A Trip to Trippet's

Day four of our 'staycation' and we fancied trying somewhere new for lunch. Trippet's Lounge Bar was the obvious choice - with a menu of little plates and a good wine list is sounded right up our street.

We started off in The Bath where I finally got to try the Thornbridge I Love You, Will You Marry Me? - which is amazing by the way. It's a strawberry beer, but, unlike a lot of fruit beers, this was really natural tasting and not at all sickly!

Onto Trippet's and we had a lovely time. You know the kind of experience where you smile throughout the meal and leave the place with a great big grin on your face? Well that's what happened to us. The food, wine and service was just perfect.

We were so impressed that we recently returned one Friday night - so that we could take advantage of the live jazz in the bar. And, once again, we had a brilliant time - Trippet's has quickly become one of my favorite places to be right now.

A wander down Abbeydale Road

Day three of our 'staycation' saw us take a wander down Abbeydale Road. We've always loved this area of town (we used to live down there about 15 years ago) and the antique shops and Asian supermarkets can keep me entertained for hours!

Come lunch time we fancied something healthy and light so we eschewed our usual haunts on London Road and headed into Nether Edge. 

Homemade by Thelma's caught our attention and I'm rather pleased it did because the food was spot on. Fresh, light and packed with flavour.

Gav went for a Moroccan lamb quesadilla.  

And I had a cheese omelette with a couple of salads.

We then went to see our mates at Hop Hideout and have a couple of beers.

It's such a lovely little spot to enjoy a beer or two - the selection available is just brilliant and there's always something new for me to try.

Later that evening we treated ourselves to a meal at Peppercorn - which was as good as ever - but, as I didn't take any pictures, you'll just have to take my word for it...

A quick lunch at the Rutland Arms

The Rutland Arms is one of my favourite pubs in Sheffield. It's a 'proper' pub that happens to serve damn fine beer and top notch food. 

The food is courtesy of Chef Rico who is super passionate about his cooking and able to experiment thanks to the daily changing specials board.

On the first day of our 'staycation' last month I popped in for a quick lunch. Rico had acquired a pig's head from Mr Pickles' and I wanted to see how it looked on the plate.

Pig's head terrine - look how pretty it is!

Pig's ears - coz Jez was on 'staycation' too!

Devonshire Cat, Sheffield

The Devonshire Cat has a long-standing reputation as a real ale pub in Sheffield - probably even more so since it was taken on by Abbeydale Brewery in January 2014. And with a detailed bottle menu of over 100 beers, 12 hand-pulls and 14 kegs, you can certainly see why!

More recently, however, the focus has shifted a little to the food side of things. Head chef Peter Lightfoot has been at the Devonshire Cat for three years, but he's revamped the menu of classic pub grub and introduced a weekly changing specials board. And all of a sudden the Dev Cat, a place I'd never really seen as an option for eating out, was on my radar.

I first tried the food a few months ago at a Cavendish Cancer Care charity night. Despite the pub being really busy with a number of sittings, the food really impressed me. So when Josh, the manager, got in touch to see if I wanted to come back and try the food for the blog, I happily agreed.

We arranged to head down on a Monday night - the first day of our 'staycation'. Well, I say that, but Gav couldn't swap his on-call shift so he was actually at work until 4.30pm. I met him in The Bath Hotel (another excellent beery venue) before wandering down to the Devonshire Cat.

Located on the ground level of a new(ish) development of student flats, the traditional pub like interior might surprise some. I think it's the light from the floor to ceiling windows that does it - we're just so used to dimly lit pubs!

We headed to the bar to find that the beer selection was on top form - I ordered a pint of Siren, whilst Gav kept it local with one of the (many) Abbeydale offerings. 

There were two menus on the table - the day to day stuff which was packed with the classics such as gammon & egg and fish & chips - and the specials menu. 

It's here that I regretted being a little hasty with our beer orders as each special was listed with a recommended beer - a nice touch and something that demonstrates the knowledge of the team behind Dev Cat.

For starter I went for the Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs (£4.95) - mostly because the menu boasted they use Moss Valley pork products, but also coz I bleedin love pork ribs! And, cooked to fall off the bone perfection, these were no disappointment. 

