The now open fast food restaurant was the first ever Taco Bell on the UK high street so where else to pick than the student packed city of Sheffield? After all, we do form half of the city’s electorate. It was that much of a big deal, the head office in Southern California had to send a representative down.

The interior design of the double-storey venue is not your typical fast food restaurant or takeaway. It breaks away from that kind of atmosphere as it has more of a hip New Yorker vibe.

The restaurant was complete with an open plan kitchen where you might find the fun mannered staff breaking into a dance number or two.

The staff dancing away in the kitchen does not compromise their speedy cooking and ready orders.

An order at the till was brought up to us in no time and all still served with a big smile. This is the thing about Taco Bell staff, they live up to their slogan of Live Mas which means Live More.

The highlight of our evening of food were the Churros. They are to die for and its probably the perfect hangover food. It is full of crispy batter with sugary goodness alongside a pot of hot chocolate sauce dip. Wipe that drool off your face right now.

The real deal is in the tacos and burritos with prices too low to believe. The team were constantly recommending the Volcano Burrito which is a wrap filled with Cheddar Cheese, Lava Sauce, Sour Cream, Rice with double portions of meat with the choice of Mexican Chicken or beef. This with fries and a drink would cost you £4.79. The portion seemed massive and nearly seemed like a dare.

Another favourite are the Quesadillas, I could not help but grab a couple from the waitresses who were walking around with plates of them for all of us to sample. You can choose from a 3 Cheese Blend (another hangover food option!) and a Creamy Jalapeno sauce with the meat options of Grilled Chicken and Slow Cooked Pork. I went for the Grilled Chicken with the 3 Cheese Blend which provided a moreish taste. It tasted like pizza fillings in a thin wrap which was just the perfect option for carbing up before a night out. The complete meal option for this is £4.69.

The most expensive option in a single meal, the Grilled Stuft Burrito, was just £5.09 and for good reason. That meal is enormous with double portions of meat, 3 Cheese Blend sauce, Refried Beans, Pepper Jack Sauce, Fiesta Salsa and Rice.

You should thank Nick Dawson, the head of Taco Bell UK and Europe for choosing Ecclesall Road for all you students who want that much needed pick me up. The answer is here. Nick said: “We chose Ecclesall Road because Taco Bell is a youthful brand and we want to be near the youth. Sheffield is also the 5th biggest city in the U.K.” He recalled taking his son during an open day at Sheffield Hallam University and he was impressed with the location.

There were tons of people who turned up to their opening and queued from the day before to get the chance to watch Neck Deep play at the event. The first hundred people in the queue were all treated to free food.

First customer, Elliott Fairfax was a clear Neck Deep fan and ordered a Chicken Burrito, describing it as “delicious”.

In addition to Sheffield, the UK currently has three Taco Bell concessions in food courts in Lakeside, Basildon and Arndale, Manchester.

Address:

Taco Bell

485 Ecclesall Rd, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S11 8PP

Have you been to the new Taco Bell? What do you think and what is your favourite item from their menu? You know we love the Churros. Drop a comment below.

Words by: Catherine Christy

Images courtesy of Taco Bell and SHUlife

The National Union of Students Green Fund has recently awarded Sheffield College, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield almost £200 000 to join together to encourage student led food production and sustainability.

The ‘Sheffield on a plate’ project will span across two years and is geared towards promoting student cooking and increasing the amount of food donated to food banks.

The project kick-started this week with a ‘MasterChef’ competition between six Hallam University and six Sheffield University students, who cooked a six course meal for distinguished guests and catering experts at the Sheffield College ‘Sparks’ restaurant.

The students received five weeks training in preparation for the event by MasterChefs of Great Britain Neil Taylor and Mick Burke. The students learnt how to make meals using local, sustainable and affordable ingredients.

