As mentioned in a previous article I’ve been enjoying a January of intrepid vegetarianism. Although a refreshing change, my own culinary adventures under the new regime have tended towards the homely rather than haute cuisine, so it was with some anticipation that I arrived at the Showroom for a gourmet vegetarian evening on Saturday.
I’d been meaning to reappraise the cinema’s food offer for some time. It wasn’t long after moving to Sheffield 8 years ago that I stopped eating there altogether. A few too many lacklustre meals – including a roast dinner where the Yorkshire puddings were misguidedly replaced with garlic bread – had convinced me that although the Showroom’s film programme was tantalising, its menu was pretty disappointing. But all that changed recently with the appointment of new chef Simon Ayres, previously head chef at The Milestone and dubbed by Gordon Ramsey as ‘the cage-fighter of the kitchen’ when they won ‘Ramsey’s Best Restaurant’ in 2010. The Showroom menu certainly looks perkier under Simon’s ministrations with a more modern British feel and a strictly homemade policy that even extends to the ice cream counter.
However, it wasn’t Simon Ayres but Sous Chef, Jon Tite officiating at the vegetarian evening, putting together a menu which comprises of five courses grand-standing on some of the staples of the vegetarian larder:
Nut
Scotched chestnut, rocket and walnut pesto & sweet herbs
I was intrigued to find out quite what a ‘scotched’ chestnut might be. Scotched in terms of doused in whisky and deep-fried or ‘scotched’ in terms of chestnut interrupted? When it arrived it became apparent it was scotched in terms of a scotch egg but rather than being surrounded by sausage meat, the nut was enveloped in an earthy lentil concoction which was tasty if a little dry and aptly complemented by a vibrant rocket-fuelled pesto.
Leaf
Leek & Savoy cabbage boudin, Kale gougere, ale mustard & shallot jus
An exercise in making cabbage classy. The boudin (ironically a word most often used to describe sausage) had a deeply savoury flavour lurking beneath its savoy skin, while the choux pastry bun filled with punchy kale and cream cheese made a satisfying cool counterpoint. Anyone doubting the ability of meat-free gravy to deliver on flavour should taste this rich mustard and shallot jus.
Fungi
Warm truffacotta, tortellini, salsify chips & gremolata
It’s a hard one to call but I think this was my favourite course. Creamy, exquisitely trembling truffacotta (I’m presuming coined by Tite in a portmanteau of truffle-pannacotta) sat next to handmade mushroom tortellini which had all the flavour of a successful autumn fungi haul in Eccleshall Woods. The plate was further enlivened by tiny mushrooms delivering piquant bursts of flavour, crisp chips and a snowfall of herby gremolata.
Root
Beetroot, parsnip & rooster potatoes mille-feuille, broccoli puree, Wensleydale & Jerusalem shavings
Pleasingly crispy textures but perhaps too deep-fried to appreciate the trio of flavours in the mille-feuille, However it made an ideal vehicle for the zingy broccoli puree which also enhanced the salty pop-corn-like balls of chewy Wensleydale – predictably for a cheese-fiend my favourite thing on the plate.
Fruit
Bitter orange brulee, Marmalade ripple ice cream & spiced shortbread
An absolute winner. Delicious velvety brulee not over-flavoured and modishly served in a jam-jar next to tongue-tinglingly cold, sweet and sour ice cream. All topped-off with feather-light biscuits warmed with just enough spice.
It’s a pleasure to see a vegetarian menu of such range and sophistication available in Sheffield and for £25 a head it’s good value even in this most frugal of months. Despite the shabby surroundings of the Showroom café (we can only hope the building will get the same make-over as the menu one of these days) the staff were welcoming and well-informed on the food. I would recommend any veggie or indeed veg-curious to treat themselves to a meat-free evening with such a variety of dishes on offer.