Tasty House, Norwich Market

 

The picture above is Cambodian Noodle Soup, served by the wonderful ladies at Tasty House Norwich, with a beautifully pungent spoonful of kimchi. A real mix of Asian tastes, textures and colours that completely lifted a hurried lunch at my desk with a nourishing, flavourful flourish.

 

This soup had a warm, gently spiced scent, that floated up to my nostrils on a cloud of creamy coconut. Sweet white crabmeat nestled between delicate noodles and crunchy fresh beansprouts, with a cheeky sprinkle of peanut to finish.

 

My very first mouthful of Cambodian cuisine was uniquely fresh and savoury flavour, from lemongrass, galangal and garlic. Soothing turmeric yellow helped to give it a sense of being a cheerful  bowl of sunshine on an otherwise drizzly Norfolk day.

 

The hearty serving of kimchi on the side burst with spicy, salty, sour flavour and popped against the noodles with a fiery, chilli red colour.

 

As I licked my spoon and got back to work, I couldn’t help but reflect on what a special culinary education this dish represented; I like that Norwich market is able to provide such variety of different dishes from different cultures and countries. And I love that the women who work so hard to put these authentic, dishes together are so generous in their desire to share the magic of their culinary heritage.

 

… and whatever you do, don’t forget to stock up on speciality snacks and ingredients at The Orient Express Asian Mini Market while you’re here!

 

Visit http://www.orexnorwich.co.uk for more information about The Orient Express Asian Mini Market in the heart of Norwich City Centre. Visit The Orient Express and Tasty House on Norwich Market, Row H.

My First Ever Blog Post…

… let’s get stuck in and talk about today’s lunch!

 

The picture above is of a delicious Burmodian Chicken Curry from Tasty House on Norwich Market. Head to the middle of Row H and let a taste of Asia warm you up on a chilly Autumnal day. A curry like this is the most comforting of companions.

 

Silky, spicy coconut broth seeps lovingly into your rice and soothes your senses as you bite into tender chicken and juicy, sweet pineapple. Nourishing and tasty; this is pure soul food. You can almost feel your batteries charging up as you eat. I enjoyed mine, perched on one of the benches above the Undercroft; coat zipped up and hands gradually warming through, against the plastic takeaway box. Balancing my food on my knees, I watched the pigeons while I savoured every morsel.

 

While you’re deciding what you want from the Tasty House menu (changing daily but always including veggie and vegan options), you could easily be forgiven for losing yourself for quite some time in the sister stalls opposite; The Orient Express and its extension The Orient Express 2. Between these two stalls, which are filled to the brim with genuine, authentic fresh, frozen and store cupboard Asian ingredients, you can immerse yourself even further into an exciting and colourful food adventure with some expert guidance from the friendly and helpful team.

 

This gem of Norwich Market is not just special for its wonderful freshly cooked food. It also seems to magically host its own busy, diverse little community where hungry strangers come together. Whether it’s people who desire a taste of home and familiarity, or those, like me, who come for inspiration and to try something new; everyone leaves with a smile and a full belly or shopping bag.

 

A main course dish with a side of rice costs under a £5 so it really is a good value lunchtime treat. If you want to splash out a bit more, add on a delicious Thai Iced Tea and some spicy, salty and sour Papaya salad. Take away or sit down and eat at the stall and enjoy watching the world as it passes by…

 

… and whatever you do, don’t forget to stock up on speciality snacks and ingredients at The Orient Express Asian Mini Market while you’re there!

 

Tasty House is quickly becoming one of my favourite places to eat in the City Centre, so watch this space for many more lunch reviews here, as I munch my way through their wide range of dishes and share the joy with you along the way. 

 

Visit http://www.orexnorwich.co.uk for more information about The Orient Express Asian Mini Market in the heart of Norwich City Centre.