Project co-ordinator Tim Allen introduced the event on Tuesday. “This is the first of what we hope to be an annual MasterChef competition. This is the beginning of an exciting two year project where we are looking to break the Guinness World Record for having 5000 people eating soup at the same time, and will be working in partnership with Fareshare Yorkshire to raise money for local food banks.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg contacted the project voicing his support: “Apart from being a worthy cause, the event sounds like great fun. More people cooking quality locally sourced food is good for the environment, good for our health and good for local businesses. Therefore it is something we should all support. Good luck with your event!”

University of Sheffield students Daniel Hernandez and Monika Szczyrba made exquisite canapés for to start the event. Plating up five sets of canapés for around 70 guests, waiters offered round platters of tarts filled with cream and chive sauce, topped with salmon and caviar. The students also presented prunes and sundried tomatoes with vanilla pods and olive oil. Alongside this, guests were offered cheese tarts with caramelised onions, beef in clam sauce and miniature fishcakes with sweet chilli sauce and fresh lemon.

Guest’s appetites were well and truly whetted for Hallam University’s Yanying Zeng’s starting dish of smoked chicken, celeriac remoulade with a citrus dressing. Yanying had the daunting task of presenting the starters on her own, as her cooking partner Charlotte Huck unfortunately fell ill at the event. Luck and expert skill was on hand though, as all students were mentored by expert chefs in the kitchen who supported set pairs in the preparation of their dishes.

Medicine students from Sheffield University, Michael Andrews and Victoria Courticem, followed the smoked chicken with a venison consumee. The clear soup was presented in a narrow dish topped with a layer of poppy seeded pastry which emulating the appearance of a chef’s hat.

Hallam students Alice Game and Gabriel Paramore then wowed the guests with a seared mackerel nicoise, which included green beans, quails eggs, anchovies, capers and caramelised onions. Gabriel a fourth year International Business student said: “We were surprised to arrive at the kitchen earlier to find the mackerel fully intact. We have spent around three hours boning the fish removing the heads and getting really messy!”

The main dish of the evening was a true delight. Hallam journalism students Kelly Crampton and Kathy Davies, presented honey glazed pork belly, alongside a curry pork fillet, pureed swede with sea kale and mustard mash potato. The girls’ deep fried the skin of the pork to create their own crackling. The pork belly used in the dish was slow cooked for 30 hours prior to serving meaning the meat was very tender.

Sheffield University students Candice Munro and Ellie McCaldin closed the menu with a chocolate and candied chestnut tart, alongside honey roasted spiced pears and pistachio ice cream.

The eleven amateur chefs were then held in suspense as Rupert Rowley, the head chef from Michelin starred restuaurant Fischers in Baslow Hall, told guests that the winning team would be invited along to his restaurant for a day’s work experience in the kitchen.

“Today has been great; I have really enjoyed the evening. The key thing I was looking for was the level of involvement in the kitchen. It was great seeing everyone get stuck in and projects like this are so important for the development of the catering industry.” Rupert Rowley

“I am proud of my industry and engaging people in cooking is so important, whether it’s kids cooking rice krispie cakes at school, or people being taught fine dining, making people more aware of what they’re eating and where it’s come from is key to improving British cuisine.”

“I judged the food on various criteria such as the taste and the flavour, but the dish that really stood out for me tonight was the pork. For that reason I announce Sheffield Hallam University as the winning team of the Master-chef competition!”

For more information about the Sheffield on a Plate project and future events visit: www.sheffieldonaplate.com

Located on West Street in Sheffield, opposite the Creator hair salon and Subway, sits The Wick at Both Ends, a pub which appears curiously inconspicuous amongst the array of other shops, with its dark paintwork and whimsical old-fashioned signage. Inside, the atmosphere feels warm and cosy – the perfect sort of place to sit in front of the fire with friends to share a meal or a couple of pints. Upon arriving, my friend Melissa and I were warmly greeted by Hayley, who was to be our waitress for the duration of our meal. She was incredibly friendly and helpful, going out of her way to ensure we had a lovely time. We started off the meal with cocktails – I opted for the Pineapple and Passion fruit Bellini cocktail, which is described as a “freshly prepared fruit infusion topped with ice cold sparkling Prosecco”, whilst Melissa chose a non-alcoholic Raspberry Mojito. Both cocktails came beautifully presented with sweets on the side (Love Hearts and lollipops are perhaps odd things to present alongside a cocktail, but it was welcome surprise nonetheless!), and were incredibly refreshing.