Gav had the Beer Battered Brie Wedges (£4.95) - oozy chunks of cheese coated in a batter made with one of Abbeydale's most popular beers - Deception. They were served with a tangy mango coulis which complemented the cheese nicely.

For mains, we both looked to the specials. Gav had the New Orleans Meatloaf (£8.95) with a champ mash, glazed carrots and BBQ sauce. The loaf was wrapped in bacon and had a peppery tang to it - he was pleased with his choice.

I shocked myself and ignored the meaty gammon & egg and rib feast options and went for the Mushroom Porcini (£9.25). Mushroom ravioli served in a creamy tomato sauce with king prawns was probably the most vegetarian dish I'd ordered in months (and yes, I know prawns aren't vegetarian)! It did the job though - the mushroom filling was delicious and the sauce was thick and rich. To be honest I think it could have coped without the prawns - not that I didn't enjoy the plump sweet meat.

We decided to share dessert and kept it relatively light with a Eton Mess Cheesecake which did what it said on the tin and rounded the evening off nicely.

We were completely satisfied with our meal at the Dev Cat. The food was everything I expected and it came with good service and excellent beer. Certainly one to bear in mind next time you're in town.

Urban Quarter, Sheffield

Since moving to Sheffield in '98, the city has changed a hell of a lot - beyond recognition in some areas. And one of these areas is Kelham Island. Sure a lot is still the same - quite a few of the old industrial buildings are still there - but there has been a huge influx of residential developments - both flats and houses. And this has changed everything.

Kelham Island has a strong reputation for its real ale pubs - one that pre-dates my arrival in Sheffield. And, although it has been home to the Milestone and Brooklyn Steak House for a fair few years, it's the recent additions of Craft & Dough and Urban Quarter that really excite me.

Both are really informal and they're open for lunch and dinner - great for a stop off on a pub crawl in the day, or an evening meal.

This time we were in Kelham Island for lunch and a few drinks before heading home in time to walk the dog. And, as we'd already tried the pizzas at Craft & Dough, we decided to give the burgers at Urban Quarter a whirl.

The first thing to hit you on entering Urban Quarter is the sheer size of the place. What's more, the tables are nicely dispersed around the restaurant which means there's no chance of feeling cramped. The décor is industrial - concrete, steel, blacks, greys and reds.

We immediately recognised Adam Clark - who had previously worked at the Red Deer - and he was keen to talk us through the whole Urban Quarter ethos. Essentially it's about focussing on a just a few products (they have three burgers on their menu - beef, free-range chicken and veggie) and ensuring that the very best ingredients are used in order to achieve the best possible result. This means that the menu is fairly simple - especially when compared to the places who are pushing out a lot of crazy flavour combinations.

I decided to take advantage of finding a free range chicken burger. Thanks to steaming the meat before frying, the fillet was succulent and juicy. It came in a brioche bun (can you believe that one of the trendy Manchester places is moving on from brioche? Like we need anything else?) with fries sprinkled with fresh rosemary. Gav went for the beef - it topped the chicken for me, but then I should have known I'd have been jealous of a meaty patty. 

We weren't going to order sides, but Adam was particularly keen for us to try the onion rings which are extra special thanks to the inclusion of dehydrated onion in the batter. They were well cooked too - so light and crisp that they rattled when shaken! 

Servings were ample - but not silly - so we had room to share a dessert - a freshly cooked rhubarb and custard doughnut. Ahhh there's nowt better than a freshly cooked doughnut...

Drinks wise we had a pint of Stancill pilsner each and the bill was around the £30 mark which felt about right.

One to go back to.

Cavendish Gourmet Evening at The Devonshire Cat

In all my time in Sheffield, I'd never eaten in The Devonshire Cat. I knew it as a real ale pub, not really as a dinner option. But when a friend suggested we try the pub's gourmet evening in support of Cavendish Cancer Care, I was happy to give it a go. It was a chance to try somewhere new and, well, if I did end up disappointed, I would be able to take comfort in the fact that it was all for a good cause!

We were scheduled for the last sitting (8.30) so the evening was in full swing when we got there - it's always good to walk into a bustling pub, even better when you know everyone's there to support a local charity.

The three course menu was short and sweet with veggie, fish and meat options for starter and main and a nice selection of desserts. And here's what I had...

