Sunday 17 January 2010

Yabba Caribbean Food





After sampling various pickles and jams that yabba make and sell at festivals and other markets and enjoying them I decide to check out there newish cafe to see what its like.

The decor is really cute, bright colours everywhere and paintings of Jamaican people and festivals and sunsets. Theres the jams and pickles and chilli sauces for you to sample and add to your food and a tasty looking menu.

I go for ackee and saltfish in a tortilla wrap, its ok theres some good chunks of ackee but the overall texture is a bit too sloppy,I wouldn't have preferred it drier and I don't see any fish at all although I can taste it.

My mum goes for creole chicken with rice and peas and callaloo and cabbage, her chicken tastes delicious and I steal lots of it, its really well cooked and very moist.

I have a cup of milo which is sort of like hot chocolate but with vitamins and is Jamaica's national drink the friendly waitress tells me.

We leave very stuffed and the food is ok, not as good as the Caribbean food that I had at the earl though, I'm going to have a try and creating my own ackee and salt fish with rice and peas and if I'm successful I'll let you know!






Monday 11 January 2010

Jabu Fondue and Dumpling House

Last night I went to Jabu in Sheffield and it was awesome, a totally different eating experience!

I arrived and the waitress asked me to choose from some dumplings to start, I chose lamb and coriander and they were delicious, I had it with a little bit too much of the chilli sauce and it was so spicy! After a few sips of my san miguel I was able to eat the rest of them. They are beautifully tender with good quality lamb and loads of juices which dribbled over my chin and down my chopsticks onto my fingers, I got very dirty hands here which is great if you don't mind getting stuck in.

Next we got given a little menu and ticked off the food that we wanted.
There was loads of different meats, seafood and vegetables and those were served with a huge bowl of your chosen stock. We chose satay and then chinese herbs, the bowl was split into two sections and placed on an induction hob and bubbled away ready for you to place your ingredients into.

We got some crispy pig skin as a side nibble (not to dip in the stock!), thinly sliced beef shin, whole crab, chinese lettuce, corn, beansprouts, wontons and noodles.
It was all very tasty and I loved the pig skin and the beef was very tender.
The crab was a bit of a challenge, and I struggled to crack into the claws for the tasty white meat, shell flying all over, much to the amusement of the chinese couple sat opposite me!

After stuffing our faces and making a total mess of the table and our faces and fingers we couldn't eat anymore. The place was great and I'd definitely come back. The only bad thing about it were the toilets which were the worst I've ever seen!

Oh and I got a new camera for christmas so all the photos are much better quality now, click for bigger pictures if you want.



Thursday 7 January 2010

Thyme Restaurant, Broomhill, Sheffield.

This lunchtime I decided to try out this restaurant as I've been wanting to go in for so long but never had the opportunity.
I get there at half one and its nearly full, there is blackboards on the walls with the different food items available and it all looks delicious.
Its mostly British with a bit of Italian such as bruschetta and risotto.
Me and my mum sit down and order some hot drinks as its bloody freezing outside! Hot chocolate and a cappuccino, our favourites.

I'm deciding what to choose whilst nibbling a few delicious mixed olives, they're tangy and with a kick of chilli and a few slivers of roasted peppers and thyme.
There is so many choices, from chicken and mushroom pie with mustard mash to shell on king prawns with dips, the most expensive item is 28 day matured rump steak which is
£18.

I decide on szechuan confit duck leg with roast sweet potato and pak choi.
It arrives after about 10 minutes and looks beautiful on the plate, such clean presentation and its cooked to perfection, crispy golden skin with just the right amount of fat with hints of spice and honey, meltingly soft flesh which requires no knife.
The sweet potato adds a welcome contrast to the rich meat and the crunch of the pak choi adds some texture too. Theres slivers of carrot which add colour, all adding up to a very delicious dish, very good for
£12.






I finish my meal with a slice of tiffin,
£2, its packed full of exotic fruits and nuts, crunchy biscuits and a thick rich chocolate layer on top. An excellent finish to a wonderful meal. This won't be my last visit!