For our main meals, I chose the Pan Fried Dover Sole, which came with sautéed new potatoes and fava beans in a lemon, shrimp and parsley cream sauce, which again came beautifully presented and in a decent portion size. My only criticism would be that I felt the Sole was a bit too peppery for my liking, however this is an incredibly minor detail and it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the meal. Melissa chose the Smoked Wendsleydale Cheese sandwich, with apricot chutney, sunblush tomatoes and herb leaf, which again, was a decent size, on white bloomer bread. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed our main meals and there wasn’t too much of a wait either, which is always nice.

The standout part of the meal for me however, was the dessert. I chose the Earl Grey cream served with Ariette biscuit and it was absolutely delicious. I was a bit unsure about what to expect at first, but it came presented very similarly to Crème Brulee, in a small ramekin with a crispy, caramelised top which when broken revealed the creamy, custard-consistency of the Earl Grey cream, which went really well with the Ariette biscuits.

I think The Wick at Both Ends feels very reasonably priced and feels no more expensive than the other similar pubs in town, but offers a lot more in terms of a pleasant atmosphere. The sandwiches start around the £4 mark (with the option to add chips for an extra £1), whilst the mains (including burgers) range from £7-£12. Desserts start from £4.50 up to around the £6 mark.

The cosy, homely atmosphere, the interesting and diverse menu (there’s definitely something here for everyone!) and the friendly and attentive staff definitely make it somewhere I will go back to again.

DISCLAIMER: The two main meals and the two cocktails were provided free of charge for my friend and I for the purposes of consideration for review. The Earl Grey dessert and any additional cocktails we had were paid for by me. My opinion is 100% honest.

At Sheffield City College this week we were shown how to prepare quick, easy and cheap soups with ingredients from in and around Sheffield.

The ‘Masterchef’ Neil talked about the importance of making a good quality homemade stock explaining “It really gives a better depth of flavour than cubes”, he also said however that shop brought stock cubes will also make a delicious tasting soup if you don’t have time to make your own.

In pairs we made three soups: French onion, Minestrone and Chicken broth. All of which could easily be prepared in less than 30 minutes ( not including making the stock) and can be portioned up and frozen, making them a prefect last minute dinner served with a bit of bread.

French Onion Soup- Serves 4

Ingredients:

300g Onions

4 Garlic cloves

½ tbsp Crushed white peppercorns

250g Butter

1 Bay leaf

Sprig of thyme

500ml White wine/Dry cider

1ltr Beef stock

100g Tomato puree

100g Plain flour

1 Bouquet garni

10g Sugar

Method:

1. Thinly slice all of the onions and add to a large saucepan with the butter. Fry the onions for around 5 minutes until they start to caramelise and turn brown. Put a lid on the pan and leave them to sweat off for a further 5 minutes

2. Add the thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns to the onions and stir through

3. Crush the garlic until it resembles a paste add to the onions along with the bouquet garni and sugar

4. Now add the flour and mix until the moisture from the onions is absorbed by the flour

5. Add all of the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened. Serve piping hot with bread

Minestrone Soup- Serves 4

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

100g Carrot, diced

100g Swede, diced

200g Onions, diced

100g Leeks, thinly sliced

100g Cauliflower, broken into small florets

100g Courgette, quartered and sliced

100g Celery, thinly sliced

100g Peas

100g Fine beans, diced

A handful of Parsley, finely chopped

100g Tomato puree

1ltr Ham stock

50g Chopped tomatoes

4 Cloves Garlic, crushed

50g Plain flour

100g Chopped ham

50g Butter

1 Bouquet garni

50g Small pasta shells

Method:

1. Add butter to a pan along with carrot, swede, celery, onion, cauliflower and fry off

2. Add the garlic to the pan along with the tomato puree and bouquet garni

3. Stir through the flour to absorb all of the moisture, ensuring there are no lumps. Then add the stock along with chopped tomatoes

4. Leave to simmer until the liquid beings to thicken

5. Add the chopped ham and pasta shells and leave to cook for a further 5 minutes to allow the pasta to become soft

6. Add the remaining ingredients just before serving to ensure they do not lose their colour and the vegetables remain al dente.

