London Trip

A month ago I visited my good friend Louise in Brixton. I'd never seen Brixton before and it was like a completely different city! I loved the multicultural, laid back people with their eccentric clothes and the fact that there were markets all over the place. Brixton village is amazing! Rows of tiny cafes and restaurants all full with people enjoying dishes from all over the world, each of them quirky and with defining character and individuality.
After a very colourful party with awesome costumes, friendly folk and not much sleep, I headed out to explore. My first stop was the closest cafe. It just happened to serve one of my favourite drinks - vanilla chai latte AND they had almond milk!! It was liquid heaven and rid me of any hangover. I watched the browsers and shoppers of the market as I supped my hot cup of comfort.

Brixton market under the bridge

Inside Brixton village.

 Next I met up with another friend, Simon and we went for some food in Brixton village. I had a spicy scrambled egg breakfast with plantain which was exciting and unusual.

Camden lock market

 Once I was hungry again, later in the day I visited Camden lock. I found a stall that served these beautiful white corn rolls filled with shredded chicken, guacomole and more plantain!

 More exploring = hungry again so popped into this vegan and gluten free bakery near Camden. They had a rockabilly style and various awards so I tried their peanut butter chocolate chip cookie which was super sweet but tasty. It lasted me three days!

Vegan gluten free peanut butter chocolate chip cookie

 A bit more exploring of Camden with the owners of numerous stalls thrusting samples of their food on a stick outwards towards passers by. I also browsed the clothes stores. I love the unique style of some of the clothing and the fact you can haggle down prices

 Last stop was the incredible InSpiral lounge. The atmosphere and vibe here is great. They're big on ethical food, everything is vegan and most of it is raw. They host dj nights and open late, makes me sad that there is nothing like this in Sheffield. I had the raw pumpkin pie which was light and festively spiced.

Canal with InSpiral lounge on the right

Camden

Already I miss the excitement and activity that London has to offer. Sheffield feels so un-happening in comparison. I do love Sheffield though, it's my home after all and I have so many things to be grateful for here.

Next trip is Scotland!! See you soon readers x

Pure on Raw - Restaurant Review

Being a "health freak"-yes some people have actually used that phrase to describe me- I've dabbled in the raw preparation of food and it's something I'm a fan of so when Pure on Raw opened up, I couldn't wait to try it out. Eating food in it's freshest natural state ensures all nutrients are retained in the dish, so it's much healthier. Adding that most recipes avoid using refined carbs and sugars makes it even better and perfect for the health conscious.
I am intolerant to lactose and gluten intolerant so eating out can be very tricky.
These are a couple of reasons why I was incredibly excited to try this restaurant out..I'd be able to eat everything!

It was grey and rainy and I was searching Shalesmoor, outside of town when I saw it. From the outside it kind of looks like those protein muscle powder shake stores with it's bright pink banner and bold font that promises you can lose weight by eating here. I thought that was a bit off putting. Inside it's light and more clean with white walls and wicker lampshades. There are numerous health boosting food items for sale such as kale chips, agave syrup and raw virgin coconut oil plus pamphlets about vegans, the danger of vitamin pills plus details about the restaurant, you get the picture.

pure on raw, menu

 It took a while for the server to talk to me as she was on the phone chatting away for a few minutes, I didn't mind but it's not something I would ever do if someone walked into the cafe where I worked.
She pointed to a menu, still on the phone which I looked at. After her conversation with her phone friend, she talked me through what they had. I was impressed to see they make their own almond milk on site. I was slightly disappointed to see that they had regular "cooked" items on the menu such as banana pancakes and ciabatta sandwiches. So I couldn't eat everything. I still had plenty of choice though.

I started off with an almond milk hot chocolate whilst I waited for my friends. It was pretty good. Once my friends arrived we chatted, listened to the 90's pop classics they were playing which brought back memories (shola ama and sixpence non the richer). Rosie had a carrot, nut milk, banana and cinnamon smoothie which was almost as big as her and mike drank a cappucino with cold healthy coffee and something else, he said it was very sweet. Rosie loved her smoothie though.