Starter - Chicken Livers

Main - Pork Belly

Dessert - Lemon Posset

Well, I know that the pictures aren't great but I hope they give you an idea of how good the food was. It was all beautifully presented and tasted great. We were all impressed - especially given how busy the event was and that we were on the last sitting.

Overall the event was a success, and not just in terms of the food. Over £3,400 was raised for Cavendish Cancer Care too. Tasty!

Huang Lou Xing - Takeaway from Hungry House

Although Hillsborough doesn't have many restaurants, it does have an abundance of takeaways. And we've been trying to suss them out, but we're already finding ourselves stuck in a bit of a fish n chips rut. So, when hungryhouse got in touch to see if I wanted to try one of the takeaways on their site, I saw it as an opportunity to remind myself that there was more to life than a chippy tea...

With Chinese New Year around the corner, hungryhouse wanted me to try one of the Chinese takeaways. So, one Friday night I invited the girls round, stocked up on some vino and plumped for a takeaway from Huang Lou Xing which is located on Middlewood Road.

The menu is, as with a lot of Chinese places, extensive, so deciding what to order wasn't too much of a problem. A bit of this, a bit of that and plenty of veggie stuff for the meat free member of the group. As hungryhouse have produced a guide on how to celebrate Chinese New Year, I also went with a few suggestions from there.

Apologies for the rather bad picture - I find it really difficult to make takeaway food look pretty - especially after a couple of vinos...

In typical hungryhouse style, the ordering process was pretty simple and the food arrived within the specified time-scale. Hell, the delivery driver even knocked on the back door as requested. (Honestly, you'd think some Sheffield delivery drivers didn't actually live in Sheffield...)

Onto the food... For starters we went for vegetarian spring rolls and sesame prawn toast (doesn't everyone?), BBQ spare ribs in light honey (the honey added a nice sweetness), and Mongolian crispy lamb (think crispy duck and pancakes but with lamb). Pretty standard (although tasty) stuff to be honest, but we were able to try something different with char siu roast pork buns and sui mai pork prawn dumplings. 

Although I've had dim sum on a few occasions, I don't think I'd ever tried char sui pork buns before. They were good - the big, but light, buns were stuffed with a sticky and rich BBQ pork filling. Sui mai dumplings were more familiar and quite a contrast to the buns as they were really quite delicate in flavour.

For mains we had a good selection of vegetarian and meaty dishes to choose from. Beef with green pepper in black bean sauce was dark and rich, but the roast pork in spicy Szechuan sauce lacked heat and was a bit disappointing for the chilli lovers amongst us. However the Singapore style vermicelli with mixed vegetables packed quite a bit of a punch and our other vegetarian options were equally pleasing. Bean curd with mixed vegetables and stir fried bamboo shoots and Chinese mushrooms were packed with freshly cooked veg - there was a decent variety too.

Overall we were happy with the food from Huang Lou Xing. Ok, it's not as traditional as some of the places in town, but, with a good variety of dishes it was a great choice for our girlie night, and one I'd use again on a similar occasion.

And... with Chinese New Year on coming up on 19th February, you might be planning your own Chinese feast! If so, you might be interested in hungryhouse's guide and lantern competition - check out the blurb below for details...

"To celebrate Chinese New Year hungryhouse has dived into the food and the traditions of the festival, to create an interactive guide to help you stage your own Chinese New Year takeaway feast in the comfort of your own living room. The guide includes information on New Year traditions, foods, a special Chinese do-it-yourself cocktail recipe, and it also features step-by-step instructions for people to make their own funky Chinese decorative lanterns to really get into the spirit of Chinese

New Year!

To celebrate the launch of the guide, hungryhouse are asking people to make a lantern and then share a photo of it on twitter or instagram with the hashtag #hungrylantern. hungryhouse will then pick their 10 favourite pictures and award each winner a £25 hungryhouse voucher each. The competition is now open with winners being selected on the 19th!

So get your chopsticks out, dive into the guide, and get snapping for your chance to win some free Chinese food!"

Oh and you might like to try hungryhouse's recipe for a Chinese inspired cocktail too...