Chicken Broth- Serves 4

Ingredients:

50g Butter

100g Swede, diced

100g Carrot, diced

100g Leek, thinly sliced

100g Onion, diced

20g Parsley, chopped

50g Peas

1ltr Chicken stock

1 Chicken leg

50g Pearl barley

50g Red lentils

Sprig of thyme

1 Bay leaf

Method:

1. Roast the chicken leg in the oven with a little oil for around half an hour. Once cooked leave to cool and remove the skin, flake off the meat and leave to one side
2. Add the butter, carrot, onions, leek and swede to a pan and being to fry them off
3. Then add the lentils and pearl barley, these should being to absorb the moisture from the vegetables
4. Pour in the stock and add the bay leaf and thyme, then season to taste
5. Add the cooked chicken meat and peas
6. Serve when the pearl barley is tender, before service add the parsley at the last moment to retain its colour

Words by: Kelly Crampton

Starters

Tuesday night saw the launch of Sheffield on a Plate, a volunteer project set up to help students learn to cook and eat affordable local produce and the start of the inter-university Masterchef competition, in which teams from Hallam, Sheffield University and Sheffield City College will be competing against one another to win a day working in a Michelin starred restaurant.

The launch was hosted by Sheffield City Colleges ‘Masterchefs’ Neil Taylor and Mick Burke who did a cooking demo for around 50 students who attended the talk. Both Neil and Mick began the evening by talking about the importance of buying local produce and all of the dishes cooked on the evening were cooked using ingredients from in and around Yorkshire, including Yorkshire rapeseed oil and vegetables from Neil’s very own allotment.

Guests were invited to ask the Masterchefs questions throughout the demonstrations and sample all of the dishes cooked on the night, which included:

Braised ox cheek in St Petersburg stout (Thornbridge brewery), Yorkshire rapeseed mash with root vegetables accompanied by Henderson’s relish

North sea “soup de poisson” with garlic rouille

Rock Salmon, crushed chive potatoes with a green leek sauce

Yorkshire blue and seakale pithivier

Victoria plum and almond tart

Apple and blackberry crumble tart.

Both chefs showed students how to prepare the dishes and explained despite their ‘fancy’ names they were in fact simple to make and cost effective if the ingredients were purchased from the right place. “Ingredients if found from the right place can be as cheap as chips, the most important thing is flavour, if it doesn’t taste right don’t buy from there again” explained Mick.

Students will find out later this week if they have been selected to take part in the Masterchef competition which will start with a 5 week cookery course at Sheffield City College before the final event in late November.

desserts

Braised ox cheek in St Petersburg stout (Thornbridge brewery), Yorkshire rapeseed mash with root vegetables accompanied by Henderson’s relish (left)
North sea “soup de poisson” with garlic rouille (right)

Venue: Fitzwilliam & West

Bar 23 has undergone a transformation and is now Fitzwilliam & West.

Fitzwilliam & West is situated in West One Plaza, one of Sheffield’s premium cultural hot spots. Rather than being just another bar, Fitzwilliam & West is a place to divulge in lovingly crafted food with friends. The bar is now open from 11:00am every day in the hope of drawing diners in. ‘We’ve tried to put the emphasis casual food, casual drink,’ says manager Micah Cowan, ‘we’ve cut the bar in half to open up space and have replaced all the worn sofas with antique tables and chairs.’

