Advice, please. I've got an important client coming up for dinner this weekend, and I need to take them to a GREAT restaurant (she's a bit of a london snob).

Ideas? It's going on expenses, so the more expensive the better, and preferably not too far out.

By the way, is there a website spcific to eating and drinking in Sheffield? I've only really just arrived and am still finding my way around (although you natives truly are very friendly!).

Carriages on Abbeydale Rd is usually good for a nice dinner

Originally posted by Jack Yerbody

By the way, is there a website spcific to eating and drinking in Sheffield? I've only really just arrived and am still finding my way around (although you natives truly are very friendly!).

Check the links on this site eg

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/links/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=1

There are a couple of sites listed there.

I guess 'Thyme' in Crosspool might fit the bill. I think it's the only one in Sheff with Michelin stars.

Nomme

I think Rafters on Oakbrook Road (Nether Green I think) has a Michelin star.

click on http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/greedycow/index.shtml
for restaurant reviews in the area.

i personally reccommend:
The Blue Room
Thyme
Las Igaunas

No, neither Thyme nor Rafters has a Michelin star. Though Thyme is excellent (haven't tried Rafters - yet).

The only Michelin star restaurant in the area - to my knowledge - is Fischers at Baslow Hall. Though if you want somewhere a bit more relaxed, but with quality food, I'd plump for Thyme.

Originally posted by tinajones
Las Igaunas
Yikes, I wouldn't recommend that one. It's not particularly "posh" and the service/food was shocking when I went. You could try Antibo's next door, it certainly looks "posh" but I haven't actually tried it so not sure on food/service.

I think the only place with a Michelin Star is The Old Vicarage at Ridgeway - Tessa Bramley

http://www.theoldvicarage.co.uk/

Thats what it says on the web site anyway.

never been but heard its good.

I have eaten at the Old Vicarage and it is superb.

Yes it is only restaurant in area with Michelin stars.

Budget on £150 to £200 for dinner and drinks for two, depends on your taste in wine as the meals are set prices.

Originally posted by Geoff
Yikes, I wouldn't recommend that one. It's not particularly "posh" and the service/food was shocking when I went. You could try Antibo's next door, it certainly looks "posh" but I haven't actually tried it so not sure on food/service.

no, its not 'posh' as in the same category as the others mentioned, but its new and in a newly developed area, plus it does lovely cocktails that are impressive and expensive.

i had well tasty food when i went to LI and i've read bad things about antibo. there isn't really anywhere amazingly posh to eat in the city centre though is there?

and as for entertaining a 'london snob' - even Thyme got a dodgy review in the Observer.

I wouldn't say Thyme got a 'dodgy' review - it was just the usual guff about how unsophisticated people are north of the Watford gap. If I remember rightly, the reviewer banged on about how Pret a Manger shutting down illustrated that the people of Sheffield aren't conscious of what constitutes good food. As nonsensical argument as I've ever read from a food critic, I think.

But the restaurant itself was praised.

Aren't these London reviewers brave coming all the way up north, eh?

Originally posted by Greenback
I wouldn't say Thyme got a 'dodgy' review - it was just the usual guff about how unsophisticated people are north of the Watford gap. If I remember rightly, the reviewer banged on about how Pret a Manger shutting down illustrated that the people of Sheffield aren't conscious of what constitutes good food. As nonsensical argument as I've ever read from a food critic, I think.

But the restaurant itself was praised.

Aren't these London reviewers brave coming all the way up north, eh?

yeah, i remember some lettuce debate about iceburg and rocket too. all the above contextualisation of sheffield overshadowed the actual review, making me think it gave thyme a very average review but obviously not eh!

Cheers folks, will decide and let you knowhow it went.

Southerners generally do have a pretty negative view of restaurants up north (largely justified, from what I can gather), but it is born largely of the fact thatnearly all the UK's best restaurants are within the circular. Plus the service oop north leaves a feckuva lot to be desired.

Originally posted by Jack Yerbody
Southerners generally do have a pretty negative view of restaurants up north (largely justified, from what I can gather), but it is born largely of the fact thatnearly all the UK's best restaurants are within the circular. Plus the service oop north leaves a feckuva lot to be desired.

All the best resturants may be in London but that is only because that is where the money is, most big corps are based in London, so if I am entertaining a client then I would go to London and meet said client and go out for a meal. Most of the money spent on top meals in top places is corporate money.

Service poor up North - not justified and a total load of crap.