Rosie with her carrot smoothie

About twenty minutes later our food arrived and the presentation was beautiful. I must admit, I've never had a cold soup in September before but once I tasted it, it was so full of flavour. It was actually one of the best soups I've ever eaten. The little "pizza" buckwheat squares with cashew cheese and nut loaf topping were really tasty too. Plus I also had my first ever kale crisps which I enjoyed more than regular crisps as I'm not much of a fan of those.

soup and "pizza"

 Rosie gave me some of her sweet pepper "pasta" which was light and also flavour packed. After I finished my main, I quickly ordered some of the mocha pie with clementine ice cream before my body registered it was full.

vegetable pasta

That dessert was seriously one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. It was silky and rich, without being sickly and that ice cream was just beautiful. This whole meal more than made up for the dodgy sign and phone greeting!

raw mocha pie with clemetine ice cream

I can't wait to go back here again. I love their food so much, it's a shame that they are in the middle of nowhere really otherwise I think they'd do really well. I stuffed my face, ate way more than my friends and didn't feel bloated or heavy at all. I felt so energised that I walked around town for a bit then all the way home. Total bill came to £16 which isn't bad for a guilt-free treat. If anyone thinks vegan food is boring then I would love to introduce them to this restaurant. I would eat anything off their menu over a steak any day. They also open Friday and Saturday nights which makes me happy.

Food 10/10
Service 7/10
Value 8/10

Eating out for less in Sheffield

Sheffield is full of places to eat, good and bad, cheap and pricey. On here I mostly talk about the good but today I'm sharing just a few of the great AND cheap bargain food and drink to be found in Sheffield. This list is mainly focused on places around nether edge, sharrow and town because they are the areas I spent 90% of my time. If you know any others please add a comment and share them with us! All food listed is fresh and made on the premises, no processed packaged food included!

For people wanting a colourful box of flavour packed healthiness then Fanoush offers a falafel salad box for £3.50. Not just any salad either - they have their own pickled turnip, a variety of hummus to choose from and delicious sauces including mango pickle and tahini. Freshly cooked falafel makes this a really satisfying meal. You can also add halloumi, cauliflower or aubergine for slightly extra. Available in City centre or London road.

If you fancy lunch on London road then Pho 68 has a great deal on lunch - a massive plate of delicious and fresh vietnamese food plus fresh fruit for dessert for only £5.90. There is a limited selection if you're veggie but the meat options are very good indeed.

Those after a hot, quick meal should head to Zoobys in the winter garden and get a home made soup for only £2! Great after a look around graves art gallery. Head down the escalator for a take away drink for only £1. You can sit outside and there is free wifi!

You'd be hard pushed to find a cheap meal in Sheffield city centre right? Wrong! Breakfast at The Blue Moon Cafe is a bargain- just today I had the softest scrambled egg with mushroom and fried potato, a perfect portion size for me PLUS a loose leaf mint tea for just £5. It wasn't on the menu but because I don't eat wheat (scrambled egg on toast there is just over £3), they were falling over themselves to offer up alternatives. You do not get service like that everywhere I guarantee that.

If you're feeling knowledgable then get yourself down to The Cremorne where you can enter the weekly quiz which includes a free bowl of rice and curry at the end for only 50p! Yes, actually 50 pence. Cheaper than the price of quizzes alone at some places. Every Monday night on London road

Love chai lattes? You are not alone, unfortunately you will struggle to find one that isn't at one of the large coffee chains and that wont set you back around £4 depending on the location. Feast on Chapel Walk offers chai latte for £1.85. They also have a selection of cakes for only £1 a piece.

For those who love a bit of spice then you'd be hard pushed to find a better meal then at Khushi on London rd. Fresh authentic Pakistani food ranging from on the bone lamb curries to saag aloo and chana dahl, plus a selection of naan and rice, salads and dips. To start you can enjoy the best masala fish I've tasted or huge bhajis, tandoori chicken wings and sheesh kebab. For as much as you can eat you only pay £7.99. Save your hunger and stuff your face here, no one will judge you. If you are lucky then you'll find sweet vermicelli pudding garnished with nuts. Its like a hug in your mouth.

