From heavenly halloumi to tender lamb, you can now enjoy authentic Turkish food on your doorstep at newly-opened Norwich shisha bar and restaurant Palm Tree.
Food
Palm Tree opened in Dereham Road in July and I decided to visit with my partner after our friend went and said how much he loved the food.
While I have never been to Turkey, it is one my favourite cuisines and I was already a big fan of city spots like Haggle and The Mediterranean.
We visited early on a Friday evening and were greeted by a giant neon green sign and a marquee outside, which is where people can smoke shisha.
Neither of us were interested in that and we were seated inside the restaurant, which was a complete contrast with Instagram-friendly flower walls and velvet sofas.
The dishes are designed to be shared, with a range of hot and cold mezzes and platters available alongside the mains.
To start we ordered hummus and flatbreads (£3.50), grilled halloumi (£4), falafels (£4) and chicken wings (£5).
All were served in large portions, particularly the halloumi which were golden brown bricks of bliss with a pillowy soft centre.
As my boyfriend has a dairy allergy I had to eat them all myself - what a shame!
The barbecued chicken wings had a fiery kick and a good amount of meat on the bone.
The pool of hummus was smooth and packed with flavour from tahini, lemon juice and olive oil and we scooped it up and slathered it on the flatbreads.
The falafels were delicious and well seasoned, though the outer shell could have been a bit softer as it was quite a thick crust.
For our main we went for the Palm Tree Pan Platter for two people (£25), which came with chopped lamb and chicken, roasted aubergine and courgette, tomato, red onion and potato, served with salad and chips or rice.
As the rice is pre-prepared with butter, my boyfriend couldn't eat it so we had half rice and half chips.
The mountain of tender meat chunks was served in a pan with plenty of herbs, with the lamb especially tasty, and it was a great comfort food dish on a cold and rainy Friday evening.
The chips were crunchy and the colourful rice was well cooked.
I couldn't enjoy the salad as much as I detest cucumber, but the tomatoes were lovely - it would have been good to have a few leaves too.
Setting
It is located just a short walk from the city centre and around lots of great drinking spots if you fancy making an evening of it, including The Reindeer and The Bowling House.
Value
Fantastic value for money with starters from £3.50 to £5.50 and mains are very reasonable too - it cost £45.50 for all our food and two Coca Colas.
Drinks
We just had soft drinks, but there is a range of cocktails, including an Espresso Martini and Mojito.
Accessibility
It is a ground level restaurant so access should be fine.
Service
The staff were friendly and I could tell they enjoyed working there.
Highlight
The hot and cold mezzes were fantastic and it felt like I was on holiday.
In summary
A real hidden gem, offering some of the best Turkish food in Norwich at really affordable prices.
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.
If you like that, try these:
1. Haggle, Norwich
Perfect for a date night, special occasion or just to treat yourself, Haggle serves top notch Turkish food with an open kitchen so you can see it all being cooked on the charcoal barbecue.
2. Turkuaz, Diss
This family-run restaurant in the centre of Diss serves authentic Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine.
3. Mr Mangal, Norwich
Also located in Dereham Road, Mr Mangal offers a range of hot and cold mezzes, grilled kebabs and wraps to eat-in or takeaway.
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