imagine what cakes and mugs of drink look like. I can report my hot chocolate was a fairly standard example and the Mocha and cappuccino guest hot drinks were all a bit to weak for their likings. However the Banana loaf and Victoria sponge were both very good cakes and scored well.

I thought the Red Lion cafe was a good example of a pub cafe and hope it is a successful addition to the cafe scene.

In a desperate attempt to get Mrs Crusaders money back I'm now offering a £10 reward to anyone who finds it.

Scores

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
5.8	5	6.3	7.8	7.5	6.48

Route

Click here to download 36 mile Norwich Coltishall loop gpx mile to your GPS

Cake Crusader Sportive 20. (36 mile via Piece of Cake at Coltishall)

Sportive 20,

A Piece of Cake,

Opening times Mon-Sat 09:00-16:00,

Sun 09:30-15:30

Highly Recommended 

Yesterday saw the 2nd official Cake Crusader sportive of the year. Due to injury and apathy only 8 of the 10 participants who had entered turning up at race HQ for pre ride faffing about. There was a lack of cafe reviewing experience in the group today with Dan (33), James (36) and Tom (13) (collectively known as the young lads) all on only their second cafe cycle ride.

A lot of inexperience in today's group

The trip was a 36 mile loop round Norwich up to a Piece of Cake (I see what they have done there) at Coltishall. It was no surprise that with such a mixed group of riders the Peleton was well spread and it took all my cat herding experience to try and keep us on route. Only occasionally did I loose a rider or the leaders head off in the wrong way. I was therefore quite exhausted when we arrived at our destination.

Demonstrating their inexperience the group headed inside without anyone waiting to have the compulsory cafe arrival photo. I therefore had to settle for one of their bikes only. 

Bikes minus riders on arrival at a Piece of Cake

Fortunately after visiting nearly 200 cafes my cafe cycle skills came to the fore as despite being last through the door I was able to review and rate the cake selection and then get to the front of the queue to place my order before the amateurs had finished floundering as to what to have or how to pay.

The cake selection was excellent and had a lot of tempting ones on offer leading to a high effective cake selection (ECS) mark.

Part of the cake selection

With orders placed we took our seats on the third of three levels all of which overlook the river through a big window. The group collectively were very impressed giving a high Atmosphere and Ambiance (AAA) score.

view of cafe from middle layer

Once the food and drinks arrived I foolishly tried to illicit some rating activity but time and again the inexperience showed, especially from the young lads. 

Cake and drink reviewing in action

James tried to award his cup of tea more than a 7 which is the known ceiling of guest hot drink quality (GHDQ) a cup of tea can have. Tom wanted to rate his Paninni when a Paninni is clearly not cake, then once again Ali asked if he could dock marks as his latte came in a vase and not a cup (the vessel plays no part in GHDQ). When asked for ratings the young lads gave me responses like 'lovely', 'nice', 'tasty' etc. Was I meant to guess how these related to an actual score in order to enter in to my cafe ratings spreadsheet? I need numbers! In the end I once again had to ignore the young lads input as it was clear they didn't really have a clue as to what was going on. I blame the parents.

However despite this, all the ratings I did collect were even higher than on my last visit (see Road safety) establishing a piece of cake as one of my top cafe destinations. I was also pleased that the cake had not been served on the serviettes as it had been last time so another success in my campaign (#keepcakeoffserviettes).

The way back was equally chaotic and with rating done I quickly lost interest on making sure the whole party was kept together for the return ride home leaving every one for themselves. I assume they all made it back safely but will probably only find out when I see who turns up for the next sportive in a few weeks time.

Scores for a Piece of Cake based on 2 visits

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
6.5	7.5	7.75	7.25	8.5	7.50

Route

Click here to download 36 mile Norwich Coltishall loop gpx mile to your GPS

Road safety. (A Piece of Cake Tea room, Coltishall)

A Piece of Cake Tea room,

Coltishall,

Open Mon-Sat 9-4, Sun 9.30 -3.30,

Highly Recommended

Today saw the start of a planned schedule of 13 cafe cycle rides during March. That is assuming that the weather holds, no cycling guests wimp out and I can avoid the near death funny turn and subsequent hospitalisation experience that took me off the bike this time last year. If so it looks like being a bumper month for the Cake Crusader.

Sadly today's ride would be the only March one with Barry and Helen and their tandem as Helen is planning to pop into hospital to have her second knee made bionic. Today they were joined by Chris (Mrs Crusader) to be my cycling guest for a figure of eight shaped ride to A Piece of Cake Tea room (I see what they have done there) at Coltishall.

Barry has just up graded his cycling GPS so took charge of today's route which started from Sainsbury's car park in Thorpe. It wasn't far into the route when we reached a nice long stretch of cycle path by the side of a completely empty road. Shockingly Barry and Helen and their tandem refused to use it as they had not been directed on to the path by Barry's new cycling GPS. Chris, as a former member of the Tufty the Squirrel road safety club (and she used to have a badge to prove it), was appalled. When ever there is a potentially dangerous road traffic situation Chris always asks herself, but what would Tufty the Squirrel have done, and clearly he would have made me join her safely on the cycle path, so I did. With Barry and Helen and their tandem acting like Willy Weasel and laughing in the face of Tufty they were lucky that they didn't all end up in hospital needing more than just new knees!

Ironically we didn't actually see any cars whilst Barry and Helen and their Tandem were performing their reckless stunt but when we turned on to some smaller roads things changed when it became "national drive on the smallest lane you can find day". We repeatedly had to pull over to let numerous cars pass us on single width roads until we eventually we made it to Cotishall and A Piece of Cake Tea room. 

Outside A piece of cake tea room, note amusing letter C.

Once inside we were immediately impressed with the light and bright multi layer indoor seating system which had seats downstairs and upstairs but we choose to follow the way of Kermit the frogs nephew Robin and sit halfway up the stairs (hope you are impressed with my muppetry knowledge) with a lovely view over the Marshes.

Our table halfway up the stairs of the multi layer indoor seating area

Their is also an outside seating area which was a bit too cold to use today. We all liked what we saw and awarded a high Atmosphere and Ambiance (AAA) score.

Outdoor seating area 

I checked out the cake selection which seemed to have all the bases covered with big cakes, small cakes, slices and scones so a high effective cake selection (ECS) score too.

Part of the good cake selection

I ordered Victoria sponge cake, a mandatory cheese scone (for my cheese scone hot, fruit scone not research) and Chris Chocolate sponge cake and an unnecessary fruit scone (as she isn't currently involved in any scone based research). For drinks it was hot chocolate, two mochas and a cappuccino.

Once again Barry didn't cake and went for a sausage sandwich. Sadly his influence had spread to Helen, who had a bacon butty, and their tandem, who refused to have any food at all. As a sausage sandwich and a bacon butty are not cake then Barry and Helen would take no further part in cake reviewing today.

The drinks were all nice, hot and of a good quality although needed to be a bit stronger for really top marks. The scones (both served cold!) were nice but we both found our respective sponge cakes slightly dry although very light in texture and well iced.

Cakes and drinks

Unfortunately the sponge cakes had been served on their napkin which rendered them useless. So still more work to do in my "keep cake of serviettes" to get all cafe baristas on message.

Impact on serviette if cake is served on it rather than to the side

Overall A Piece of Cake Tea room was a very good venue in a lovely location with good cakes and drinks. Ideal for a cycle stop.

The ride home was uneventful with no more high risk traffic safety scenarios to tackle so we all got home in one piece and ready for the next of my multiple March rides.

Scores

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
6.5	7.0	7.5	6.5	8.0	7.10

Route not available as Barry wont let me have it