I was invited to sample the swanky new Silversmiths on a chilly Wednesday evening – it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Having been bought by local businessmen Rick Bailey and Matt Ray earlier this year, Silversmiths underwent a full refurb and appointed a new team to rejuvenate the restaurant and offer top notch independent fine dining in Sheffield. Between them, head chef Ashley Bagshaw and general manager Paul Handley made sure that my partner and I enjoyed a lovely evening being well fed and watered, in an atmosphere so relaxed that I kept forgetting to take any notes or photos for this review.
We were greeted warmly by Paul almost as soon as we entered and shown straight to our table, even though we arrived slightly early for our reservation. The first thing we took note of was the elegant yet casual decor, featuring soft Scandi colours and clever lighting that highlighted the bar as a real centrepiece. This was a pleasant contrast to my vague memory of a previous visit which I can only describe as somewhat brown and dark.
Menus arrived and we ordered a well-balanced cocktail each – all named with a nod to Sheffield’s heritage or famous locations, which was a nice touch – before choosing our starters and mains. A la carte dishes were slightly fancier while ‘Simply British’ options put a little upmarket twist on classics like fish and chips (served with lovage tartare sauce and pea purée) which had more appeal for me.
During the brief wait for our first course, we observed how friendly the staff were without seeming at all intrusive; throughout the meal Paul and our lovely waitress checked in regularly but there was no awkward hovering, just a reassurance that you could easily catch someone’s eye if you did have a burning need for extra condiments (we didn’t see any Hendo’s out…)
Not that the food needed adjustment; my celeriac and apple soup was really silky and a lovely combination of sweet, earthy, smoky and tangy flavours. Little rounds of lightly pickled veg and a piece of chargrilled aubergine (which I ended up using a knife and fork on, perhaps bite-size bits would have been easier) plus the warm, soft bread roll made it feel quite special. My partner’s cod dish was accompanied by a flavoursome combination of sauces which had a real kick from the harissa.
Onto the mains: they arrived impressively quickly which was good, because we were still hungry after our perfectly portioned starters. Neither of us are particularly big eaters and it was lovely to be able to finish three courses without regretting it! My partner’s lamb dish looked beautifully cooked and he really enjoyed it. My chicken supreme was also delicious: creamy leeks, crunchy breadcrumbs, buttery salted root veg rosti, sweet baby leek and a very good quality piece of chicken breast all went down a treat (and I’m usually more inclined towards veggie or fish, but couldn’t resist this and was glad I didn’t).
We then ordered desserts (even my partner, who I usually have to coerce into sharing with me because I love pudding and he’s not fussed, went straight for the chocolate suet pudding) and pondered over another drink, but Paul came to the rescue with two glasses of dessert wine he had selected and brought to us: a lovely surprise and thoughtfully chosen. It went beautifully with my sticky toffee pudding, which was served with Yorkshire tea ice cream and a nice chewy brandy snap; both offset the sweetness so I could just about eat the whole generous plateful. Happy days. The chocolate pudding could have done with more custard, but the ‘wagon wheel’ shortbread biscuit served alongside it was enthusiastically gobbled up.
If you’re looking for a cosy spot to enjoy the company of family and friends, or your date, over delicious food in an atmosphere that felt warm and welcoming (but stylish in a grown up way) then I’d happily recommend you give this lovely restaurant a try.
111 Arundel St, Sheffield S1 2NT // 0114 270 6160 // silversmithsrestaurant.co.uk