Roma, Sheffield

For years I didn't 'get' the Italian cuisine and I didn't understand how so many could rave about it. Now, after a few trips to Rome and a honeymoon in Venice, I know that this is because I hadn't actually had any Italian food! Instead, I'd been eating British Italian food; mostly sloppy over cooked pasta, drenched in a creamy sauce.

Thankfully things have moved on and we do have authentic Italian here in Sheffield (Vero Gusto, for one), but it is more of a luxurious treat than a quick lunch. And, following the loss of Taste on Eccy Road, I think we have been missing that casual, but authentic, Italian dinning.

But, I think I may have now found somewhere to fill that gap - Roma. Located in the most unlikely of places (Castle Street), Roma probably won't have made it onto the radar of its target market. Having said that, it has received good reviews on Sheffield Forum and there have been a couple of people praising it on Twitter. So, a trip has been on the cards for some time and I'm pleased to say that we made it there yesterday.

On entrance, Roma reminded me a little of Gusto Italiano - because of its cafe feel. The menu is also quite casual and split into stuzzichini, antipasti, pasta, secondi, pizze and insalate. With a breakfast menu Roma opens good and early (7.30 or 8 on a Saturday), but shuts by 6pm (or 5.30 on a Saturday) so it's not really an option for dinner.

We had good intentions; we had planned on only having a pasta dish each, but I managed to persuade Gav to try the mix of stuzzichini (£8) to start. I figured that it would give us a real overview of the restaurant's offering. We hadn't really registered that this was a selection of 6 tapas style dishes and we initially thought that the first 4 dishes to arrive was the whole lot. Melanzane parmigiana, mushroom bruschetta, a selction of cheese and meats and olives was an ample selection...

But then two more dishes arrived. Meatballs...

... and a sweet pepper bruschetta with an artichoke (or carciofi alla giudia) and salad.

Everything was really tasty; simple, Italian fare. Highlights were the meatballs (my god that tomato sauce was good), the carciofi alla giudia (a true Roman speciality) and the meats.

Moving onto 'mains', I went for the penne alla sarda (£7.50). Penne pasta with lamb and a tomato sauce topped with pecorino was a decent serving. The sauce was rich and the lamb was tender but it was the pasta that really blew me away! It was al dente! And I mean, proper al dente! (i.e. when I bit into it there were some small white spots in the centre).

Gav went for ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach, served with a tomato sauce and Parmesan (£7.90). Once again the pasta was well cooked and, given this was a dish of fresh pasta, it had a good level of bite. Each piece was packed to bursting with a light and fresh tasting filling. The sauce was also quite light and complemented the pasta nicely. 

Although suitably stuffed, Gav couldn't resist the profiteroles (70p each). Huge balls of choux pastry stuffed with whipped cream came with an unusual mousse like chocolate sauce which meant that the dessert wasn't too heavy. We also had an espresso each (£1.40).

We'd each had a bottle of san pellegrino lemonade (I spotted the wine in the fridge after ordering drinks) and the bill came to £32.20. With friendly service and a clean and bright feel to the cafe, Roma has impressed and we'll be back for more. 

Top Five - Mary Arlidge

I've been a bit short on Top 5s recently (hint, hint, please can you send me some?).

Here's the latest - from Mary Arlidge.

Rafters - fine dining with great mid-week offers

Peppercorn- exciting local newcomer already expected to be a firm favourite

Graze Inn - fun place to meet up with friends offering great value and variety

Kashmiri  Aroma - never fails to please, special fish dishes, very popular

Lokanta - good atmosphere, tasty Turkish food at great prices

Not a bad little selection, I think! If you would like to have your favourites posted in this section, email a list of your top five destinations for eating and drinking, including a short sentence about each, to me at live-to-eat@hotmail.co.uk.

Cheap Eats #9

I cooked a LOT last week... so much so that I don't plan to do any this week as we will be eating out of the freezer, which is great as it means that I can get on with clearing a few other things off my plate...

I had a bit of a mad soup making day. Seriously, it was insane. I made four soups in total - 8 portions of each - and a sausage casserole. I think it was worth it though as my bottom freezer drawer is now full to the brim with lunch options.