Sweet toothed folk can rejoice with the fresh home made wide selection of cakes including at least one vegan option at Steel City Cakes, London rd. Any huge cake PLUS any hot drink including smooth lattes and hot chocolates for only £2.50. Thats cheaper than the price of just cake at most places!

So there you have it, my selection of tasty and fresh food at a wallet friendly price. Please add your favourite budget eateries, I'd love to hear them.

Urban Choola Restaurant Review

Urban Choola has been open just three weeks. As soon as I saw the sign I was intrigued. This cosy little spot has been host to many restaurants / cafe's over the years, Amigos and Bohans are the previous two and I enjoyed eating at both of them. Amigos has moved furthur down London road to a bigger and shinier venue. I've no idea what happened to Bohans but their vegetarian breakfast sandwiches rid me of many a hangover.

The theme for this place is Indian street food, once inside you can see this reflected on the exposed brick walls - colourful prints illustrating various people enjoying street food in India.

The menu is short, a good sign and has sections such as "small bites", "all time favourites" and "tandoori and the grill". I order chicken masala dosa, lamb seekh kebab for my mum and masala chicken wings.

A short while later my wings arrived on their own, so me and my mum ended up sharing them. They were accompanied by "khacumber" salad which consisted of chopped carrot, cabbage, lemon, red onion and fresh coriander. This was nice and seen as they'd salted the onions, they weren't too pungent, as raw onions usually are.
There was also a coriander lime dressing and the nine wings were covered in a thick tasty marinade.

The dosa and kebab arrived ten minutes after we'd finished the wings. My mum's masala fries which accompanied her kebab were so good! I could have eaten all those but she wouldn't have been happy about that. My dosa was tangy from the fermented lentils in the batter, with a rich masala filling and chunky chicken breast pieces. The chicken was dry, which is typical of authentic Asian chicken dishes. Some people might object to this overcooking of chicken but I ate chicken like this when I was growing up so this is how I personally prefer it.

 

It doesn't take much persuasion for me to agree to share a gujwa halwa (carrot pudding) with Ma.
Warm, sweet and buttery, with flavours of cardamon and almond, this pudding evokes lovely memories of my childhood. Didn't manage to snap a pic of this as we were almost finished it before I realised. It basically looks like a squishy orange pulp, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! What it lacks in appearance it makes up for in taste though. I'll be back again for their delicious sounding creme brulee with a twist.
Our meal, with a pepsi, came to £20.20



Food - 8/10
Service - 9/10
Value - 9/10

Noodle Inn Review

I feel as though I haven't written an actual review of a restaurant for ages. Don't get me wrong, I've eaten out a fair few times, but I've just been visiting the same places I always go, and have reviewed many times.

Sheffield is currently experiencing an amazingly beautiful heatwave. The last time I was able to go outdoors in just a vest and yet still remain warm, I was in China. It's probably due to this reason that I've been craving Chinese food, particularly black bean aubergine...I can't remember the name of this dish so I quickly searched google. This result is a variation but I'm mainly sharing it as the English translation made me giggle. "people should not eat the weak stomach cold old eggplant".

Inside the restaurant they have a huge pillar aquarium complete with large fish and a wide screen TV which was showing you've been framed complete with subtitles. They also have a section with descriptions and history of different types of noodles. Other clientèle include mainly families. One of which is Indian with a curious toddler. There are also few young couples and an older sunburnt and dazed couple.

I also chose salt and pepper tofu as a starter. My family went for a set menu. I washed this down with a refreshing lemon iced tea.

The tofu was, without doubt the best tofu I have ever eaten. It was crunchy, spongy, salty and spicy. Everything you'd want from a lump of bean curd. My family has crispy duck with pancakes. I stole a pancake and filled it with a couple of chunks of tofu and garnished with the leek, cucumber and plum sauce. It was a nice combination! 