Their menu is a smorgasbord of fresh food to suit every diner’s appetite. Starting with tea and coffee, with cakes to accompany, the menu ranges from light lunchtime snacks to warming, hearty platefuls. ‘For The Table’ included nibbles like; homemade pork scratchings, welsh rarebit and homemade scotch eggs. ‘Brunch’ (available until 2:00pm) spans the breakfast spectrum; from a comforting traditional English breakfast, to a classy eggs Benedict. Sandwiches are available until 7:00pm and start from an unbelievable £2.50. Starters and main dishes vary in price and tastes, making sure there’s something for every customer. Fitzwilliam & West are happy to cater for dietary requirements and can adapt most dishes to suit diners’ needs.

Food happy hour runs Monday to Thursday from 4:00pm until 7.00pm and offers diners 50% off dishes. Tuesdays are Sausage & Mash night; where the dish and a drink is £9 or alternatively, two diners can enjoy a dish each and a bottle of wine for £23. Thursdays are Steak night, with a dish and drink costing just £10, or again, two can dine with a bottle of wine for £23. Sundays see Fitzwilliam & West offer a traditional Sunday lunch, with all the trimmings and a bloody mary for just £11.

Their ‘Food With Friends’ menu (for a minimum of 10) is buffet style dining with dishes like Scallop and Chorizo lollipops, fish and chip cones and mini toad in the hole starting from just £2pp.  Also on offer is their ‘Feast’ menu (for 8 people or more) where all the food is served in the middle of the table, inviting diners to tuck in and share. Highlights include ‘King of The Sea’ starter which boasts a selection of fresh sea food and the ‘Feast Fit For A king’ main, which includes whole beef wellington, confit duck leg, loin of venison with haggis and hand cut chips.

Also on their eclectic menu is a vast array of steaks, starting with a humble 8oz sirloin ranging to a monstrous 30oz T-bone for the seriously hungry. All of Fitzwilliam & West’s meat is hung for at least 21 days to ensure a beautiful flavour when cooked.

Fitzwilliam & West strive to provide their customers with the best offers around and so they’ve decided to hold their ‘Happy Hour’ from 11:00pm until midnight on Friday and Saturday. ‘We know people don’t want to go out early, so we have accommodated that,’ Says Micah. £2.50 will buy house spirits & mixers or bottled beer; cocktails are reduced by £1.50 while premium spirits and wine are cut by £1.

Cocktail classes are quickly becoming a fun activity for a sunny weekend or parties and so Fitzwilliam & West are offering a cocktail masterclass where each member of the party gets the chance to make three cocktails with one of the experienced bar staff. The class costs £22pp and a two course meal can be added for a £10 surcharge.

With such an expansive and mouth watering selection of food, Fitzwilliam & West is quickly becoming the place to dine in Sheffield.

The Street Food Chef Mexican Canteen.

The restaurant is situated just next to the Cantor building on Arundel Street; with a small take away shop on Pinstone Street. It offers a variety of delicious Mexican dishes that you can take away or eat in, with a choice of heats to please everyone. Whether you like your food fiery and hot or mild there is something for you.

The Street Food Chef started out as an “on the road” business, where the dishes were taken all over England and Scotland in an orange trailer, during which the menu was perfected and finally brought to Sheffield. With locally sourced ingredients, a full view of the food preparation and Mexican hat lampshades, this restaurant has a comforting yet energetic vibe.

You can also catch The Street Food Chef in their pop up trailer at events such as Tramlines, Sheftival and The Sheffield Food Festival. Street food in England has become a rising consumer trend within the past few years, as many people appreciate the authenticity of the food and speed of service.

Street Food Chef is often brimming with students looking for a satisfying lunchtime snack or post-lecture filler. No wonder this is the case, due to the exceptionally affordable prices and a service quicker than you can say “quesadilla”. The friendly staff and tasty burritos will definitely make you a regular at Street Food Chef and it’s highly recommend for everyone to pop in and try a taste of Mexico for themselves.