I used 500 Soups recipes for the potato and garlic and the garden pea soup and they both turned out well. I also made a leek and potato soup by cooking a load of leeks, adding stock and potatoes, cooking until the potato was soft and blitzing before seasoning to taste.

I then made a veggie soup using up all the leftover veg I had in my fridge by frying off 2 carrots, 1 onion, 1 leek, 1.5 chillies and about 2 stalks of celery before adding 2 cauliflower stalks and 2 broccoli stalks which had previously been frozen and were a little soft on defrosting. Next in went a LOT of veggie stock, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander and 100g rinsed split peas. I left it to cook for about 40 minutes, then blitzed until smooth. The end result was ok. It wasn't amazing - it did need more chilli, but given it came out at about 12p a serving, I'm not going to complain!

Next up was my sausage casserole. This was incredibly easy as I just threw everything, raw, into the slow cooker (bar the beans) and left it to cook on low all day before adding the beans for the last half hour or so. These are the ingredients I used - 6 small sausages, 4 rashes of bacon, 3 peppers (red, orange and green), 1 aubergine, 3 small onions, 2 carrots, 2 sticks of celery, 2 tin tomatoes, Thyme, Tomato Puree, Garlic, 1.5 litres stock and 2 tins of kidney beans.

This is easily one of my favourite meals and I love how it's even easier to make now that I have the slow cooker. Give it a go one day - it's great with mash, but there's enough in there to mean that you can serve it on its own.

The 365 Charity Cookbook

I think I remember when Mick Fox (owner of Ultrasharp) first banded about the idea of the 365 Charity Cookbook on Twitter. I remember thinking that it would take up a stupid amount of time and effort, but I never had any doubt in Mick or his ability to pull such a feat off. Not only is Mick one determined fellow, he's passionate about food, he cares for the charities he supports and, as knife sharpener to hundreds of kitchens in the north, he has the right contacts.

Over the past few months I've seen lots of chefs tweet pictures of their 365 Cookbook recipes - there's been a real buzz and I can't wait to get my grubby mitts on the final book!

So, you can imagine how pleased I was to find that Mick had decided to release a Tasting Menu of 12 recipes. Retailing at £6 each, the book comes in a downloadable PDF format and all profits are going to be used to fund the printing of the 365 Charity Cookbook. 

I think I'm right in saying that Mick is born and bred Sheffield and therefore it won't surprise anyone that a couple of the city's charities (Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity and St Luke's Hospice) are going to benefit from this amazing project. Also on the list is Scotty's Little Soldiers, a charity supporting the children of men and women killed whist employed by the British Armed Forces.

As if the charities aren't reason enough to buy into the book, here's a list of the recipes available in the Taster...

January	Lee Adams, Head Chef - Rhodes Twenty10, Dubai Confit belly of Pork, seared Atlantic Scallop and roast Butternut tortellonis
February	James Douglas, Head Chef - Damson, Stockport   Pan fried breasts of Partridge with confit leg & Black Pudding croquettes and Mulled wine jus
March	Maclean Fraser, Executive Head Chef - 5* Hotel, The Maldives Tea smoked Beef fillet with Beef cheek tortellini, Truffled pomme puree and preserved Lemon gremolata
April	Alan Paton MCGB, Executive Head Chef - Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Colchester Pork collar Daube, Summer Vegetables and Suffolk Cyder
May	Andrew O'Connor, Head Chef - Juliet's Garden Restaurant, Scilly Isles Pan seared Hake fillet, with Asparagus puree, Asparagus soup and Truffle spears
June	Mike Jennings, Head Chef - Grenache, Walkden, Manchester Buttered Lobster with Fennel civieche and Crab cocktail
July	Hayden Groves, Executive Chef - BaxterStorey, London Rump of Romney Marsh Lamb, Samphire, heritage carrots and beets
August	Karim Maoui, Head Chef - White Swan at Blyth, North Notts Wild Salmon with heritage Tomatoes, Fennel & sea herbs
September	Craig Atchinson, Head Chef - Talbot Hotel, Malton, N Yorks Roasted Wild Duck, confit leg tube, Cepes, Celeriac puree and fermented Turnip
October	Cyrus Todiwala OBE, Chef Patron - Cafe Spice Namaste, London Vindalho de Porco (Pork Vindaloo Curry)
November	Charlie Curran, Chef Patron - Peppercorn, Sheffield Crab stuffed Lemon Sole, textures of Cauliflower and sag aloo
December	Paul Foster, Head Chef - Tuddenham Mill, Suffolk Duck hearts, Quince, Hazelnut, Carrot pickled in Mugwort

My initial, and only, concern with this book was that I wouldn't be able to use the recipes at home, but on first perusal, I think there's a few that I can see myself having a go at. Admittedly I might not be able to try every element of each dish, but some, such as April's Pork Collar Daube and July's Rump of Lamb look doable!

