Food Review: Yalm in Norwich for their Sunday brunch menu

Yalm opened in Norwich late last year and has set a precedent in the heart of Norwich of a place where you can find great food in a relaxed, calm environment. Downstairs you will find a more formal dining experience and upstairs in the food hall a much more relaxed approach.

My friend and I visited Yalm on an autumnal Sunday late morning, where the sky looked like it was just about to pour with rain so we were happy to escape to a cosy retreat in the shape of Yalm. 

If you haven’t visited Yalm before, it is slightly confusing when you first enter as to where you can sit but you can make your way through the restaurant and find any seat and order directly from your seat. There is no need to book unless you are booking for a table of over eight people so there is plenty of space for everyone. 

Yalm is full of different culinary experiences from a North African Grill to an Indian Feast you can really try a little bit of everything. We chose to sit in the food hall where you are surrounded by the different food options, we arrived at 11am which we realised was slightly too early and a lot of the food stalls weren’t opening until 12pm. Luckily they have coffees and teas available so we sat for an hour drinking an iced coffee and a tea, which was easy to pass the time as we had a lot to catch up on. 

Yalm was amazingly quiet at this time of the morning and was the perfect atmosphere for anyone who wants to visit just for a coffee or drink. It was relaxing and you could easily just soak up the atmosphere. I will say, the coffee tasted exceptionally good.

So when it rolled over to 12pm, almost all of the stalls were open and all we needed to do was scan a QR code, choose what we wanted and then it would be delivered to our table. It was really simple to do and there were plenty of choices on the different menus.

Being vegan, all of the different stalls had a lot to offer and I was surprised by how much they were able to cater for all allergies and intolerances. I ordered the vegan tofu sushi rice bowl from NXXDS Noodle bar and my friend, Rosanna ordered loaded hash browns. We also ordered a tray from Urban Chowk to share between us.

The food arrived extremely promptly, likely because we ordered extremely early and as soon as they opened.The food did come at different times because they were from different stalls, but it was no longer than 5 minutes between each dish being delivered.

Everything looked incredible. With food from all different stalls we were able to get the full experience of what Yalm is all about and that is showcasing the very best food in Norwich. The tofu sushi rice bowl was fresh and flavoursome. The dish was vibrant and the rice was perfectly seasoned as the canvas for the tofu that was crispy and had a golden brown crust that blended perfectly with it’s silky centre. Fragments of seaweed were strewn across the bowl which allowed for a crunch and a salty punch. The dish had many flavours and textures, I was so pleased that I chose this dish from such a large menu choice.

My friend left her review stating that her dish of The loaded hash browns topped with pancetta lardons and pecorino cheese from Toast were beautifully presented, not something you usually get with the humble hash brown but this dish was anything but humble. The crunchy, salty fried potato with the rich, moist lardons were incredibly moreish and what at first looked like a lot of food disappeared quickly. It may be considered a strange pairing but adding some of the korma dish from the decadent Indian street food flatter we ordered from another vendor took the hash browns to another level. I've been craving something a bit different and unexpected for a while and while chain restaurants have failed to really hit the spot, Yalm really delivered a memorable experience.

Urban Chowk's Indian platter had an array of different choices and is the perfect sharer for two people. We dipped between our singular dishes and the platter throughout and made for an incredible culinary journey between two different cultures.

The dish included a korma curry and a spicy lentil dhal with poppadoms, rice, naan bread, samosas and spicy potatoes. We tried everything on the tray and although the spicy lentil dhal was slightly too hot for my tastebuds, everything else was the perfect level of heat, and we tucked in between us. I found the Korma to be my favourite dish and dipping in the crispy salted poppadoms in this creamy silky curry that was bursting with flavour was absolutely delicious. I would certainly order a whole plate of this if I could!

We were absolutely stuffed by the end of our meals and we couldn't help but comment on the value for money that Yalm provides. Our entire meal and drinks came to under £50 and we certainly ordered way too much for the two of us to eat.

When we left the building was packed with customers and showed how appealing Yalm is to such a wide array of people, there were families, couples and a few individuals who had nestled into eat at the foodhall. 

Setting

Nestled in the heart of Norwich, Yalm is the perfect location to escape from the busy city. It gives plenty of choice for whether you want a casual meal out or something slightly more formal.

Price

Our full bill came to £48.15, which was such a good price for as much food as we had.

Service

The staff were brilliant, we were checked in on multiple times to ensure we were happy and they offered us water whilst we waited. One thing to note is that you don’t feel rushed at all when you sit in. 

Highlight

The Sushi Rice Tofu bowl was everything I wanted and more. So refreshing and delicious.

Summary

Yalm is the perfect escape from the city centre with so many options, you’re spoilt for choice!