Gifted Meal
Can eating out be considered a hobby? Because I firmly believe that it's my number one favourite thing to do! And I am one of those really annoying people who takes pictures of their food (so much so that Kev now knows to wait before he dare touch his food, ha!) so I was able to fully enjoy both my food and the Instagrammable setting when we went to The Botanist in Sheffield.
I've enjoyed both food and drinks in a few different branches before so I half knew what to expect in terms of the decor and food but we'd been invited to try their new Autumn menu so I was excited to see what they had added!
As you can see, the theming is very much what you'd expect from somewhere called 'The Botanist' and even the table decor/menus are in keeping with the leafy, gardening kind of feel. The Sheffield branch's restaurant is actually upstairs which is nice as it properly separates the bar area, where you're free to enjoy a cocktail without food, from the restaurant area. It was slightly confusing as we walked in because although there was a sign, because we'd never been before we didn't realise that the restaurant was upstairs but if you walk in the front door you just need to take the door directly to your right and follow the stairs. And don't worry if stairs are difficult for you, it's also fully accessible with a lift available.
As we sat down we had our waitress, Abby come over and introduce herself; she really was fab and did everything she could to make us feel welcome (I also knew we'd get along as soon as I realised she was a fellow Disney fan). Our attention was swiftly drawn to the new cocktail menus and seasonal drinks...
Obviously, being a HP fan, I went for the Butter Beer which contains Goslings Black Seal Rum, teamed with butterscotch and whipped cream. Kev went for a non-alcoholic Black Forest Mojito.
I can highly recommend both; the Butter Beer would be amazing as an after dinner cocktail I think (even though I had mine before any food) or even as a bit of a winter warmer if you're taking a break from your Christmas shopping. The Black Forest Mojito is very fruity and refreshing but still a great autumnal take on the classic Mojito.
Later on I also had a Chocolate Orange Aperol Spritz which looked exactly like a larger version of a chocolate orange (and you also get a segment in your drink which is a winner for me!). This one packs more of a punch with the alcohol but again, it's a nice seasonal take on the traditional 'summery' Aperol Spritz.
As we were enjoying our drinks we had a bit of time to digest the menu; as I say I have been to The Botanist a few times before but there have been quite a few new additions to the menu so I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything that I'd regret not ordering later!
The main new additions that caught my eye were the new Hoi Sin Duck, Surf and Turf and vegan Hanging Kebabs - they've done the hanging kebabs for a while but I was pleased to see a bit more variation in what you can have on them. They also have a larger selection of pies which I noticed were a popular choice among people around us; plus the Deli Boards which I do believe used to just be a lunch option but now they're available on the evening menu too.
I also noticed that they've upped their game with their vegan and gluten free choices in general and they have a QR code on the bottom of the menu which takes you to a full breakdown of the ingredients of each of the dishes which is very helpful if you do have specific dietary requirements.
After seeing Alice In Sheffield's Instagram stories, I decided to go for the Cheesy Garlic Bread and Kev went for the Calamari.
I think the picture of the garlic bread pretty much speaks for itself but just in case you need it confirming - it is amazing. That's a portion for one person but it could easily be shared because you do get a mini loaf to yourself. They are definitely not stingy with the cheese or the garlic butter and it comes in the most perfect little wicker basket.
Kev said that his calamari was better than Miller and Carter which is the ultimate compliment from him because before visiting the Botanist, in his eyes you couldn't beat Miller and Carter's calamari. He said the pieces were chunky enough to taste the squid but not rubbery at all; it was perfectly tender and perfectly seasoned with a gorgeous creme fraiche and chilli dip on the side.
For main course we both went for a hanging kebab; Kev's was the Salt and Pepper Pork and I went for the Surf and Turf which is pieces of fillet steak with shrimp; separated with red chillis. Kev was a little bit apprehensive about his choice because pork can easily be badly done; too fatty or tough but The Botanist got it absolutely spot on; and the sweet chilli drizzled over it was the perfect accompaniment.
My Surf and Turf was absolutely out of this world; don't be put off by the chillis if you're not a fan of spice because obviously you don't have to eat them (I certainly didn't) but they do add just a slight hint of spice to the meat on the skewer. The steak was perfectly cooked, as was the shrimp and I absolutely loved that the garlic butter had drizzled down the kebab and onto to my fries at the bottom.
As well as the pies, the hanging kebabs also seemed like a popular choice with other diners and we would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone!
By this point, I was getting very, very full but I was determined to fit a pudding in because I'd already spotted the Brownie Hanging Kebab which I don't remember ever seeing before so that was my immediate choice, and Kev went for the Sticky Toffee Pudding.
The sticky toffee pudding was very much a traditional kind of dish, served with vanilla ice cream and a toffee sauce but the Brownie Hanging Kebab was a bit more of a novelty. The kebab had little pieces of brownie, chocolate covered waffle and marshmallow served with vanilla ice cream, candy floss and toffee drizzle to put over it or dip into... however you prefer to enjoy it!
The marshmallows were charred which made them extra tasty especially with a little bit of brownie and toffee sauce and the portion size was just right even though it looks like a lot on the actual kebab. The only drawback to this was the waffle; I didn't really enjoy it because I found it a bit dry - I much prefer warm waffles and this one just didn't do it for me unfortunately but I'd get it again just for the other parts of it!
We were both well and truly stuffed by the end of the meal but we were in full agreement that it was an amazing meal and we'll definitely be visiting again! If you'd like to book a table at The Botanist you can save 1/3 by booking through that link! (excluding Saturday bookings). You can also check out the autumn menu before you visit.
Subscribe: Blog Lovin' | Twitter | YouTube
No comments