Soon a wave of massive plates of food arrived on our table: Crispy sweet and sour chicken, beef in sizzling sauce, king prawns, egg fried rice, cooked lettuce with a dark sauce and my black bean aubergine on a bed of fluffy white rice.

I was already salivating, even though the tofu was rather filling. I greedily scooped mine into my small bowl and plucked out a strip of shiny aubergine with my chopsticks. It was silky and tender and exactly like how I remembered it from China. This pleased me very much, clearly as I  filled up my bowl twice more and happily munched my way through the perfectly cooked rice and rich savoury sauce. The rice was tender the grains had just the right amount of clingy-ness.

My family made various comments in regards to how fantastic their food was too.

They end their meal with complimentary ice cream. I buy two scoops of Yeekwan's mango sorbet. If you read my last post you'll understand my immense love of this fruit and this sorbet does not disappoint.

The menu for all four of us was £57, with drinks. If I ate this in China, the bill wouldn't be more than £15 worth of Yuan. But then I probably would eat all my meals there and be vastly overweight so it's probably best saved for the occasional treat!

To sum it all up, check this establishment out for some delicious and authentic Chinese food! 

Food - 10/10

Service - 9/10

Value - 8/10

Lunch on London Road...Fanoush and Cake R us Reviews!

The weather was deceptively cold. Glorious sunshine but bloody freezing!
This could have been due to the fact that I'm at optimum warmth around 10% of the time. Also I have to remember, this is England, we get a handful of days per year where I'm comfortable enough to leave the coat at home, often only to be caught in some freak hail storm a couple of hours later.

London road - watch out for that rain cloud!

My first stop was Fanoush. Minimal decor inside, one wall displays the menu, the other wall holds an array of upcoming Sheffield nights out, gig dates and even a poster I handed in earlier in the month for my charity cake auction!

glorious salads

The salad bar is adventurous and exciting. There's beetroot, olives, two types of hummus and loads more. You can forget your token limp lettuce supplied with a dodgy kebab from most of the eateries around here. This colourful entourage has salivating in anticipation.

I choose a fanoush wrap with extra halloumi. 10 inches of it! I get a mix of all the salads except tomatoes and onions (not too keen on those raw) and spicy hummus, tahini sauce and mango pickle!

I'd spent three hours climbing and another rummaging through piles of clothes at a clothing exchange so my ravenous-ness was perfectly understandable.
I chose a carrot and orange juice to help ease the monstrosity into my gut.
That first bite confirms what I already knew. It's beautiful. A harmony of flavours from the nutty falafel to the spicy hummus and creamy tahini. Contrasting textures make each mouthful satisfying and leaves me wanting more. Crunchy cabbage, dense falafel and squeaky halloumi. Wow and the mango pickle just joined the party in my mouth. This is amazing.
If anyone thinks vegetarian food is dull, hand them one of these. I'd eat this over a steak at every single opportunity. It's practically all my favourite foods rolled together in a nice warm wrap! How can it not be perfect?

Stomach almost satisfied, I head to cake r us for pudding. As I walk in the friendly assistant instantly recognises me and tells me about their newest recipe - sesame seed puffs as she's remembered I'm lactose intolerant and they're milk-free. Plus wife cakes - my favourite- have just been made. I've got to eat quickly before my stomach realises the vast amount of grub I've already consumed and locks the gate.

I go for both, partly out of politeness and partly because I'm plain greedy.
The wife cake is still warm from the oven. The pastry is flaky, perfect for getting all over your scarf, trousers, hair, everywhere. Good  job I don't mind getting messy.
Secluded within the flaky pastry is the soft opaque filling. Apparently this is melon flavoured but that flavour isn't really jumping out at me. To be fair, no distinct flavour is. Only this vaguely fruity, bland gloop, but that's what makes it special.
It's comforting, like a freshly laundered duvet cover. It wraps around your tongue and makes you happy.

Onto the sesame puff. Denser pastry holds a thick, rich and almost cocoa like, nutty sesame seed filling. It's claggy is reminiscent of peanut butter. It's smokey and slightly bitter. Can't finish it though as my stomach has finally closed the hatch. I don't think I'll physically be able to stand up if I eat another bite.

