Review: The Cricket Inn, Totley

THE PLACE
It’s the time of year when we’ve reached the peak of our collective hankering for cosy country pubs, a homely period defined by a craving for crackling fires, large timber fittings and hearty dishes served alongside a warming selection of local ales. The Cricket Inn on Penny Lane delivers on all three of those fronts, a delightfully quintessential British pub in a rural setting but, in true Sheffield style, located a mere 15 minutes drive from the city centre. 

It’s been over ten years since the award-winning craft brewers at Thornbridge teamed up with restaurateurs Brew Kitchen, combining their respective expertise to bring an attractive offering of food and drink to the table. In that time, a number of gastropubs have come and gone in the city; but the Cricket Inn has remained steadfast, consistently keeping the punters satisfied with traditional dishes, great pints and exemplary service in a warm country inn setting.  

An ever-dependable Thornbridge lager (Lukas) alongside a refreshing Raspberry Fizz cocktail.

THE MENU
The kitchen staff recently welcomed back talented head chef Oliver Parnell, who has compiled a tempting Autumnal menu containing everything from their classic pies, steaks and burgers to a slightly swankier selection of mains offering the likes of slow-braised ox cheek and pork cutlet to hake fillet and butternut squash tortellini.

To start, we shared a generous selection of home-baked breads (£5) which we duly slathered in Henderson’s butter (that sauce doesn’t half get around in these parts). This was followed by the Truffled Celeriac Soup (£8) – a perfect winter warmer with an enjoyable earthy taste and slightly nutty overtones, happily served with a piece of Welsh rarebit for the ideal crunchy dipping accompaniment. 

Topped up with a pint of Thornbridge’s own Lukas – a crisp, refreshing Helles Lager – and a tangy Raspberry Fizz from the specially curated cocktail menu, we turned our attention to the mains. The French Trim Pork Cutlet (£18) was a real beauty: a prodigious pork rib, chargrilled on the outside but succulently tender on the inside. The smokey, almost gamey flavour was offset brilliantly by the tart mustard mash and the crispy pancetta provided another meaty bonus. My partner plumped for the Pan-Fried Hake Fillet (£21), which arrived as an equally generous portion atop a vibrant bean and chorizo cassoulet.

Pan-Fried Hake Fillet, served with a bean and chorizo cassoulet.

The French Trim Pork Cutlet: a thing of beauty.

There’s no skimping at the Cricket, so dessert was always going to be an ask. However, upon seeing that they had partnered with local craft chocolatiers Bullion on a Chocolate Mousse (£8), my sweet tooth sprung to action. Encased in a cylindrical dark chocolate vessel was soft mousse and silky-sweet yuzu caramel, paired with a delightful scoop of yoghurt sorbet and almond brittle. Sticking with the classics, my other half went for the Cricket Inn Sticky Toffee Pudding (£8) served in a rich, decadent toffee sauce with creamy homemade vanilla ice cream – a fittingly indulgent end to the evening. 

The dessert is made using Bullion chocolate.

VERDICT
When the cold winter nights draw in, it’s well worth treading slightly off the beaten track to seek out a warm welcome at the Cricket. Over a decade later and they’re still in fine fettle as a Sheffield gastropub we can be proud of.

cricketinn.co.uk