Remember - one of the top resturaunters in London -Marco Pierre White started life as a chef woking in Ilkley.

You might want to try Slammers on Ecclesall Road.

(It's a fish restaurant though, so if she doesn't like seafood, forget it!)

I like some Posh Nosh every now and again :D ;)

Personally can't stand food down South - they haven't got a clue what constitutes a decent portion and seem to want to dice or mince everything - it's like it's been prepared for a baby :(

Xxxxxxxxxx

Originally posted by mikey
... Most of the money spent on top meals in top places is corporate money...

...Service poor up North - not justified and a total load of crap.


Most of the money?? A lot of, perhaps, but don't underestimate the number of people who eat wel, and eat out, regularly.

As for your comment about service - perhaps I've got different standards, but I've found waiters in the north to be too chatty, too attentive, and unknowledgable. Just my tuppence-worth, though.

I suppose again the top waiters are going to go where the money is - Human nature, so they will all work in the top places. (down sarf)


Maybe Northerners are just to friendly for their own good:thumbsup:

The other thing is, in our culture being a waiter in this country is not classed as having a good job.

But in France a top waiter is classed as being on a par with a lawyer.

Originally posted by mikey
...Maybe Northerners are just to friendly for their own good:thumbsup:


They certainly are, if last night in Sola is anything to go by...:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Originally posted by Jack Yerbody
They certainly are, if last night in Sola is anything to go by...:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Care to tell us more?

Did you have a good posh nosh:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Sorry, forgot to post here post-dinner. Ended up going to thyme - okay-ish, with a decent menu (although the wine list was crap) and reasonable (if over-familiar) service. Just seeme to me like it has pretentions beyond its grasp.

By the way, Mikey, SHE had a good nosh (fnarr fnarr).

Blue Room Brasserie on Woodseats seemed pretty decent when I went.

There's not the money in Sheffield for us to have eateries that can compete with London and the South East. You're on a loser trying to impress a southerner by competing on that territory. If you had a visitor from Spain would you go looking for Sheffield's best Paella for them? No. The best choice is to go native, a Black Pudding butty and a couple of pints of "Kelham Island". Oooh, and it's nealy lunch-time, I've just given myself a great idea...

We took some visitors from London to an Italian eatery in Crookes and what impressed them was being able to point to the menu and say 'I'll have that with that and can you not include that and put that sauce on it'. They were totally shocked as where they come from you get what's on the menu exactly as it's written.

That's just silly. Many cities have well-respected eateries - Manchester, Glasgow, Ediburgh, even Liverpool. Sheffield just doesn't.

There seems to be a paradox here, in that parts of Sheffield are appreciating in value quicker than anywhere else in the UK, yet there doesn't seem to be much money in this town... Explanations, anyone?

This is actually quite an interesting cultural question, assuming the reason for the lack of such restaurants is not just simply that no one is interested in going into such a business.

Traditionally in Yorkshire people are much more down to earth and value money - not tight, just sensible.

Whearas down south people think it is the norm to be seen flashing money around, up north people look down on those with such a style and brand them a self loving a** hole.

I also think there is a wider thing these days of everyone wanting everything cheap. Evidence is everywhere, be it food, supermarkets, air travel, rail travel, council and government services, and the success of the likes of Ryanair, Netto, Wetherspoon... People want a bargain rather than enjoy things by paying a small bit more for quality and comfort.

However I do not think all is lost. The good restaurants we do have are fairly successful, and the farmers markets in the area are popular, and people are still buying 1st class train tickets...

There seems to be a tide of noodle bar and chinese buffets arriving in Sheffield...

Alley Way on London Road has just closed down and is being replaced by a noodle bar, even tho the Vietnamese Noodle Bar is a few doors down and East One Noodle Bar is in the West One complex.

Even tho there is that massive No1 Oriental Chinese Buffet near Ponds Forge, another called Jumbo Chinese Buffet is opening up behind the Crucible Theatre. And I think there is one on the Moor aswell?

There's plenty enough money in Sheffield to support more good restaurants. Sheffield Hallam is the richest part of England outside of the South East and Cheshire.

Went to the noodle bar in West one the other week - very good I thought.

Rafters is I think the best food I've ever eaten - I love the place... tried Thyme a couple of weeks ago and didn't really think it was that amazing, didn't really like the atmosphere and furnishings, but we had possibly the worst table there, squashed into the corner, I could see nothing of the place apart from a glimpse of the kitchens and felt very claustrophobic (sp?)... Rafters in my opinion is a really special experience...