Lack of Discipline. (Yakety Yak Tearoom. Harleston)

Yakety Yak Tearooms,

Harleston,

Opening times Mon-Sat 09:00-18:00,

Sun 10-16:00

After arranging a group cafe cycle ride for today I had been worried that the weather was going to be an issue as there had been much fog recently which, if repeated, would make cycling a bit too dangerous for my liking. I therefore got up early for a pitch inspection and was mighty relieved to see that the fog had gone and so I could declare that conditions were fit for cycling.

A couple of hours later I was joined at Race HQ (Cake Crusader Towers) by four cycling guests plus Chris (Mrs Crusader) meaning a large group of 6 set off south for our planned trip to Harleston. 

After two years of cafe cycling reviewing I have pretty much exhausted any unvisited cafes within a 15 mile radius of Race HQ so now have to go further a field to find somewhere new. So with a forty plus round trip required it was a good job we had perfect autumnal conditions as we made our way through the Norfolk countryside to today's venue Yakety Yak tearooms.

Perfect cycling conditions

It was an uneventful ride down and after negotiating the complicated Harleston one way system we found the Yakety Yak tearooms in a converted furniture shop. We locked our bikes and went inside.

Outside Yakety Yak tearoom pre bike locking

It had been themed in a 1940's and 50's style which reminded me of visiting my Grandmothers house when I was a child except here there was more cake, the central heating was on and it didn't smell of wee.

1940's and 50's theme

First we went to the tearoom counter to check out the cake selection. It was a very good selection with a good number and variety of cakes, of particular interest was the white chocolate and beetroot sponge cake. I therefore awarded a high effective cake selection (ECS) rating.

Excellent cake selection

I spotted one of the cakes available was coffee and walnut so was pleased that Mick (renowned coffee and walnut cake expert) was one of my cycling guests today. However before any of us had had a chance to order Mick was already sitting down and had started to eat some fruit cake. I was very unhappy, not only was he trying a cake he clearly wasn't qualified in but was eating it before I had taken the compulsory cakes and drink photo. I had no option but quietly to take him to one side making it clear that this sort of behaviour was not acceptable and he needed to get with the programme if he was going to be invited to be one of my cycling guests in future. He assured me it wouldn't happen again and to prove he was fully onside ordered a second cake, coffee and walnut obviously.

With discipline restored the rest of us could get on with cake and drink selecting. On the drinks front Yakety Yak Tearoom has put the emphasis on tea with 18 types of loose leaf available. Unfortunately I always have hot chocolate and my cycling guests were all coffee drinkers were the options were more limited being only filter, instant or instant decaf but surprisingly, for a 1940s themed tearoom, no camp coffee. 

When it came to cake myself and Jenny, not surprisingly, went for the white chocolate and beetroot, Chris (Mrs Crusader) for toffee cake and Andy carrot cake. I also had a cheese scone as part of my continuing cheese scone serving temperature research (this one came correctly warmed). 

Then, to my horror, Roberta asked for a toasted tea cake. I immediately explained to Roberta that a toasted tea cake is not actually a cake but a sweet bread. Normally when a cycling guest does this my explanation is enough to restore order but with unheard of insubordination she sarcastically pointed out that the clue was in the name and it was therefore clearly a cake. Again this left me with no option but to quietly take her to one side to point out that no higher authority than Wikipedia describes a tea cake as a light yeast-based sweet bun containing dried fruit, typically served toasted and buttered and you wouldn't toast and butter a slice of Victoria sponge cake would you. Point proved I said she could have her tea cake but would not be playing any further part in cake reviewing activities today.

Cakes, including half eaten fruit cake, ready to try

With discipline once again restored we returned to the table to try our drinks and cakes (for those of us not having fruit bread). We all thought the white chocolate and beetroot cake was exceptionally and Mick really liked his fruit cake as well. However I was more interested to see a master at work and listen to Mick's exceptional reviewing skills and knowledge on the subject of coffee and walnut. He tried some and we waited with bated breath for his opinion which he expertly described as fine but not as good as the fruit cake. However overall it was a high all round cake taste quality (CTQ) score.

When it came to drinks I liked the hot chocolate which was nice and strong but my cycling guests thought the coffee decent but not exceptional.

Tray of coffee

Overall Yakety Yak tearoom was a good cycling stop and worth a visit for the excellent cake especially if you are a tea drinker.

I was pleased that I was able to at least maintain cycling discipline on the way back as we successfully returned in one piece but I will be providing clear printed cycling guest guidelines, roles and responsibilities on all future rides. 

Scores

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
7.0	6.0	8.5	7.5	5.5	6.80

Map of route


Click here to down load 43 mile Norwich Harleston loop GPX file for your GPS