Food > The Big Eat Out: or IN

Norwich Market

03/12/17

 

The Gen

We’ve all been there…

What do you want to eat?

I don’t mind, you decide.

Pizza?

Hmmmm, nooo.

Chinese?

I’m not really feeling it.

Indian?

Nah, don’t fancy it.

Then what do you want?!?

I don’t know, anything really. I’m easy.

Yeah… right. It’s never simple deciding what to eat after a hard day’s shopping. You could compromise but that just means nobody’s happy. Well, here’s an idea for you. Why not give the Market a go? Until recently all I’ve known it for was the occasional bleary eyed bacon sarnie but a bit of a foodie revolution has taken place right under our noses.

 

Atmosphere

Cold ears, cold nose, cold fingers, cold toes. EMPTY STOMACH. Inventory complete. Let’s hit the market!

Along my winding path up and down the aisles I’m struck by the sheer number of different food outlets. With so many pubs and restaurants opening and closing across the city it is so heartening to see such a diverse and thriving food oasis.

The staunch favourites remain, and thankfully so – if I couldn’t get an egg and sausage bap from the market I think I’d start a riot – but beyond that there are some really exciting and interesting ventures. While I was contemplating my plan of attack a grumbling stomach prompted my first stop. I don’t think well on an empty stomach (who can?) so I bought myself a thinking snack.

 

The Norwich Providore

The Norwich Providore is a yeasty haven, the smell of fresh artisanal bread was irresistible. My nose and stomach must have been colluding to bring me there (traitors!) and one of their sausage rolls was enough to dull the edge of my hunger. While there I perused the impressive selection of local jams and chutneys and the charcuterie available. If the weather had been nicer I could have got everything I needed for a fabulous picnic right here and spent the afternoon gorging myself next to the war memorial. As it was a bit miserable I took my Sausage roll and moved on, munching happily. It was absolutely lovely, the next supermarket sausage roll I have will turn to ash in my mouth at the memory of this beauty.

 

 

Bun Box

The day’s longest queue was found snaking back from Bun Box. Here Chinese steamed buns are lovingly crafted and ingredients are freshly prepared to order, it’s well worth the wait. The Bao buns are gorgeously soft and fluffy and the perfect base for the array of big flavours. My companion enjoyed the mushroom bun, the woody juices seeping into the soft dough and joined by savoury crispy onions that pair well with finely sliced, tart radish. My choice was the duck bun, soft and tender meat covered in sickly, sweet hoi sin sauce. If it risked becoming too cloying the cucumber and spring onion gave a little bite and some much needed lightness. For a less greedy person the perfectly prepared Chinese steamed buns sold would make a nice light lunch. We are greedy so added some sticky rice with katsu curry sauce and a small pot of kimchi, the sharpness of which cut through the wonderful stodge of the rest of the meal. £9.50 for the lot, damn good value.

Starvation was no longer imminent but my not inconsiderable appetite had been roused and there was still plenty to explore. Where to next? (I feel like this review would be best told in a choose your own adventure format.)

 

 

Lasagneria

I’ve been keen to visit here for quite some time. As concepts go it isn’t the most complex. It sells Lasagne. Still, simple is good, especially when done this well. The owner was keen for me to understand the authentic providence of his cooking, with oils and ingredients coming from his native Italy. Instead of the usual grey mess of many pub attempts this was a wonderful piping hot treat, just what we needed on a cold day. Good luck trying to take an attractive picture of lasagne but this proves beyond doubt that some things are more important than looks (at least, that’s what my mum keeps telling me). The veggie special was four cheese and mushroom. Can I identify the four cheeses that went into this glorious gooey slab? No. The thick, filling sauce and the crispy lid are delicious regardless. I had expected chunks of mushroom in the manner of a vegetable lasagne, but found a cheesy mushroom sauce between every other pasta layer instead. It’s earthy, nutty and coarse, a perfect winter lunch. You can order a whole tray of your chosen lasagne- including saffron and pistachio chicken, classic beef and vegan varieties- for your Christmas dinner. You could probably make a bigger lasagne for the £5 this portion cost me, but it wouldn’t be as good- admit it to yourself and go and buy one.

The people who own Lasagneria have secured themselves a second stall opposite which they are refurbishing and opening up as a dining area. This is a story common among the market stall holders, one of optimism and aspiration.