Lychee and Peppercorn Mojito 

8 fresh mint leaves

1tsp Demerara Sugar

1/2 lime

20ml Homemade PeppercornSyrup

Ice - preferably crushed

25ml Kwai Feh Lychee Liqueur

25ml Dark Rum (Brugal Anejo is ideal)

In a tall glass add half a lime cut into quarters with the sugar and give it a really good muddle.

Tear up the mint leaves, add them to the glass and pour the peppercorn syrup over the top.  

Half fill the glass with ice and add the rum and lychee liqueur.

Give everything a good stir to churn all the ingredients around the glass to create a balanced drink.

Add a little more ice, and a dash of soda or tonic water to taste.

For a non-alcoholic version you can substitute the alcohol with 2 whole fresh Lychees and 50ml Apple Juice.

Happy New Year!

Craft & Dough, Kelham Island, Sheffield

The Milestone team seem to be a bit on the roll at the moment and, in addition to taking on Fancie last summer, they've now opened Craft & Dough in Kelham Island.

Located in the old Green City Coffee cafe/bar near Kelham Island Museum, Craft & Dough specialises in two things. Beer (Craft) and Pizza (Dough). It's a great combination - when done well.

And I guess I must approve as I've been twice since it opened. See, since moving to Hillsborough, we've been drinking in Kelham Island more than ever before. It's kinda walkable from our house; via a quick stop off at New Barrack Tavern that is... But, although the beer is great down there, we've been desperate for somewhere new to eat. You know, somewhere not quite as formal as a fine dining three courser at Milestone, but somat a little more formal than a pub lunch.

Well, Craft & Dough seem to have hit a few nails on the head. With a complete refurbishment to the premises, the interior is cool and contemporary but warm and inviting. Service is friendly and knowledgeable and the pricing is spot on (£4.50 - £9 for a rather decent sized pizza). What's more they have a very reasonable loyalty card deal - buy six, get one free.

But what will continue to pull me back time and time again, has to be their craft and dough. The beer list is plenty interesting with the likes of Anchor, Flying Dog, Founders, Left Hand, Hitachino and Nøgne Ø available. And, the pizza? Oh my. Toppings include many delicious things such as ox cheek, smoked duck breast, Nduja, smoked salmon and Bombay mix (not all on the same one... obvs). But, more importantly for me, their bases are pretty fine too (I HATE deep pan).

Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what I mean...

The bar and the kitchen area to the right.

Ploughman's starter was like no other ploughman's I've ever had... in a good way.

Crafty Cuts - is there anything that ox cheek can't improve?

Tandoori chicken - fresh and delicious.

Nduja - had just the right level of heat for me!

Anchorage Bar and Kitchen, Sheffield

Located in the former Bar 23/Fitzwilliam and West unit in West One, Anchorage is the latest venture from the guys behind The Harley and The Wick at Both Ends. 

With a complete refurbishment of the venue, an exciting drinks menu (covering all the important angles including wine, cocktails and beer) and East Coast style food, Anchorage is one of the most interesting places to have opened up in town this year.

One lunchtime, Gav and I found ourselves at a loose end, so we decided to give Anchorage a go. Sadly, the upstairs restaurant, the area that I hadn't spent any time in since the refurb, is closed in the day, but we found the mezzanine area in the bar perfectly comfortable. 

The Express Menu had caught my eye a while back and I decided that I'd put it to the test on this visit. With two courses for £12, or three for £15, this menu, on the face of it, is incredible value. 

I started with squid. Coated in a light batter and deep-fried, the portion was larger than I expected given it was on the Express Menu. More importantly however was the fact that the rings were perfectly cooked. A chipotle mayonnaise was a good dip, although it could have had a little more heat for my liking. Overall I was impressed and would order the dish again.

Gav ate off the standard menu and chose the Chicago ribs (£5.50) which were fab. The meat fell off the bone and the bourbon BBQ sauce had a good kick to it.

In terms of mains, I couldn't pass on the flat iron steak and, once again, I was impressed. It was another decent portion, the meat was tasty, well seasoned and served rare - as requested. A side of coleslaw was good, but my fries were quite anaemic looking (although absolutely fine on tasting) and I think the plate would look better (and fuller) if things were served directly on it rather than in little tubs. Gav had the buttermilk chicken (£9) which came with fries, spicy coleslaw and devilled eggs which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Feeling a little greedy we'd also ordered extra sides of mac & cheese (£4) and Boston baked beans (£3) which were great - especially the mac & cheese which had a really good flavour - but totally unnecessary as we were beyond stuffed by the time we'd finished! In terms of drinks we had an Anchor Porter (on keg) each and I also had a glass of the rather delicious Australian Shiraz with my main.