I'd also recommend the bubble tea here. It's the only place in Sheffield as far as I'm aware that sells it and its an interesting experience, plus its delicious. I'm yet to brave the preserved egg puff. I don't think it's going to happen though. I wasn't tempted in shanghai, I doubt I'll be able to stomach facing the challenging snack over here.

They also do delicious fresh cream cakes!

A variety of Chinese snacks

Super cute faces!!

Delicious whole cakes made to order.

I hope you enjoyed my double feature! I'll be updating my blog more frequently now, so please follow me by clicking the link on the right hand side, or just check back often.

Thanks for reading.

La Mama Review

La mama


Last week was my Mum's birthday. This called for celebration! So off we went in search of something tasty.

As we walked down London road, I spotted La mama. I'd never been in here before, but at the eat Sheffield awards on Monday night they won 'favourite European' restaurant so I reckoned they'd be good enough for my Ma.

So in we went, me, my mum and my little sister. A friendly lady greeted us and showed us to a table by the window. I was rather surprised to see we were the only ones in, but it was around 2pm and I guess there is a chance we'd missed the lunchtime rush.

We ordered 6 tapas from their special 'happy hour' menu. The décor is what you'd expect from a tapas place: yellow walls, tiny guitars, maracas and their eat Sheffield award hung proudly amongst various other European inspired decorations.
Soon enough out came the food.

The tapas were well presented and each one had great flavour and you could tell they were home made.

The patatas bravas were crunchy with a fluffy centre and coated in a spicy tomato sauce.

The tortilla was nice and chunky. The rice was well flavoured and enjoyed very much by my sister. I enjoyed the pumpkin fritters and their accompanying green chilli and coriander salsa very much, although not as much as I enjoyed the baked aubergine and goats cheese, a nice twist on the traditional Italian melanzana parmigiana.

The mushrooms were as they read on the menu: garlicky and white wine-ey but at (cost) for 7, I felt they were a little pricey.

Tapas are all about small portions though, I suppose.

We mopped up all the juices with some house bread which was average and had been drizzled with some very very good olive oil.

Next came the desserts which I was looking forward to. We decided to share chilli chocolate cake and a banoffee pie. The banoffee looked delicious but I only got to taste a tiny bit of the sauce as it was way too creamy for me, being lactose intolerant.

My mum and sister savoured it, each mouthful accompanied by a different moan of pleasure and facial expression to match.

I had some of the chocolate cake. It was nice but I was expecting a dark, glossy sauce and dense chocolatey sponge. This however was light and with a weak sauce.

Don't get me wrong, it was nice but I am one hell of a tough critic when it comes to cakes and this didn't really fit the bill for me.

The important thing was my mum enjoyed herself and the food was overall very good.

The bill came to £34.65.

I'll probably be back as they have live music nights and I'm pleased to have found a quality tapas restaurant so close to home!


Food – 7/10

Service – 9.5/10

Value – 7/10

Café # 9

Today is the first day of two and a half weeks off work. As I'm not going away during this time I decided to visit the only place in Sheffield I can think of where you can go inside and feel like you're a million miles away - Café # 9.

I do prefer to stay in the more suburban areas when I'm in the mood for reading and procrastinating whilst enjoying my food. I'm not sure why.. maybe its because a lot of city centre places are usually full of people nipping out of work for a quick coffee or lunch and as such, you generally tend to feel rather rushed and not able to fully relax, never-mind read a book!

I ordered my food then proceeded to walk slowly around the place, taking in the surroundings. There are so many fascinating things to look at, from the vast range of foreign currency stuck to the walls to various paintings, including a man with a turban and one of the café itself, being visited by Darth Vader..

According to a faded newspaper clipping, this was a favorite hang out for the late John Peel. I'm not surprised as the music playing is kind of a mix between Kate Bush and Joanna Newsom but even more bizzare.