 

Tasty House

Just a few stalls further down the same row you can enjoy, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indonesian Burmese and Thai food.  The menu changes every day to provide you with a range of authentic street food.  The food is cooked from fresh before your eyes, and the aromas are sensational, added bonus they have a seating area. Your food is served on crockery with chop sticks or cutlery provided. I had the yellow curry chicken with rice.  The flavours were wonderful a real depth of taste and ingredients  delighted the taste buds.  The Pad Thai vegan dish was optionally served with beansprouts and nuts if you wished.  The sauce just complimented the tofu and noodles so well.  I could not help but notice a dish of Spicy Kua Kling chicken that went passed me, the aroma was amazing, and was wondering could I east another dish?  We washed down our meal with fresh coconut.  With main dishes from £4.95 - £5.95, your senses and stomach will be pleased you stopped to rest and eat. By all means ask the chefs for their advice they are more than happy to help you with your choices.  Well worth a visit.

 

 

I think if I wasn’t the glutton I am this is where I would call it a day.

Cake by Figbar

Tiny salted pretzel and chocolate kisses were inhaled in a single bite but packed a mighty punch and exploded in flavour. With this we had a funfetti whoopie pie. Funfetti is American for hundreds and thousands, and whoopie is American for missionary intercourse. This is a personalised birthday cake shaped like a cannonball, but fluffy and light (and useless in combat). The buttercream icing is lemon-flavoured and there’s a big dollop of lemon curd in the middle. With this we had an Almond and Blackberry Financier. Sticky, soft and lovely.

I’m starting to feel unwell. I’m not sure why. I haven’t eaten that much. Maybe I need a drink?

 

 

And Eat It

Don’t need to tell me twice. A vision in pastels this stall easily catches the eye and draws you in with sight of their enormous cookies and delicious cakes in huge glass bell jars on the counter. Sadly these weren’t our aim and we instead opted for a couple of freakshakes. If you’re not sure what this is, a freakshake is the kind of milkshake you would have made when you were 6 if you had access to all the cakes in the bakery, all the sweets in the sweetshop and a mother who didn’t know what diabetes was. Served in glass jars, some spill from the top with chocolate muffins, others with donuts and popping candy. Mine was a minty, a chocolate shake with aero bubbles, mint oreos, mint matchmakers and whipped cream. It was good, real good, but didn’t really help with the whole, feeling sick thing. I didn’t care.

My companion had a unicorn shake; pastel pink and dotted with rainbow drops, white chocolate buttons, marshmallows, flying saucers and fizzy laces. For £3 each these were insanely good value and a great treat to end the day.

Ok, that’s it. I couldn’t handle any more that day. I’m weak. I needed to lie down. But I had to come back later to try…

 

 

Churros and Chorizo

I almost managed it: a light, wholesome lunch full of bright colours and fresh flavours. The veggie option from Churros and Chorizo (chickpea and vegetable stew with tabbouleh and bread) features the biggest chickpeas I’ve ever seen, along with tomato, courgette and onions that taste like they were pulled from the ground just seconds before my arrival. The tabbouleh- a salad of bulgar wheat, tomatoes, mint and parsley- is served cold, adding another layer of garden freshness. It’s all a bit “healthy”, this. It felt wrong but tasted great and was very much needed. Then I see the churro machine. I’ve never seen anything like it before- the bemused stallholders tell me that it might be the only one of its kind in Norfolk. The dough is stretched and dropped in a vat of bubbling oil, like one of those gunpowder plotters on BBC2. The crisp spindly strands are rolled in cinnamon and sugar and served with a deep puddle of melted chocolate. I order six, and the chocolate doesn’t run out until I’m on the last one. I suspect I’ve just eaten a “sharing portion” all on my lonesome.

 

 

Conclusion

My vouchers have run out and I’ve almost reached my word count but I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of the food on offer on the market. Someone said there was cheese! Where’s the beer?

Opening a restaurant or café is a huge financial risk, one that many talented people simply cannot take. A market stall is the perfect first step for people to realise their dreams and this gives a real sense of excitement, optimism and vibrancy to the food available on the here. Give them a try… you’ve got no excuse for having a boring work lunch again.