I'm so pleased we both enjoyed our visit to Anchorage - I think it looks great and it was good to find that the place has both style and substance. I can't wait to try it on an evening - I need to explore that wine menu a little more and we've both got our sights on the Tomahawk steak...

Filthy Gorgeous, Sheffield

The Abbeydale Road-based Filthy Gorgeous recently got in touch to see if I fancied trying one of their fruit and veg boxes. And as I had found myself in a bit of a Lidl formed rut, this offer couldn't have come at a better time.

Deliveries take place on a Tuesday and I was pretty excited to see what I'd received as I drove home from work that evening. Packages are exciting enough - food packages are REALLY exciting.

The large fruit and veg box had a good mix of day-to-day veg such as potatoes and carrots, along with a few more interesting items such as fresh shii-take mushrooms and a romanesco cauliflower.

Everything was really fresh and, although it's organic, it kept well too. Taste-wise we noticed a real difference - especially in the potatoes (of all things) and I found that I was cooking more veg based meals. This wasn't just to use the produce up, it was because I didn't want to end up serving the veg just as a side - I wanted to make the most of it all. Highlights included shii-take mushrooms cooked with fennel and greens and whole romanesco coated in a herb butter and baked in the oven. The fruit was good too - especially the grapefruit and the clementines which were juicy and sweet.

The large fruit and veg boxes retail at £19 a pop and you can choose to have them delivered as a one off or on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis - which is great for those who would like to dip in and out (like me). 

There's a variety of box types available including the mixed box, the salad box, the kitchen essentials box and the gourmet box. I'm currently thinking it could be interesting to get a box every 6-8 weeks or so, just to challenge myself to cook something new once in a while. And, with box contents being uploaded onto the Filthy Gorgeous website every Friday, I could just order a box whenever something unusual comes up. 

I'll keep you posted on how I get on!

Rafters, Sheffield

The best thing about working full time again? The food.

Pay days have become a time for celebration again and, in my book, a celebration calls for a slap-up meal.

Last month I HAD to return to a real favourite, Peppercorn (which was as good as ever), but this month it was time to try somewhere new. And, having never visited Rafters before I was rather eager to try it.

I had high hopes. A few of my foodie friends people have praised the chef, Tom Lawson, and, with Alistair Myers managing front of house, I reckoned we'd be in pretty safe hands.

Having worked together for a few years at Devonshire Arms in Middle Handley, Tom and Alistair made the brave decision to take on Rafters last November - just after the much loved Marcus Lane handed in his pinny. And by 'eck - I'm glad they did!

***

I didn't really know what to expect of the interior, but the pictures on their website gave me the impression that it was going to be very formal. However, I was pleased to find Rafters very inviting and comfortable. Yes, there's linen and smart glassware (this is fine dining), but there's also a few of the softer touches such as comfy chairs and floor to ceiling curtains.

The meal had been booked a few weeks in advance so we'd both studied the menu and pretty much knew what we were going to have. And, although there was the usual last minute shall we/shan't we with regards the tasting menu, we went for a la carte (£39 per person for three courses). 

There's a decent wine list and Alistair was more than happy to recommend something that would complement our chosen dishes (he also gave us a range of options in terms of pricing). Feeling the need to unwind after a week of work I managed to persuade Gav that we needed both a red and a white so, with Alistair's help, we chose the Basa by Telmo Rodrigues (the house wine at El Bulli, don't you know) and the Cuvee de Govenor (2007) - Domaine de la Citadelle. Now, I'm no wine critic - all I can say is that I know what I like and I really liked both of these. Which is pretty good going, I think.

Food wise, proceedings kicked off rather smartly with a couple of canapés. Alistair recommended we ate the crispy quails egg whole because of their runny yolks - and he was right to do so as they were perfectly cooked. A little dollop of truffle mayonnaise added a luxurious touch. Teeny tiny discs of ham hock terrine were also a delight and Sheffielders will like that Rafters source their pork from local pork producer, Moss Valley.

