Relish, Sheffield

Two trends have finally hit Sheffield. Firstly the blogger event (i.e. not press launch) has landed, as have ribs and dogs. And, last Wednesday saw the fusion of both trends in Relish on Ecclesall Road. Owned by the Brewkitchen group, Relish has struggled with its identity over the years. With such an eclectic mix of food I don't think anybody could have summed the place up in less than 10 words... 

But, with a brand spanking menu of nachos, burgers, hot dogs, ribs and milk shakes this is clearly American diner territory and it's all on trend. Decor is dark and busy with posters and memorabilia and we are told that a graffiti wall will be appearing shortly. Too cool for plates and slates, food is served up on trays - in enamel pots and baskets. Music is a little heavier than the other Brewkitchen restaurants would dare to play but it helps create an easy and relaxing atmosphere. And, it must be doing something right as, tonight (a Wednesday night and just a week or so after the re brand), Relish is busy.

Running a no reservations policy, Relish is open for all, any time of the day, as long as there's a table free. And yes the 'no reservations' concept does put me about a bit (it doesn't sit well with the little OCD that I have) I have come to the realisation that it's not actually going to create that much of a problem in Sheffield - I don't think we're going to see the queues that are typical in some of the London restaurants.

Nachos

Drinks wise, there's a good selection of American beers with a few Thornbridge favourites, including my current tipple of choice, Kill Your Darlings. There's also 4 reds and 3 whites on offer along with some cocktails, but I recommend that you stick to the beer as it screams out to be paired with the soul food menu.

And, so onto the food. We started with some beef chilli nachos and a bucket of buttermilk chicken wings. The nachos were my favourite of the two - rather than using mince, the chilli was made up of puled beef and everything was topped off with salsa, cheese and avocado. You'll find the dish in the Mains section of the menu, but I think it makes a great starter to share.

Ribs

A classic foot long hot dog topped with a Tex-Mex selection of chilli, cheese, guacamole, soured cream and pickle was an impressive sight, whilst the buttermilk fried chicken burger was moist and juicy. Hoi sin marinated baby back ribs was a decent sized rack with coleslaw and fries, but for me, I'd go for the Miss Gussy's Diner selection of treats a second time round.

Hot Dog

Inspired by Miss Gussy of Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, this dish offers the chance to have a bit of everything. With pulled bbq pork, smoked brisket, buttered broccoli, baked potato, corn on the cob and chipotle mayo, I think that this is a bit of a bargain at £11.

Miss Gussy's Diner

For desserts we were treated to death by chocolate; a well executed chocolate fondant with a variety of chocolatey accessories, including chocolate stones. Large smarties dressed in stone coloured jackets really did look the part! However my favourite was the snickers brownie, just because I'm a sucker for a good and gooey brownie (and peanuts).

We all had an enjoyable evening at Relish. The place has an easy and relaxed vibe, thanks to the music as well as the beer and food, and it would have been easy to stay longer. I can certainly see this place being popular with the families and students in the area as well groups going out for drinks on Eccy road in the evening.

Have you been to the new Relish yet? What do you think to the revamp?