Food review: The Shed tapas bar, Gorleston, Norfolk

I've walked past the building beside the old lighthouse countless times and always thought it was a cafe. However, after a friend recommended the restaurant, I was blown away that something so good was right on my doorstep.

The quaint building has been used under different names by the Edwards family for the past 75 years, including Harbour Dining Rooms in the 1950s, and Neptune's Palace - or 'Neppies' - an amusement arcade and snack bar in the 90s.

Martin Keith and Kristi Edwards opened the place up as The Shed in 2014, originally as a steak and fish restaurant, and a tapas bar from 2022.

The Shed on Quay Road, Gorleston. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)Inside, several large parties and families were enjoying some food before a night out.

Our waitress advised us to order between two to three plates each, but with eyes bigger than our bellies, we opted for eight dishes: taramasalata, goat's cheese croquette special, patatas bravas, halloumi fries, dates wrapped in bacon, chorizo in cider, fried whitebait and mixed olives.

Our food arrived in no time at all. As we stared at the mountain of tapas, we knew we were in for a treat.

(Clockwise) Fried whitebait, goat's cheese croquettes, mixed olives, chorizo, halloumi fries and patatas bravas from The Shed, Gorleston. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)The taramasalata was summery and salty, and the accompanying pittas were perfect scoops for the creamy, fishy dip.

Taramasalata and pitta dippers from The Shed. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)Oozing with a delectable cheesy potato mix, the goat's cheese croquettes were out of this world. The potato was very light and fluffy with a satisfying crunch to the outside. The goat's cheese was simply the best, with its sweet flavour and slightly bitter aftertaste.

The goat's cheese croquettes (right) from The Shed were absolutely delicious. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)The patatas bravas were filling, but the spicy tomato sauce packed a punch and was very moreish. This dish complemented the sweetness of the croquettes and the bacon-wrapped dates.

Yummy patatas bravas from The Shed, Gorleston. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)The halloumi fries came with a yoghurt mango and honey dressing. The fries were battered with a good amount of spices in the breadcrumb mix and were delightfully chewy. They were good without the sauce, but amazing with it.

The dates wrapped in bacon were something else. It was a combination I had never thought to try before. The smoky bacon complemented the toffee-like fruit astonishingly well. The flavours were like an early Christmas treat. Amazing.

Dates wrapped in bacon. Such a simple yet amazing idea from The Shed in Gorleston. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)The chorizo was earthy and thick - almost like Russian caravan tea - with bursts of smokiness at the back of the tongue.

The deep-fried little fishes were plentiful and salty and made for an excellent snack with beer. The fish was well-formed and cooked just right.

'Little fishes' - Deep fried whitebait from The Shed, Gorelston. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)There was a nice mixture of olives with various complementing extras inside, including spicy cubed peppers and garlic. A very healthy portion for two people.

Truthfully, it was difficult to manage all of this food between two; We should have listened to our compassionate waitress. And I did get a bit of food envy when another table ordered the Greek salad - it looked like a work of art.

Eight tapas dishes was a tall order for just two people. But the food at The Shed was so good. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)We would recommend three tapas dishes per person.

We had little room for dessert, but seeing a cheesecake earlier in the night left us no choice. We decided to share the unmissable chocolate and orange cheesecake, and we were glad we did.

The thick, rich cheesecake was a definite highlight. With a stocky, dense build, this felt and tasted like a German cheesecake. It went down a treat.

Chocolate and orange cheesecake from The Shed in Gorleston. Picture - James Weeds (Image: James Weeds)We had overindulged, but it was very enjoyable and great to find places you can just about order anything and love it.

Setting

The Shed is very close to the Ocean Room and Gorleston Pavilion, so this could be a great place to eat either before or after an event.

Price

We ordered eight plates from the tapas menu, one dessert and two drinks (diet Coke and ginger beer), which came to £65.10.

Service

We were served with a smile, and delivery was very swift. Waitresses started to remove empty dishes while we were still eating though, so they were eager, but it made it feel a little like a conveyor belt.

Highlight

It is difficult to choose between the cheesecake, the goat's cheese croquettes and the dates wrapped in bacon. 

But the dates were such a brilliant yet simple idea, I am dreaming about having them again and again.

Summary

The Shed has an excellent menu in a great location, run by a longstanding family in Gorleston. It is a gem in the area's restaurant scene.