Breads followed and we were treated to a selection of white, granary and black pudding bread - they were good - but special mention must go to the butter which was stunning (and churned in-house).

For my starter I had king scallops, three in fact, served with fennel and apple. Fennel was a confit and a purée, which was lucky for me as I sometimes struggle with strong aniseed flavours. Here it offered a little extra to the melt in the mouth scallops and the purée was delicious! The apple had a little more bite and added texture to the plate as well as some freshness.

Onto mains and I went for the venison. Loin was pink and juicy, and, as someone who needs a red meat and red wine hit when eating out, this pleased me greatly. Having said that, it was served with a small suet pudding and this pleased me a little more. My God. Pastry is the best isn't it? Made with suet then stuffed with tasty morsels of meat, it is a thing of beauty. Red cabbage, celeriac purée and pommes Anna rounded the dish off nicely - perfect Autumn eating.

A pre-dessert of a lemon posset with, if I remember correctly, a crème fraîche sorbet was a delicious palate cleanser, although, to be fair, I think I'd have been happy enough with it as a full dessert. I just love lemon and I really enjoyed the contrasting textures of the icy sorbet and the soft and smooth posset - fantastic.

Having said that, layers of chocolate, was a super fine option. I am told that it was made up of layers of milk chocolate mousse, a dark chocolate and feuilletine crisp, ice white chocolate parfait and a milk chocolate disc. On serving, a hot Grand Marnier and chocolate sauce was poured on top and oh my - it was a real treat! The sauce melted the layers causing them to ooze out across the plate when I dived in with my spoon. Sounds amazing, yes? It was.

In fact, it all was. The food was top notch and the service was knowledgeable, helpful and friendly - we had one of the best meals we'd had in months and we thoroughly enjoyed every second.


*Apologies for the lack of photographs - it was way too dark in there and my camera wouldn't have done the food any justice. 

*Gav ate different dishes - and enjoyed - but I just wanted to concentrate on my meal in this post.

Picture House Social, Sheffield

Not satisfied with running one of the best party bars in the city, the guys behind The Great Gatsby have spread their wings and opened up a second venue in the suburbs of Sheffield. 

Located in the old Abbeydale Road cinema, the rather aptly named Picture House Social has got to be a welcome addition for anyone living in the S7 postcode. This little strip of Abbeydale Road already benefited from The Broadfield, Hop Hideout and Electric Candlelight, but Picture House Social, with its delicious cocktails, informal Italian snacks and ping-pong tables, adds some real excitement to the area.

I'd visited Picture House Social a couple of times already, but only for drinks. So, one Sunday, after a bit of a browse around the vintage (aka 'second hand') shops in the area, Gav and I decided to pop in for lunch.

With an Australian Riesling and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on the wine list, I've always been sorted when it comes to choosing a drink here, but this time I decided to take the barman's advice. He recommended a Grecanico from Sicily - something I'd never heard of, never mind tried - and oh my Lord, I'm very pleased I did. It's a beautiful wine - one that will have me coming back for more...

Of course there is more to life than wine and there's a great range of beers (thanks to Hop Hideout who supply them with an interesting selection) along with a stunning cocktail list (as to be expected from any Gatsby venture).

Onto the food and service is very simple here - as in there isn't really any to speak of. You order your food at the kitchen, take your ticket and return to collect your chosen dishes in five or ten minutes or so. Given the pricing, I think this super casual approach is fair enough and it must work nicely for those playing ping-pong or milling around in the busy bar area (i.e. those who don't have a table).

There's nothing casual about the team's dedication to the quality of the food though - I hear that many of the ingredients are imported from Italy - to ensure the end dishes are as authentic as possible. 

We ordered some meat arancini (£3) to share along with a couple of pizzas; nduja (£5.50) for me and cavolo nero (£5) for him.  

Arancini are served in pots, making for the perfect snack to share with friends. Packed with cheese and ham, they were tasty and pretty moreish!

Pizzas, however, were beyond tasty. They were GOOD. The bases were super thin and the toppings were evenly spread and balanced - there was a good base to topping ratio.

Nduja was my favourite of the two - hot but not overpowering - but the cavolo nero didn't disappoint - think fiorentina and switch the spinach for black cabbage and you're just about there.