My brunch arrives - a simple beans on toast washed down with a cup of tea.
Wait! Don't go just yet, I can assure you I'm didn't write this post to review their beans on toast.
I'm merely revisiting an old favourite hangout that happens to sell food. The menu isn't huge: a few cakes, toasted sandwiches and bagels. They also do amazing milkshakes - a must for a hot summers day if you're in the area.

I could take endless photos of the decor but half the fun is coming down and discovering it for yourself.
Café # 9 is full of eclectic charm and I'm sure I'll visit many more times in the future!


Thanks for reading.

Yuen Shan...again

I first visited Yuen Shan last year. That review can be read here.

Firstly I'll apologise for the lack of photos, I wasn't planning on writing about this place but I just had to share my experience with you.

So I'll begin.
After having peanut butter and honey on toast for lunch today and yesterdays equally healthy lunch of cheese on toast followed by half a piece of cake and a cup of tea for dinner I felt my body was crying out for some nutrition in the form of vegetables.
Bit of an odd move then, you might think, for me to then visit a Chinese restaurant but I had my heart set on braised silky aubergines and some tasty greens.

I went inside after a quick glance at the window menu. I loved it last year so presumed it couldn't have got worse.

A young waitress eating dinner noticed me and,  shocked, quickly swallowed whatever it was she was eating and then rushed over to greet me. She showed me to my table. There were two other people there, pretty quiet for half six. I perused the menu.
I noticed the Mongolian lamb and remembered how delicious it was. I didn't order that though as I stopped eating meat 8 months ago.

I chose braised aubergine, sautéed tofu with seafood and boiled rice. I ordered Chinese tea to drink.
The food arrived and looked well presented: glossy pieces of aubergine in a rich dark gravy and...hold on a minute..lumps of minced meat.
I've never ever sent food back as I find it awkward and know how annoying it can be from the chefs point of view. I even contemplated picking around the meat before deciding against it.

I called the waiter over and pointed out the meat, asking the obvious - "is this meat?"
He told me that it was and when I stated that it said vegetarian on the menu he was sceptical and even brought over the menu so I then had to point out the big bold words "vegetarian" above the list of dishes, one of which being the one I had chosen.

He quickly apologized and went back to the kitchen with the aubergine. My tofu dish arrived and I couldn't help but wonder who ate my food and then threw it back up onto my plate. Harsh, I know but this had to taste better than it looked...surely!!
Tough contest, I declared it a tie. The tofu had the consistency of no other tofu I've had before - similar to a wet squidgy marshmallow. There were chunks of carrots that had blatently gone off, overcooked squid and something not unlike a crab-stick. The whole thing was covered in a slippery, gooey, raw egg like sauce.

I'm not exaggerating at all. I have a strong stomach but this was way too much even for me. I couldn't physically eat any more.

The aubergine arrived with no rich dark sauce but it was instead accompanied by a pool of soy sauce and oil. I struggled to eat a couple of pieces. I had this dish many times in china, a few of those in seriously dodgy places but the grease slowly coated my entire mouth and lips and this combined with the traumatic tofu dish was too much for my stomach and I had to stop there.
I'd eaten six mouthfuls but already I felt heavy. I went to the counter, reluctantly paid my £13.70 bill and left the restaurant as quickly as I could.

The waiter even had the cheek to follow me outside and tell me I hadn't paid him enough before realising his mistake - again.

I buy a bounty from across the road, partly to remove the lingering nasty taste and partly for the nourishment the meal failed to provide. After all it has coconut and that's good for you, right?


I cycled past Pho 68 and look in the window. It's almost full and I couldn't help envying the happy looking diners.

On the positive side, they say you learn something new every day.  Today I learnt that just because there is a vegetarian section on a menu in a Chinese restaurant, this doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't contain lumps of meat. Oh and I also learnt never to eat there again.

Thanks for reading.

Food 1/10
Service 2/10
Value 2/10

Dhanistas

After receiving lots of positive recommendations for Dhanista's, I decided it was about time for me to try this new(ish) Sri Lankan restaurant for myself. I also happened to stumble across a voucher online for £30 worth of food for two, for only £10! Very lucky indeed.

