Fancie - Rough Cuts and Offal Night

Last night we headed to Fancie's cafe on Ecclesall Road for one of their Food Nights; their rough cuts and offal night in fact. I hadn't planned on blogging it, but the food was so pretty that I couldn't resist a quick post...

First up was Yorkshire Faggot with mushy peas. These rich and offaly balls brought back memories of eating faggots with salt and vinegar whilst on holiday in Porthcawl for Gav; I loved the light and crisp onion ring.

Devilled Kidneys came on toast. Cooked in a wholegrain mustard and cream sauce with a hint of chilli these were delicious and the offal flavour was much milder than I had expected.

Pigs Cheek Croquette with spiced apple and black pudding was a great way to serve up this unusual cut. The meat was soft and tender and encased in a breadcrumb coating. Raw chunks of apple and flecks of black pudding added texture and spice.

Lambs Liver was a little overcooked for my liking, but the flavour was still good and it worked well with the sweet onions. I especially liked the use of the bacon in the dish.

Seared Onglet and Slow Cooked Beef Cheek was delicious. The cheek was cooked until soft and melt in the mouth tender and, not having had onglet (or hanger) steak before, I was surprised to find that it was also quite tender, despite it being served on the rare side.

On finding that Lamb Sweetbreads were on the menu, I'd hoped that they would be cooked as I like them; gently pan-fried and NOT breaded and deep-fried. I could hardly believe my luck when the plates arrived as they had been cooked to perfection (as far as I'm concerned anyway). Sauce gribiche was a new one on me, but on finding that it was a bit like egg mayo with capers and pickles running through it, I liked it.

We rounded the meal off with Lemon Posset served with blackberries and pistachios. Although it packed a good lemon punch, it was still a rich final course and I had to admit that it defeated me... and Gav had to finish it off for me!

The food had exceeded all of my expectations; Fancie had not only managed to cook up some tasty dishes, but they looked fabulous too - no mean feat when we're talking offal. Service had been efficient, friendly and helpful throughout and the atmosphere was spot on. There was a nice bustling feel to the place, thanks to Fancie's suppers rather than the offal menu (will offal ever be 'cool'?!), and we shared our large table for four with the only other couple eating from this menu. They were less au fait with offal and it was nice to them enjoying new tastes whilst sharing a few cooking tips.

It was a fabulous night. You'll be glad to know that there are more to come too and with themes such as sushi and Italian, there must be something for everyone...

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