A bloody brilliant lunch -  and an absolute bargain at £13.50 (excluding drinks).

Napoleons Casino and Restaurant at Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield

Since moving to Hillsborough I've been trying to suss out the local restaurants and cafes. Ok, there isn't a huge amount of choice here - certainly not as much as there is in town - but there are a few options... including Napoleons at Owlerton.

After eating at Eccy Road's Napoleons a couple of times, I was intrigued to try the Hillsborough venue. And, thanks to a £2 million refurbishment along with an invite to check out the new restaurant, it wasn't long before we were heading down to the bright lights of the casino.

Having not seen the restaurant prior to the refurbishment, I can't really comment on it. But, I can say that it's looking pretty smart  - it's located towards the back of the casino too - a little away from the gaming tables.

In terms of menu choice, it's a similar set up to Eccy Road - £17/£19 for two courses or £19/£21 for three, which is pretty good value.

I started with Moules mariniere and garlic ciabatta. In terms of the cooking, the mussels were spot on - flavours were good too.

Gav went for the curried parsnip soup with mini onion bhajis. This was warming and tasty and he loved the added bhajis which were a nice touch and added a bit of texture.

Come mains and it was a toss up between the pork loin cutlet and the sirloin steak for me. In the end I opted for the steak which was served exactly as I requested - rare. Tender and tasty, it was a good piece of meat. Sadly, the sides of wedges and Yorkshire pudding didn't work for me (it was all a bit brown). But that was my own fault! I could have enjoyed the traditional sides of tomato, mushrooms and onion rings had I ordered from the grill section of the menu. Lesson learnt!

Gav had the lamb shank which was beautifully 'fall off the bone' tender. A rich red wine sauce and garlic butter beans were good accompaniments and he was perfectly happy with his choice.

Stuffed, we couldn't manage a full dessert each and we decided to share the lemon and lime tartlet between us. Regular readers will know that this is one of my favourite desserts and that I like it good and zesty - this one was just right.

Although happy with the food, I must give special mention to the atmosphere. The casino was pretty quiet, but the bar and restaurant areas were nicely busy and, with good service thrown in, we were quite comfortable. I'm sure we'll be back for more...

Cookbook Reviews - Prashad

Prashad, the Leeds based Indian restaurant, published a cookbook a few years ago and it's become one of my all time favourites. Which is pretty amazing given all the recipes are vegetarian! But, when it comes to Indian food, I actually like to go vegetarian. There's something about fresh, light and spicy food that really works for me. 

Prashad cookbook is my go-to book for midweek teas as the majority of the recipes are super quick and easy to cook. Now that I have all the spices in, they're all pretty cheap too. Having said that, they're still bloody tasty and I've served some of the dishes up at dinner parties. Another good thing about the recipes is that I can prepare them in advance, and just reheat on the day - which is why I decided to cook from Prashad when I had family round for dinner recently. 

I kicked off with poppadoms and dips. Sadly I did end up using ready made poppadoms, rather than make my own (have you ever tried frying these things? They can smoke a whole house out!). I did, however, make a coriander, chilli and garlic relish along with a raita from Prashad. I also made a mango and chilli chutney from Floyd's India (RIP King Floyd).

Then we moved onto spicy paneer skewers which are chunks of paneer, peppers and onion, marinated overnight with a fair amount of spices and coriander and then grilled. These are really tasty and make the perfect starter.

For mains I cooked the aubergine and potato curry (a true favourite of mine - it's so quick and easy), the chole (a little more fiddly, but beautiful thanks to the cinnamon in there) and the tarka dhal (I could live off this stuff...) from Prashad, along with their chilli, carrot, cabbage and pepper salad. And, because I also quite fancied a rich and meaty curry I cooked the mutton curry from Floyd's India (RIP King Floyd), but used lamb shoulder rather than mutton. 

I have to admit to cheating when it came to dessert as I'd spotted some tins of gulab jamun on offer at Tesco... but it all went down very well and I can safely say that Prashad didn't let me down one jot!

I honestly cannot recommend the Prashad cookbook enough - to meat eaters as well as vegetarians - stunning food that's quick, easy and pretty cheap to prepare.