After some gentle coaxing to get my boyfriend to go, and avoiding the temptation from the aromas wafting out of the profusion of other restaurants on London Road, I arrived.

On entering I was rather surprised to see how bright it was: it was nearly 7pm and yet it looked like lunch time. Some curtains and candles might be a good idea so as to create a better evening atmosphere.

The staff were very welcoming and friendly. I could smell the aroma of various spices and garlic floating through the kitchen into the restaurant. Looking at the menu I remember feeling a rare excitement, mostly arising from the fact that there were so many dishes that I had never heard of, let alone tasted, before.

We chose masala squid and a mushroom dish to start, followed by aubergine curry, butter chicken, egg kotthu and pilau rice.


Our food arrived shortly after, and I dug past the unwanted raw onions to some very tender and tasty squid. I've never had squid 'Indian-style' before, but this definitely won't be the last time! However, I do feel it could have benefited from a dipping sauce of some sort.

The mushrooms were gorgeously rich and had been coated in  batter, fried  and served with a spicy tomato sauce.

I had been slightly worried, when ordering, about the portions being too big and daunting, but I needn't have worried as they were spot on. The mains arrived and, with them, mouth-watering smells.

Two whole baby aubergines and a rich coconut and lime leaf sauce made up my brinjal curry. It tasted as good as it smelt. The occasional surprise crunch of a whole fennel, cumin or coriander seed filled my whole mouth with the perfumes. An explosion of taste. The texture of the aubergine was spot on: charred on the outside with a silky interior.

The pilau was perfectly cooked and fluffy with various  colours and spices. The egg kotthu (basically a chopped up paratha mixed with chopped egg and spring onions) is pure comfort food. It brings back childhood memories of my mums last-minute meals of fried egg on paratha - delicious!

The whole thing comes to just over £30 and unfortunately they don't accept my discount code as I'd not printed off the voucher and attempted to show them the e-mail on my phone. Oops, silly me. But, I suppose that this gives me another excuse to come down again another time!

I'm happy Sheffield has a new Sri Lankan restaurant to join East and West. I find that most other Indian restaurants simply do not compare, with their oil-laden dishes that taste exactly the same as one another. Give me more fresh and simple flavours from South India any day.

My trip to Dhanistas has sparked in me fresh anticipation for my holiday to India, thats for sure!



Food 9/10
Service 8/10
Value 9/10

Revolution De Cuba!

It was Easter Sunday and very, very warm.
I decided to take my friend Robinn to Revolution de Cuba - one of my favourite bars in town.

Once inside the spacious and light interior, with its low ceiling fans we knew we had made the right decision.

One of the things I love about this place is the fact that once inside, you feel a million miles away from Sheffield...don't get me wrong I love Sheffield! Sometimes you just need to take a break though. this place with its funky artwork and live Cuban band makes a refreshing change from other drinking establishments in Sheffield.

I start off with my favourite cocktail - a strawberry daiquiri. This is dangerously good. Imagine a slush puppy, but made with fresh strawberries, ice and lots of rum! Perfect on a hot day like this.

The menu has various salads, burritos, tapas etc and we decide to go for their "3 small plates for £12" deal.
I order some nachos with three bean chilli and Robinn goes for chorizo and patatas bravas. We also get some mojito battered prawns to share.

The food arrives quickly and it looks well presented. I taste a prawn first and am pleasantly surprised to find it has been de-veined. The batter is crisp and has a hint of rosemary which oddly enough, works.
Even the accompanying salad garnish is well thought out, with fresh coriander and edamame beans.

The patatas bravas is perfectly seasoned and fluffy inside.
The nachos are bigger than i was expecting and are accompanied by guacamole, salsa and sour cream.
I love the chilli and there is just the right amount of topping. Not too much so that you pick up one chip and all the others are  attached by a huge lump of solidified melted cheese. Just enough.
My only complaint here would be that the salsa is too sweet.

The waitress is very friendly and attentive and after ordering a mojito that was too bitter, she took it away and got us another freshly made and much tastier one.

