The Thyme Restaurant, Crosspool, Sheffield
The advertising is right to claim “innovative menus, featuring the occasional new slant on the traditional”. The food here has bags of potential – but it needs a director of food to give it direction and to prevent food traffic accidents resulting in gastronomic road chaos.
Hors d’oeuvre: Terrine
Slice of terrine packed with hams and blue cheese served with fruit chutney and a slice of spiced loaf. The biggest clash of the day, this assemblage of parts created the antidote to all previous philosophical assertions; the epitome of anti-gestalt – the whole is less than the sum of the parts. A fascinating slice of brioche-like loaf tasting of cinnamon/nutmeg-style spices with an intriguing crunchy, sweet crust clashes garishly with a beautifully crafted slice of terrine containing ham that tastes like ham – good piggy flavours to be proud of vying for premier position with a blue cheese that wants to be boss in its own right. I could almost hear the screams as each component of the terrine tore into the other. Who was going to overpower whom? One thing is for certain; the brioche style bread and the chutney (a harmless, welcoming concoction that would cheer up any after-dinner plate of English Cheddar) will not survive in this slaughter of tastes to-the-death. One crass faux-pas – the brioche had been plated early and so had a dried surface (but the underbelly was fresh). Perhaps our own fault as we naughty diners were very late?
The Entrée: Vegetable Tagine
Well-prepared and tasty couscous served with a fair stew (in the nicest sense) of well-flavoured vegetables in an inoffensive sauce with chickpea cakes. Well, we thought that’s what it was until about two minutes into the eating – when the chilli hit us. Tagine, let me see now, Tagine, that translates as almonds, apricots, figs, chicken, subtle, under-played? – but chilli? No. I don’t think of chilli. Another road traffic accident: a clash of cultures as much as a clash of food.
The Dessert: Crème Brulée
In reality this was two desserts. In the blue corner, a crème brulée that I found disturbing. A bit like watching the first few moments of the shower scene in Psycho (what a disastrous film). I felt grim portents. The crunchy upper layer gave way to a murky stodge that was innocuous but not appealing, creamy – but then so is Pollyfilla before it sets. Probably okay to eat if you are blindfolded but something sinister in this dish. The ramekin was too small so they had to put a second dessert on the plate in the red corner. One that had nothing to do with crème brulee. A fizzy boule of cidery apple on a rectangular, apple-ringed tartin. Each component in imminent danger of nuclear collision. My eyes and mouth awaited the impact.
I drank the orange juice – a fresh, refreshing and invigorating beverage.
Overall, chef clearly lives up to the innovation claim and can produce good, high quality and wholesome food but needs to be treated for schizophrenia of the palette.
At £18, good value. Of course, good company can improve the enjoyment of any meal.
Hors d’oeuvre: Terrine
Slice of terrine packed with hams and blue cheese served with fruit chutney and a slice of spiced loaf. The biggest clash of the day, this assemblage of parts created the antidote to all previous philosophical assertions; the epitome of anti-gestalt – the whole is less than the sum of the parts. A fascinating slice of brioche-like loaf tasting of cinnamon/nutmeg-style spices with an intriguing crunchy, sweet crust clashes garishly with a beautifully crafted slice of terrine containing ham that tastes like ham – good piggy flavours to be proud of vying for premier position with a blue cheese that wants to be boss in its own right. I could almost hear the screams as each component of the terrine tore into the other. Who was going to overpower whom? One thing is for certain; the brioche style bread and the chutney (a harmless, welcoming concoction that would cheer up any after-dinner plate of English Cheddar) will not survive in this slaughter of tastes to-the-death. One crass faux-pas – the brioche had been plated early and so had a dried surface (but the underbelly was fresh). Perhaps our own fault as we naughty diners were very late?
The Entrée: Vegetable Tagine
Well-prepared and tasty couscous served with a fair stew (in the nicest sense) of well-flavoured vegetables in an inoffensive sauce with chickpea cakes. Well, we thought that’s what it was until about two minutes into the eating – when the chilli hit us. Tagine, let me see now, Tagine, that translates as almonds, apricots, figs, chicken, subtle, under-played? – but chilli? No. I don’t think of chilli. Another road traffic accident: a clash of cultures as much as a clash of food.
The Dessert: Crème Brulée
In reality this was two desserts. In the blue corner, a crème brulée that I found disturbing. A bit like watching the first few moments of the shower scene in Psycho (what a disastrous film). I felt grim portents. The crunchy upper layer gave way to a murky stodge that was innocuous but not appealing, creamy – but then so is Pollyfilla before it sets. Probably okay to eat if you are blindfolded but something sinister in this dish. The ramekin was too small so they had to put a second dessert on the plate in the red corner. One that had nothing to do with crème brulee. A fizzy boule of cidery apple on a rectangular, apple-ringed tartin. Each component in imminent danger of nuclear collision. My eyes and mouth awaited the impact.
I drank the orange juice – a fresh, refreshing and invigorating beverage.
Overall, chef clearly lives up to the innovation claim and can produce good, high quality and wholesome food but needs to be treated for schizophrenia of the palette.
At £18, good value. Of course, good company can improve the enjoyment of any meal.
posted by Jean-Paul Sartre at
9:48 pm