Ingredients:

Sponge:

125g butter or margarine, softened

125g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

125g self-raising flour

White Chocolate Buttercream Filling:

80g white chocolate

100g butter

100g icing sugar

Milk Chocolate Buttercream Covering:

160g milk chocolate

200g butter

200g icing sugar

Sponge Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
2. Grease two circular baking tins with margarine/butter.
3. Whisk the butter and sugar together until pale coloured.
4. Whisk the eggs in one by one until the mixture is runny.
5. Sift the flour in and fold into the mixture using a spoon, to make the cakes light and fluffy.
6. Divide the mixture into the two tins equally and spread using a spatula.
7. Bake in the oven for 25minutes. Check they are done by sticking a knife into one of the cakes and making sure no cake mixture is left on the knife on removal.
8. Leave to cool on a cooling rack.

Buttercream Method:

1. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave.
2. Separately, sift the icing sugar into the butter and whisk together.
3. Slowly pour the white chocolate into the mixture and mix.
4. Spread evenly over one of the cake halves, then sandwich the two together.
5. Repeat method for the milk chocolate and spread evenly over the outside of the cake.
6. Finish by grating some white chocolate over the cake.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup.
This soup is warm, thick, creamy and vegan friendly. It is easy to make and smells delicious. Best served with a slice of  a warm, thick crusty loaf.
Ingredients.
Needed: 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 yellow onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 teaspoons toasted curry, a pinch of cumin,  1 can pumpkin puree/ 1 can coconut milk, 2-3 tablespoons veggie stock or water (optional) and curried pumpkin or sunflower seeds to serve. [You can replace the pumpkin puree with approx 1 cup of pumpkin flesh]

Instructions.
In a pot over medium heat saute the chopped onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the toasted curry, cumin and sriracha. Add in the coconut milk and pumpkin and cook until warmed through. To thin the soup, you can add a little stock or water.  The soup is best blended with an immersion blender to make it more creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve with curried seeds.

Pumpkin Risotto.
Makes 2-3 servings.
There’s nothing more wholesome and comforting than risotto. This can be made into a healthy main meal by adding sauted vegetables, or as an accompaniment to salads and main dishes.

Ingredients.
Needed: 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, 1 small finely chopped red bell pepper, 3-4 cloves of minced garlic, 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup arborio rice, 3 cups stock (vegetable or chicken is preferred), 1/2 cup wine (red or white), a generous 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 cup pumpkin puree, salt and pepper to taste and a few chopped scallions for garnish. [Again the pumpkin puree can be replaced with fresh pumpkin]
NB: If you can’t get hold of these scallions, basil or parsley makes a great garnish.

Instructions.
In a pot heat the olive oil over medium heat and sautee the onion, bell pepper and garlic until the onion begins to soften. Now add in the rice and sautee until it begins to look translucent. In another pot heat the stock and wine over low heat. Begin adding 1 cup of the stock/wine mixture to the rice. As it cooks continue to stir so that rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Once most of the liquid is absorbed add another cup of warm stock/wine. Continue until the rice is full cooked, I always check by eating a few grains and seeing the centers are still hard. If you run out of stock/wine before the rice is fully cooked just add a little water.  Once done stir in the cheese and pumpkin. Serve hot with a few scallions on top. [Or in the likely case, basil/ parsley]

Sweet Tea Hot Toddy
Serves 2
This winter-warmer isn’t your ordinary tea, its a warm cocktail which can be tailored with the herbal tea and alcohol of your choice. Rum and ginger tea is a nice variation of this recipe.

Ingredients.
Needed: tea of choice (I used a vanilla chamomile. I think black or herbal teas are best for this, but you can try a green if you prefer.), one lemon, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 ounces (I use a shot glass to meaure) bourbon or whiskey and hot water.Heat water and when ready steep the tea. I keep mine light by steeping for less time than usual. To each glass add juice from half a lemon, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 ounce alcohol. Stir to combine. Feel free to add more honey to sweeten.

Kathryn: I used lemon and ginger herbal tea with Rum in and simply added a teaspoon of honey. It worked a treat.

A Beatiful Mess.
Please note these are recipes and photographs taken from A Beautiful Mess blog and are not my own.
The descriptions, variations and interjections are my views of the recipes.
The recipes have been shared for your enjoyment and have been modified slightly for the article.