I'll definitely be back for more delicious food and cocktails!

Food 8/10
Service 9/10
Value 9/10

Made by Jonty Review

Yesterdays weather was truly stunning!
I celebrated my day off with a trip to hunters bar.

First stop was a haircut and manicure up on Greystones road,
the second stop was the Greedy Greek where I popped in for some delicious Strofilia and the third stop was Made by Jonty.

There's a nice chilled out atmosphere to the place and the two girls who served me were bubbly and friendly. I like the exposed brick walls and tasty looking cakes on display.
There is a large blackboard menu and an "all day breakfast" paper menu which includes the usual breakfast items as well as some very tasty sounding Eggs Benedict and Florentines.
However I am not really in a breakfast mood so go for the cauliflower cheese burger off the board and a hot chocolate to drink.
I sit upstairs and look out of the window at the nearby school with all the happy children finishing their day...yes it was a very late lunch!

Soon enough my hot chocolate arrives and is hot, milky and chocolaty. Just what you'd expect from a good hot chocolate!

Not long after the waitress brings up my burger. "Tell me what you think because I might have it for my lunch on Saturday!", she tells me.

The bread is nice but slightly disappointing as it didn't seem to be home made. The burger itself is great but could benefit from more cheese. Yet it makes a nice alternative to your traditional burger.

The accompanying sweetcorn relish is sweet and tangy with a bit of heat from the whole mustard seeds. The flavours work together with the rich cauliflower cheese well.

I'm stuffed so don't go for a dessert today but will be back if I'm ever in the area for more summer food or if I fancy a tasty  breakfast.


The whole bill came to just over £9.

Food 7/10
Service 9/10
Value 7/10


...Oh and my fourth and final stop was at Nonnas Cucina where I purchased a slice of coffee and white chocolate tart for later. It was gorgeously decadent!

Sushi Express Restaurant Review

I was flicking through the Sheffield magazine 'Toast' and at the back was a voucher for two free salmon nigiri at the new Japanese restaurant - Sushi Express. I love sushi, and free stuff, so now all I had to do was find this place and claim my free food! This was harder than I expected and the little map on the coupon wasn't much help but after nearly 30 minutes of searching I finally found it just down the round from DQ. The first thing I saw when I entered was shelves containing strange Japanese snacks such as squid flavoured peanuts and various pocky. Staff wearing too-big shirts covered in seashells greet me, and take me past the colourful snacks into the dining area. I was pleased to see full colour photos of each dish on the menu - A bad sign in western style restaurants but good in places such as this. I chose my favourite - Unagi Maki, some miso soup, tofu skin and my free roast salmon nigiri. The miso soup wasn't hot which is a shame as it was pretty chilly outside but the hot green tea was, thankfully. The sushi arrived shortly after and was well presented. The salmon was singed and very delicate. It was drizzled with a sweet yellow sauce. The Unagi (eel) was great! Fresh with crunchy strips of cucumber. I was surprised by the tofu skin. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was a sort of tofu skin pocket with rice inside. The skin itself was quite sweet and dough-nutty. I ate the rice separately, dipping it in the wasabi. Only suddenly I realize I was a bit over enthusiastic with the wasabi and I felt the burn all the way up into my brain it was very intense! I finished my last salmon nigiri by dropping the rice from under it. Still clutching the salmon with my chopsticks I watched as the rice bounced off my table and onto the floor. I turned around and the waitress was looking at me with the sort of polite smile that said "relax I have seen this many times before". I was rather embarrassed none the less. I then ordered a Dragon roll. I was unsure about it but it did have a chef recommends star next to it so I decided to try something new. Turns out to be a prawn maki with added tiny fish roe and a juicy tempura prawn that's shaped so it looks like a dragon - Very cute! The prawns were slightly warm, whether that is a good thing or not I do not know. The bill comes to £13. I like this place and I'll definitely go back when I'm in the mood for a sushi lunch. Food - 7/10 Value - 7/10 Service - 10/10 I will be doing marks out of 10 for places now! If I remember that is.. Thanks for reading!