I can only urge you to get a copy of the Tasting Menu for yourself. Even if you don't think you'll get round to cooking any of the dishes, it's worth it for the delicious food photos. Plus, by purchasing the Tasting Menu, you can help make the most important book of 2014 happen!

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? 

Vittles Cafe, Sheffield - Bistro Nights

Vittles Cafe has been open in Broomhill for over 20 years. Previously purely run as a daytime cafe since 1991, new owners Mick and Paula have given the place a new lease of life since they took over in December 2012. The menu has been extended, the cafe has been refurbished and it's now open as a night-time bistro on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Far from a new concept, but one that, I feel, can be difficult to pull off sometimes.

Wanting to spread the word about these new bistro nights, Mick kindly invited Gav and I for a meal. And so we, along with a trusty bottle of red (Vittles is licensed, but Mick and Paula allow you to bring your own with no corkage charge), made our way up to Broomhill one Friday evening. The cafe was quiet, but there were a couple of other bookings which meant that we were not dining alone.

Although Vittles is first and foremost a cafe, some thought had been given to the atmosphere. The bright lights of the daytime cafe had been switched for candles on each table and calming music was playing in the background. I know from chatting to Mick that he has a background in IT and he's only recently moved into the hospitality world. But he's passionate about food and he was in the kitchen cooking on the night we visited, whilst Paula was front of house.

We kicked off with starters of Vittles Smokie (£5.95) for Gav and the Salt and Pepper Squid (£5.75) for me. The smokie is smoked haddock, topped off with a cheese sauce and breadcrumbs, then baked in the oven. It was spot on; creamy and rich, there was just enough to satisfy and it's easy to see why the dish is one of Vittles' best sellers. It was also great to see the dish served with enough toast. I see far too many pates, cheese boards, and the like served with insufficient toast/bread and it was noticed that Vittles got it right here.

I could have been jealous of Gav's smokie, but my perfectly cooked squid kept any feelings of envy at bay. Well cooked and tender chunks of squid meat were coated in a lemonade batter which was thick enough to attract my attention, but not to overpower. A vinegary and sweet chilli dipping sauce was a nice addition, as were the lemon slices, but I did think that the side salad was a bit too much - it could be reduced by half or scrapped altogether, I think.

Onto mains and Gav went for the sirloin steak (£11.95). It's probably the least adventurous dish on any menu, but it's a good tester. And here the steak was as it good as it should be; tender and flavoursome with some good chips and a fresh side salad. He was happy with his lot, and I was just as happy with mine...

Steak and Cheese Quesadilla (£7.95) was delicious. I do have a 'thing' for quesadillas anyway, and I was glad that this didn't disappoint. The tortilla was light, crispy and packed with strips of steak, chorizo and oozing cheese. There was also a side salad of tomatoes, olives and chorizo and some good (skin on) chips. Simple, but effective and just the ticket for me that night.

Moving onto desserts and Gav had the Pan fried Apple and Walnuts with Vanilla Ice Cream (£4.65) which was warming thanks to the inclusion of a few spices in the apple and walnut mix. Again, this was a simple but effective dish - these flavours always work well together. The addition of vanilla ice cream offered the cool contrast to both the heat of the apples and warmth of the spices and Gav quickly cleared his bowl.

I had Honey and White Wine Syllabub (£3.95) which was delicious and creamy and rich... and just a bit too much as it was quite a large portion. Perhaps the addition of some tart citrus flavours would help or, as we heard another diner suggest, a biscuit base to add texture.

We were both impressed with Vittles; Mick and Paula seem to be working well as a team as we could find little fault in either the food or the service. We also liked the fact that there wasn't a set menu with a set price - instead you can pick and choose from a range of dishes which vary in price. I'd certainly go back.