One of the quirks of the Workshop is that you cannot book a table; they don't do reservations, you turn up and you chance your arm. We arrived before 7pm and the upstairs was already full to the brim, the downstairs however was completely empty and so we found ourselves a table. The slight downside of the cellar-cum-dining room is that it is a bit on the chilly side and smells a touch damp. However, to compensate for its atmospheric deficiencies, the downstairs of the Workshop ramps things up a notch with risqué design features, including various phallic and labial motifs, all tastefully done of course.
We returned to the bar and ordered our drinks - they serve some excellent U.S. craft beers including Anchor Steam on tap, so Mr Vegan Man plumped for this whilst Wife of the Vegan Man went for a Kraken spiced rum and Coke, a particular favourite of hers. Another unique feature of the Workshop is their impressively staunch refusal to have more than one copy of their food menu. The tapas menu is printed on a sheet of A4 paper and sits on the bar; the most popular tactic is for customers to take a snap on their smartphone so they can peruse the options at their leisure when they return to their tables and this is what we did. The Workshop specialises in mezze/tapas with a heavy bias towards vegetarian dishes, many of which are vegan, and a smattering of meaty and fishy options. They also do pizza - just the one variety with an option to add meat if desired - that is adored by many, though personally we prefer the mezze.
The small plates on offer have a distinctly Mediterranean and Middle Eastern vibe, although typically for the Workshop many of the dishes veer away from the traditional and have their own distinctive twist. For mezze/tapas plates, the portions here are very respectable and we find that five dishes to share is plenty. WOTVM was in the mood for something meaty and liked the sound of the mini kofte, Mr Vegan Man went for a dish of chargrilled broccoli with cashews and chilli as his choice. Compromise was reached on the remaining dishes - baked eggs and halloumi, hummus with a chilli paste topping (they also do a green topping, which is herby), and tahini baba ganoush. Some other favourites from previous visits include fava beans with dill, halloumi with spinach and pine nuts, and roasted aubergine. A warm baba ganoush with chargrilled vegetables was sorely tempting, as was a delightful-sounding cauliflower dish. Basically, if we could have ordered one of everything then we probably would have.
The hummus arrived first, only a few minutes before the remaining dishes, but such is the deliciousness of their chickpea dip that we had cleared the plate by the time the rest of our food arrived. The chilli paste was sharp and smoky and not overpoweringly hot. The texture of the hummus was superb and the slightly crisp flatbread it came with was a good accompaniment. WOTVM once famously described the Workshop hummus as 'to die for', much to the amusement of one of her good friends who instantly declared this to be the most middle class thing she'd ever heard. So good is their hummus that WOTVM didn't mind taking a light ribbing, which has only lasted for about two years (and counting).
The broccoli arrived next, followed in quick succession by the remaining dishes. The food was a treat for both the eyes and the taste buds. WOTVM loved her kofte, which were crispy yet succulent and beautifully presented, dotted on a bed of yoghurt dressing. Lamb is not something WOTVM gets to have often but she loves a well-made kofte and these were top drawer.
The baked eggs with halloumi was also tasty, although it was very heavy on the halloumi with a relatively thin covering of egg and perhaps a better balance would have been achieved with a higher egg to cheese ratio. This was not a huge issue, though, as we both like halloumi very much and the spicy, sweet, smoky sauce on top of the dish was a real treat and complimented the richness of the egg and cheese really well.
The baba ganoush was smoky and rich and came with a traditional Turkish bread with a crunchy sesame-topped crust and fluffy middle. The bread is divine (WOTVM is desperate to find a shop that sells it in Norwich) and was the perfect vehicle for the aubergine dip. We disagreed about the texture of the baba ganoush - Mr Vegan Man thought it could have been a little smoother and that the feel his the mouth was just a teeny little bit like frog spawn. WOTVM, however, liked the consistency and in any case neither of us were put us off, as we polished off the lot.
The broccoli was nice but was our least favourite dish and we'd plump for one of our other favourites instead of it next time we visit. The broccoli itself was lovely and fresh but a little too crunchy - a light blanch or steam for just a minute or two prior to chargrilling would have aided the texture. The red chilli lacked a little bit of kick too, which would have elevated the dish. The roasted cashews worked well, as did the tahini dressing, but overall we feel there are better options on the menu.
We stayed post-dinner for a second drink and were joined by two of WOTV's good friends. The Workshop is such a relaxed place that it's hard not to have a good time, whatever you go there for. It's great just for a few drinks with friends, although we love to eat here too. They also offer a range of delightful cakes and tarts and a selection of amazing hot drinks - some of their hot chocolates (the pistachio one in particular!) are worth travelling many, many miles for.
The bill for the food and four drinks came in at £48 and we felt we'd had a good feed for the money, as well as having a lovely evening overall. Somewhat fittingly, the Workshop seems to have rejected offering much of an online presence - aside from a rather neglected Facebook page - but no matter as you can't book in advance anyway and their menu is open to change.
The Workshop is a truly unique venue, not just for Norwich but for anywhere. Five years ago people would have described it as the sort of place you might expect to find in London, and depending on who said it (and in what tone) that could have been meant as a compliment or an insult. However, it's not the sort of place you find in London; it's the sort of place you find in Norwich - in fact we'd go so far as to say it's the sort of place you could only find in Norwich. It is quintessentially of the Fine City and, what's more, it is one of the places that makes Norwich such a great place to live in. If you've been, you will know exactly what we mean. If you've not been yet, what are you waiting for?
We'd love to hear what you think about the Workshop so please leave a comment below, or alternatively ping us an email.
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