Ciscoe's in Norwich is well-known across the city for the freshness of their pan-Asian and sushi options, but did you know they also have an extensive menu for vegans?
I’ve loved sushi since I was a child and since becoming vegan four years ago, it has allowed me to experiment with a lot more flavours and varieties in my sushi which I wouldn't have tried before when I ate an omnivore diet.
I had heard from friends that Ciscoe's had a large variety of vegan options and I couldn’t wait to go and visit myself to see. Ciscoe's is located in the heart of Norwich on Ber Street, in a beautiful building painted a dark smoky grey - you can’t miss it when walking by.
We booked on a sunny Saturday night and we must have managed to get one of the last tables as the restaurant was buzzing and nearly every table was taken. With the restaurant being so busy we knew we were in for a real treat.
We were seated in their main seating area, which is absolutely stunning with vibrant decorations. We sat underneath the pink tree which made for a romantic setting. Where we sat we were also able to see into their open kitchen, which I was absolutely hypnotised by. It's very interesting to watch their chefs at work in the busy kitchen.
All the staff were so welcoming and really attentive, in no time at all we had ordered and received our drinks. As I was driving I ordered a Diet Coke and my partner ordered a pint of Tiger which was the perfect accompaniment for the Asian cuisine that we were about to get stuck into.
As we deliberated over the menu, a couple nearby had a humongous platter of sushi arrive at their table. Ciscoe’s really do pull out the stops for their customers and the platter that was served up made me extremely jealous! There were stacks of different types of sushi laid out on a huge tray and they even had liquid smoke to make the platter even more inviting.
I ordered three types of their vegan Hosomaki which included six pieces of tender stem broccoli, avocado and cucumber with a side of tempura vegetables. Everything was plated so delicately with the sushi all on one plate and the tempura vegetables in a basket, it looked like a feast and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in.
The sushi was absolutely beautiful, you could really taste the freshness of the vegetables that they used. The cucumber hosomaki was delightfully light and crisp and balanced extremely well with the avocado hosomaki giving a creaminess to the sushi. The avocado was perfectly ripe and gave a soft texture to accompany the rice and seaweed of the sushi roll.
Alongside my sushi I also had soy sauce and pickled ginger to add a little salty and spicy kick.
The star of the show for me was definitely the tender stem broccoli sushi which looked brilliant on the plate with the stems sticking upward through the roll of the sushi. This sushi was a little more difficult to handle with chopsticks, but the crunch from the broccoli alongside the fluffy rice was absolutely delicious.
The tempura vegetables were a mix of tender stem broccoli, baby corn and sweet potato and it was all so well cooked with the crunch from the batter and the vegetables all having a soft centre.
My partner opted out of having sushi and decided to go for some of Ciscoe’s other pan-Asian options. He chose the spicy cauliflower tempura, the teriyaki tofu and miso soup.
The spicy miso soup was the star of the show for him. We both had never tried miso soup before so were excited to give it a go. The soup had a bit of a kick but it was a low heat that wasn’t overwhelming. It had a savoury umami fragrant taste that was so moreish.
The spicy cauliflower tempura had a sweet but spicy sauce that was so satisfying with its crunchy fried savoury batter. Due to the cauliflower being fried it meant that it had taken on a soft cheese-like consistency, which when biting into it tied perfectly with the crunch of the batter.
The teriyaki tofu had a subtle flavour which was unexpected and had a slightly sweet and tangy flavour. It was less salty than I thought it would be, but with everything else having a salty, umami taste it was actually really nice to have something a little sweeter. The tofu was slightly difficult to handle with chopsticks as it was silken tofu - it almost fell apart when attempting to pick it up.
The thing that I loved most about the food and the environment at Ciscoe’s is that it had such a relaxed and chilled-out vibe. I could have spent hours nattering away to my partner whilst eating sushi and I never would have felt rushed.
Toilets
The toilets are immaculate and are accessible for all visitors.
Accessibility
The restaurant is accessible for everyone as it’s all one level throughout.
Service
The customer service was 10/10 here, they were so attentive and friendly.
Highlight
For me, it was the tender stem sushi and my partner will not stop going on about the miso soup.
Summary
Ciscoe’s was the perfect place to go to for a date night on a Saturday evening. The staff were attentive and I could have sat eating sushi all evening.
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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