The Everyday Review: Nala, Not Just Noodles
Last week, we were kindly invited to Nala, Not Just Noodles, on Whiteladies Road, Bristol, and wow do we have a lot to say.
As their name suggests, their menu has a wide selection, not just noodles. Each dish is inspired by distinct Southeast Asian flavours, from Chinese barbequed pork to Thai style curry pork chop and battered king prawns. But, as their name also suggests, their noodles really aren’t just noodles. Made fresh every day using local wheat, their noodles are bouncy, delicate and simply delicious. In the last year, Nala have fast become Clifton’s go to noodle bar and its easy to see why.
To start, we ordered a few side dishes: spicy stir-fried green beans, salt and pepper tofu, smacked cucumber, vegetable spring rolls and a warm lettuce salad doused in a homemade scallion oil.
The green beans are their true showstopper (sides-wise, of course). Coated in a nutty soybean paste and tossed with garlic, shallots, peanuts and chillies, they are beautifully vibrant and, importantly, moreish. The serving was generous, yet we could have easily eaten another bowl or two.
The salt and pepper tofu was a close second. The deep fried tofu is cooked so quickly and at such a high heat that it is bouncy, buttery soft and easily mistakable for silken tofu, while the batter is crispy and reminiscent of a classic salt and pepper chicken. It is the perfect mock of a meat without being a mock meat.
The cucumber salad is a light option and a palette cleanser, gently smacked, large pieces of cucumber, soaked in a white or rice wine vinegar. To keep the dish vegan, we opted to take out the fish sauce, but we reckon it would have balanced the tang and acidity of the vinegar.
If you were to only go for one salad, honestly, choose the warm lettuce salad. We think everyone should try a warm lettuce, at least once. The lettuce is doused in their homemade scallion oil and tastes surprisingly sweet. Cut into healthy, large hunks, the lettuce cooks down, meaning you easily bite into three or four layers with each bite. The way the lettuce wilts, you can easily fold and grab it with your chopsticks, no playing around.
Next, a giant twist on a classic, Nala’s vegetable spring rolls are a safe, comforting option. If accompanied by a main dish, one roll per guest would be perfect. They are also made to order, so you can guarantee they are freshly rolled and fried. Only their filling of napa cabbage and shitake mushroom is readily prepared.
Aside from their incredible food, Nala offer a wide range of drinks, from classic fizzy drinks, Asian beers and a rotation of speciality drinks. Of course, we had to go for their speciality iced teas: a Thai inspired lemongrass tea with puffed rice and a Hong Kong style tea with lemon. The first is delicate and floral with novel, toasted rice puffs that melt in the mouth. The second a more classic tasting iced tea, bitter and full-bodied with the strength of Chinese black tea.
Onto our mains, we went for three noodle dishes. The scallion oil tossed noodles, the mixed mushroom tossed noodles, and the braised tofu noodle soup to finish.
Our personal favourite, the scallion oil noodles, are glossy and topped with generous lashings of crispy scallions and shallots. The beansprouts and the fried toppings give the perfect bounce and bite to an otherwise very uniform and silky dish. If you love a classic chow mein then this dish is for you. Savoury, moreish and comforting. The kitchen even fried and cracked the leftover spring roll paper on top of the noodles, adding another delicious crunch.
Although another tossed noodle dish, the mixed mushrooms couldn’t have tasted more different. The noodles are coated in a thick, rich sauce that isn't so much glossy but almost viscous like it had been simmering for a good while. It is also surprisingly sweet, which is nicely balanced by the earthy, umami taste of the mushrooms.
The tofu noodle soup was the perfect end to our meal. We swapped the house broth for a vegan broth, which their staff kindly said could be done with all their soups. The vegan soup base is simple compared to the tossed noodles, milder and homely. Perfect for a cold day, the noodle soup is delicate and understated. When eaten soon after serving, the noodles have a soft bite back before softening. The braised tofu acts as the perfect vessel for the soup. Unlike the creamy inside of the salt and pepper tofu, the braised tofu is cut into big, textured slices that hold the soup between each crisped edge and fold. An incredible substitute to the pork or beef soup.
Overall, our meal was punctuated by so many different, thoughtful dishes, each with the intent to bring traditional Southeast Asian flavours to our plate.
Their menu is also incredibly affordable, almost all their main dishes are less than fifteen founds, and their lunch time deal of a main bowl, side dish and soft drink costs just shy of ten pounds. We cannot thank Nala’s team enough for their attentiveness and generosity.
Review by food editor of the Everyday Magazine, Amelia Ling
