When we walked into Yalm on a snowy Wednesday evening, the bottom floor was cosy and calm. Norwich's newest food hall, in the Royal Arcade, has a dark and stylish exterior, while the inside glows with peach-coloured lighting, resulting in an inviting and relaxed look.
The low chatter and quiet hum of coffee machines was a welcome change of pace from the bustling Christmas-shopping crowds that swarmed outside the large windows.
But upstairs, the energy was completely different. Ed and I were expecting to catch the food hall on a quiet evening, especially considering that one of the World Cup matches was on at the time. Instead, the place was packed.
Laughter and lively conversation were everywhere, seemingly energised by the fast pace of the mini-kitchens that surround the dining room. Families with young children, groups of teenagers, and what appeared to be a handful of work Christmas parties were among the crowd. Before we'd even sat down, it was clear that at Yalm, there's something for everyone.
The food hall was so busy that we ended up sharing the end of someone else's table with them but fortunately, our unexpected neighbours were as nice as they looked. As we browsed the menu on our phones, I admired the room. It's undeniably beautiful: the high ceilings and intricate architecture are complimented by Yalm's cool and modern interior design.
Ed, a Norfolk native, enjoyed telling me the history of the building, and recalling the different businesses that have occupied it. He commented that he's "just glad to be in this room again", as he remembers being charmed by it when it was a Waterstones. It looks very different now, with new kitchens and hand-written menus making the space their home.
We wasted no time in ordering. For drinks, we each got a cocktail from Folks, the bar downstairs. Ed went for the Pineapple Rum Runner and I got the Whiskey Sour (both £9.50). They looked beautiful, and tasted delicious. It's clear that whoever made my Whiskey Sours is a very skilled bartender, as the flavours played off each other excellently.
When it came to deciding on what to eat, we encountered our only complaint with Yalm: there's so much to choose from, and all of it looks and smells incredible. As a huge fan of Asian food, I was immediately drawn to NXXDS, which offers ramen and dumplings.
I settled on the Hot Fried Chicken Ramen (£13.50) as my main course, while Ed went for the tacos from Mexican vendor Baha, getting one of each: Carne Asada, Baha fish, Carnitas, and Luchito (£16). We ordered some other bits alongside it, mainly out of my desire to try the entire menu.
In total, once we'd placed an order for our food, our selections spanned four separate kitchens, and so I anticipated, with great empathy for how food hospitality tends to work, two things: a wait on the food, and a staggered arrival of different plates. After all, Yalm is a huge operation involving multiple different cuisines, chefs, and dishes.
But the powers that be have somehow figured this logistical nightmare out, because all of our various plates arrived within 10 minutes of ordering them, and in very quick succession of each other. Everything was fresh, colourful, and beautifully presented.
The chicken ramen was absolutely stunning, and gives the others I've tried a run for their money (maybe even beating them to the top spot). The broth was good enough to drink: a gorgeous red in colour, and full of flavour and spice.
The noodles were without a doubt the best I'd ever had- clearly handmade by someone who knows, and loves, what they're doing. The fried chicken was also incredible, and the addition of gherkins in the bowl brought a welcome sour-ness.
Ed's four tacos were all unique and totally different from each other, with bright flavours and interesting combinations. We also ordered the Nachos con carne molida from Baha (£11), and I highly recommend them. Every separate part of the nachos would have been delicious all by themselves (guacamole, ground beef, salsa, cheese, sour cream, jalapenos) but put together with home-made tortillas, the whole thing is heavenly.
We also got the Lucky 7 Fries with chicken salt from On The Bone (£4.50) on the side, which were a great addition and an excellent vehicle for dunking/soaking up sauces that were too good to leave on the plate.
Overall, Yalm blew our expectations out of the water. The portions and prices of things vary between kitchens but overall, the amount of food we got for what we paid was very reasonable, especially as the quality of the food was so high. The wait staff, made up of mostly young people, were friendly and attentive, and struck the right balance of making sure we were happy throughout the meal without pestering us.
We will definitely be going back to Yalm as soon as we can find an excuse to, and spending more time there. I can envision many hours over one happy evening at a table with a group of friends, ordering a slow trickle of different dishes, relaxing and enjoying the amazing tastes that this new spot has to offer.
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.
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