27-28 October, 2021
Krish found a restaurant and we went there late. It was in a very modern commercial building – in fact, I almost felt like I was back in Toronto. Had a totally Yorkshire-themed dinner other than a maple syrup bourbon cocktail, elote (poorly done but edible) and some beetroot. We had Yorkshire fish cake, Henderson’s relish steak and ale pie (yep, Krish strikes again) and two desserts – Yorkshire pudding with ice cream and salted caramel sauce and a Liquorice Allsorts milk Jelly. Yay.
Here’s my hungryonion review:
Sheffield on the whole turned out to be somewhat of a letdown for dining. I definitely need to find some local recommendations – came up empty this time, but we’re certain we will go again. We did, however, have one decent (and in parts lovely) meal at The Furnace, which is by its own description: ’ …a melting pot, forged from the elements that make our city unique. Where industrial heritage, meets modern design. Where local ingredients are cast into new, imaginative menus.’ What I expected was Yorkshire fare with a modern twist and I got it. The Furnace is in the regenerated modern centre, a light and airy interior. They sat us in a booth and I squeezed myself in.
We shared a cocktail. We aren’t big drinkers. This was a smoked maple bourbon. Pretty and quite delicious. The little smoking stick was cool.
We had a starter of Yorkshire fishcake. It was like a crispy fishcake with a layer of fish in the centre. I really liked it. It was served with a fried egg and some tartare sauce. Again, we shared. We always share a full meal between us – usually with two starters but this time we stuck with just one. Fish cake had been on my list so that one’s done, and I would do it again.
The main course was a Henderson’s Relish steak and potato pie. The famously local relish is like Worcestershire Sauce but no fishy component. I had tried it the previous day and thought it tasted like sherry vinegar with a hint of heat. Not as special as I’d hoped but the pie was decent enough. The meat could have been more tender and there could have been more of it, but we dug in. I added extra Henderson’s – well, I had to really, to get into the Yorkshire spirit. Not only that but the server was so enthusiastic about it. Do you want some more Henderson’s Relish with that that, she asked gleefully, winking at me as if to say, of course you do. How could you not?
We had two sides. One was elote, the other a coal roasted beetroot salad. Neither is worth a re-order or a photo. Not nasty but no.
Not having had two starters, we opted for two desserts. The server had asked us, If you want a recommendation, the creme brulee is amazing. When she came back to ask what we wanted I said, I’m going to have to disappoint you, but the creme brulee just don’t fit in with the Yorkshire theme. We ordered Yorkshire pudding with ice cream and salted caramel sauce, and a Liquorice Allsorts milk pudding. I loved the Allsorts pudding. It was like a panna cotta, so quite light, and it definitely aced the Liquorice Allsorts flavour. I could eat two! The Yorkshire pudding would have been perfect if it were hot and had a hot sauce too but it was still very enjoyable.
No coffee for us. A good meal served by friendly servers who we could joke with. We were the last people to leave. Nice one.
Henderson’s relish, as I found out the day before, tastes mostly like vinegar with a hint of chili so, while originally high on my list, I didn’t buy a bottle. Oh well. I also meant to go see the old Henderson’s factory, which was on the tram route and is affectionately called Hendo’s, but I ran out of steam and leg power.
You can lick the screen now for the food pics.
You’re welcome. We walked back a different way, making our way along some hoarding, which told us this newer area was still being built. After having had a cocktail and our first decent meal, we had a later night and slept well.
The next morning we had opted for breakfast in the hotel so that we didn’t waste time looking for somewhere during our final hours in Sheffield. I didn’t hold up much hope for a good breakfast but at least a reliable one that would send us away not needing much lunch. Krish always thinks we will get up in the morning and go out and have breakfast and explore, then come back to the hotel and pack to check out. Wrong! This never happens. We always get up and have a lazy morning, enjoying being warm and the rest, then pack and check out at the last possible minute.
We went down to breakfast and it was sadly and also predictably pathetic. The hot food laid out in piles – I mean like fried eggs piled on top of each other so definitely a little hard, the sausages barely touched by the griddle (anemic rubbery things), overdone salty bacon, some cold and also not tasting cooked black pudding, some cold hashbrowns, and three cauldrons – one with gloopy baked beans, one with hot tinned mushrooms and one with … um… I have no idea what it was! the grilled tomato was nice. The toaster didn’t work. There were three cereals but I don’t eat it. The cold option was some salami, but no fork to serve it with. there was cheap orange juice, a frothy something – maybe apple juice? The tea and coffee wasn’t served fresh at the table. It was from a machine or there was a thermos with hot water for some tea. No table service, no welcome, nothing. but we ate enough to not be hungry and we left. There were also two dogs in the dining room – i don’t like this. Apologies to the dog lovers, but I’d rather the dogs stay in their room with one person willing to stay with them and eat at a different time. Anyway, it was it was, and also as expected so – done!
We checked out and went to the Winter Garden and then to the Sheffield makers’ shop, where we didn’t feel very welcome, and the Millenium Gallery. We didn’t linger. I wasn’t in the mood. We walked over to find some graffiti, but my legs were really sore and we didn’t get far. At least I was able to get some photos.
We found the old part of The Moor shopping centre – the older type market with the little kiosk stalls. It reminded me of Cardiff, and actually most of these town market centres. I sat and waited while Krish wandered around.
Then I suggested we check out a part of town we hadn’t seen yet – Ecclesall road, and Sharrowvale. It was 1:30pm and our train was at 3:37 and suddenly that sounded like not such a very good idea after all when we didn’t have a clue how to get there or what we were doing. We ditched the idea in favour of making it our first stop next time. Instead we wandered around south of the main road where our hotel was. We found a lot of repurposed ‘works’ down there and some old houses that were quite fascinating and then everything gave way to student housing (new or in very old buildings) and an old speedway type road before everything looked pretty industrialised as we got closer to the railway track. I hoped we would stumble on a student café, but nothing. Everything seemed closed and there wasn’t much foot traffic.
I told Krish to go enjoy himself, pick up the case and meet me at the station twenty mins before the train. Off he went and I started looking for a snack and a hot chocolate, my legs giving out by then. There was a hot chocolate shortage (none anywhere), I don’t drink tea before train journeys, and I’m off coffee. Hmm. Then i found a convenience store with some machine hot chocolate, grabbed a bag of popcorn, and looked for somewhere to sit. Inside Sheffield station there are no seats. NONE. unless you are sitting at one of the cafes that didn’t have my drink so i sat outside in the cold and wind and waited. I had a lovely but unintelligible chat with a drunk or stoned homeless man who was clutching a £20 note. i told him I’m not from here, I’m sorry I don’t understand your accent, and I’m sorry i have no money on me. What are you going to spend your twenty on? he just blinked at me, slurred some more words and left. Hmmm. Then Krish arrived and we caught the train.
Au revoir, Sheffield. We’re hoping to return.
All the Sheffield blog links:
Sheffield (part one) – A long-awaited exploration – Arriving
Sheffield (part two) – Kelham Island mostly
Sheffield (part three)- An evening out and the next morning – Leaving
Sheffield (part four) – All the street art