We review 'cheese for grown-ups' at Star Plain Stores Holt

In February, Meadowsweet was awarded a Michelin star, the Feathers has had a makeover and other recent openings include a branch of the growing Two Magpies Bakery chain. 

Last year, Tom Brady opened Star Plain Stores, transforming a former pub into a deli, specialising in three of his favourite things in life: coffee, wine and cheese. 

And in the summer he expanded, creating the Cheese and Wine Lounge, where customers can sit in and savour a sharing board or some small plates with a glass or two in laid-back surroundings.  

It was the perfect spot for the first night of a recent weekend away with a friend. 

This is the kind of laid-back place where you feel instantly feel at home.

Happy chatter and flickering candles beckon you inside – where you're given a warm welcome.

It still has that higgledy-piggledy pub charm and an intimate, neighbourhood bistro feel, with the 25 seats set out over two levels.  

It’s a cool place, but not intimidatingly so - there are framed album covers on the walls (Tom clearly has impeccable taste), mismatched and reclaimed furniture, cutlery and napkins in olive tins - and lots of plants.

Service is friendly and knowledgeable. 

And it has of those small-but-perfectly-formed-yet-spoiled-for-choice menus where you could happily eat everything.  

To help with decision-making, we ordered drinks and a bowl of plump, juicy olives.  

My friend went with a cocktail - a salted coconut espresso martini (£10) by Norfolk-based Mindful Mixology. Served in a gorgeous vintage-style coupe glass, it tasted just as good as it looked.  

Tom specialises in organic and biodynamic wines from independent vineyards and I went for a medium glass of the zingy, organic Alsace orange (£11.50). There’s a good list of reds, whites and sparkling wines and you’ll also find local beers on draught.  

At the lounge the idea is you order as many dishes as you can fit on your table, and all dig in to share.  

The emphasis is very much on quality ingredients, prepared simply to allow them to shine.

There were a couple of specials on offer on this occasion – a delicious-sounding beef ragu with tagliatelle and parmesan (£14) and roasted chorizo with sweet chilli jam (£8). 

The fish section of the menu included anchovies on sourdough toast (£8) and one table was sharing pizzas – margherita (£11) and pepperoni (£13) were on the menu – and you can order a vegan option in advance. 

There’s a strong French influence running throughout - think baked camembert and a selection of pates.  

Or, for something with a certain je ne sais quoi, phone ahead and order the French Langres, a cheese which comes from the Champagne region and is made with a divot to allow Champagne to be poured over (£15). 

I loved the sound of the smoked duck rillettes, served with Korean kimchi for an Asian twist (£8).  

If you happen to pop by at lunchtime you can sample the Bray’s pork ploughmans – the pies are made just two miles away from Holt, and come accompanied by cheese, pickle, chutneys and local cured meats (£12.50).  

Tantalisingly, cheese toasties are billed as coming soon.  

We decided to go for one each of the cheese and charcuterie boards.  

They’re curated by Tom, depending on what happens to be on the counter, so even if you're a regular there will always be something new to try - and the element of surprise. 

The charcuterie board (£10) featured a glorious tangle of salty prosciutto, and a selection of salamis, including one studded with hazelnuts.    

And our cheeseboard (£12.50), featured four cheeses, accompanied by crackers, cornichons and membrillo quince paste (£12.50).  

When it comes to cheese, I’m way too impatient and greedy to ever let it come up to room temperature as proper connoisseurs would recommend before eating it.  

But it turns out that it’s well worth the wait – lesson learned.

The four artisan cheeses on our board each delivered a real punch of flavour – it was “cheese for grown-ups" as my friend described it. 

Tom chose us a nutty 18-month comte, a wedge of brie-style Neufchatel (the one that’s shaped like a heart), which was deliciously ripe and oozy, a washed rind carre du vinage and a hunk of la peral, a blue cheese from northern Spain.   

We were running out of space on our table by the time our accompaniments arrived – a generous heap of what I would call ‘holiday style’ sliced tomatoes (£7), which were soused in extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with grated parmesan. Sunshine on a plate.

And in the spirit of our eyes being bigger than our stomachs, we added some sourdough bread (£2.50). 

Taking our time to savour all the different flavours was the perfect way to unwind into the weekend. 

And we somehow managed to find room for dessert. There was just one sweet option on offer – an apricot and pistachio frangipane.  

Served warm, the delicately flavoured sponge came with clotted cream and sprinkled with edible flowers.  

The perfect end to the perfect start to the weekend. 

The Cheese and Wine Lounge at Star Plain Stores in Holt is open from 10am to 5.30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and from 10am to late Thursday-Saturday. Their Christmas fondue nights are coming up on December 2 and December 30. Find out more and book a table at starplainstores.com or follow on Instagram @starplainstores   

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 which do or do not advertise in our publications.