EATING OUT: A place in the Kitchen
CHEF John Parsons is one of the best-known names on the local culinary circuit, yet he has never had his own restaurant in his home city – until now.
With a pedigree that stretches from Granville College to The Ivy and J Sheekey in London, he headed back to Sheffield when his son was born and set about building up his reputation at Thyme Caf, the Plough in Hathersage and the Terrace restaurant just up the road.
For the last year or so he has been working with wine specialist Adrian Walsh, providing bistro and catering services at Food & Fine Wine in Ecclesall Road. Now the adjoining unit has been transformed into Kitchen, a contemporary restaurant, giving John a chance truly to make his mark at last.
"This is the first time I've had a place in Sheffield," he says, with an undisguised hint of pride. "I was told it was an awkward market but people are taking to my stuff quite well."
That said, he admits to holding back on some of his more colourful dishes: "I didn't want to open with offal because I knew that's what people would pick up on. Although it's fashionable, it's still not that popular up here."
So far the menu features nothing more challenging than Three Little Pigs – comprising cheek, fillet and belly of pork – with lamb's brains on the specials board. But John is renowned for his experimental approach and more excesses are bound to follow.
The former herbal store served as an add-on to the wine shop for most of last year. Wine tastings and bistro evenings went down well but the chilly, somewhat soulless atmosphere was less than ideal for a cosy twosome.
Kitchen, however, is an altogether different proposition.
Air conditioning ensures the ambience is just so, whatever the weather – and it doesn't get much worse than the snow and ice we battled through to reach it.
Cool cream paintwork, wooden floor and downlighters give a contemporary minimalist feel; a classy wine rack occupies one wall while others are lined with giant monochrome photos of Sheffield landmarks: the cooling towers, cathedral, the River Don and a steelworks.
Being allied to one of the smartest wine shops in town means the wine list is bound to be interesting; it's also a fair bet that the house wine will be a notch above the average plonk – and so it proves.
Despite the calibre it's very reasonably priced, with a small carafe (enough for a glass and a half) a mere 4.25. It being January, I stick to mineral water.
The menu is predominantly British: "Classics, with no twist, just good cooking."
Starters include goats cheese, broccoli and walnut tart, or scallops and king prawn salad with tomato fondue and bacon mayonnaise. Mains feature mixed grill of fish and chicken Hartington alongside pork, lamb and beef dishes.
There's also a selection of entres, which we're told come ready plated, with no need for side orders – things like ocean pie or tomato risotto with goat's cheese crottin.
Everything is made on site in the hi-tech new kitchen, from stocks to bread and pastries, a speciality of sous chef Paul, John's dad.
My companion starts with soup of the day: leek and potato, a delicate dish by John's standards, with chopped celery to give it bite, a generous topping of melted cheese and a slab of fresh, nutty granary bread.
There's something curiously comforting about my plaice goujons – which I eventually pin down as a marked similarity to fishfingers! So what's wrong with nursery food?
Anyway, this is the grown-up version: nuggets of fish deep fried in breadcrumbs, anointed with gribiche sauce (a mayonnaise of mustard and hard-boiled egg) and served on a nicely dressed salad of rocket, capers, cornichons and sun-dried tomato.
I follow that with rump of lamb, a beautifully succulent steak, blushing juicy pink. It comes on a bed of roast onion and caramelised red cabbage with a gutsy balsamic jus, which is plenty for me. I still find it irritating to be asked for an extra 2 for veg and potatoes, especially when the dish comes with a 15 price tag.
Our other choice is from the entres selection: corned beef hash with fried egg, brown butter and home-made chips.
I'm never sure what to expect of corned beef hash – my version is more like a stew but this is an American-style fried potato cake, with a good tang of Henderson's Relish, and it's quite delicious. So it should be: we later discover that John corns his own beef, so to speak, taking four days to complete the process including a whole day to cook it. It comes crowned with a golden-yolked egg, a sprinkling of capers and a pile of rustic chips.
My companion does his stuff with the pudding menu; it has to be sticky toffee and it's good, with a light sponge and plenty of sauce. We finish the meal with coffee.
Dinner for two, excluding wine and service, is 41.50.
Verdict: John Parsons place is clearly in the Kitchen and it's well worth a visit for a taste of good British cooking – and the promise of something more adventurous to come.
Open: Mon-Sat, lunch 12-3pm, dinner 5pm-9pm (last orders), until 9.30pm weekends.
Kitchen, 762 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield (0114) 267 1351.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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