One minute he'd be down the stream doing a spot of foraging, plucking handfuls of glossy leave of wild garlic, or ramsons, the next pot-shotting a bunny to turn into potted rabbit.

I've tried both at Wayne's new place, Bluwater, at Victoria Quays – not quite River Cottage, more bankside bistro.

The rabbit, consumed over an exploratory lunch, turned out to be an extremely tasty version of rillettes, served with melba toast, while the garlic had been turned into a pesto although this was more a gritty dip made with oil and chopped almonds than the classic paste.

Still, one out of two isn't bad and reading that Wayne likes to source locally and talks of hoggart (year-old sheep), brawn and pigs ear on the menu, it was worth a punt for an evening meal.

Even more so as Bluwater – a testament to boss Bob Barber's faith in Sheffield's waterside, which in any other town would be busy and full of life – doesn't cost a fortune, with starters and desserts at a fiver and mains at a tenner.

And it also has a rather good white Rioja on the wine list.

Wayne talks a good menu but it's not there yet, although this is early days.

He made a bit of a hit at the Nettle Inn, Ashover, after a spell at The Star, Harome, and likes to think of himself as a gastro-pub rather than restaurant chef.

His talk of nose-to-tail eating leads carnivores to think of steaks or hunks of meat but the nearest you'll get to that on this menu is a beefburger, Old Spot sausage or diced steak in a lasagne.

But he does do everything himself, from the hunky bread to the quite admirable thickly textured lemon and lime posset with homemade shortbread served at the end of the meal.

Well, not quite everything.

He doesn't make his own ice cream yet. He's waiting for an ice cream maker.

I shall feel more complete when I've done that. It feels like I'm cheating a bit," he says disarmingly.

Bluwater has a bar in one of the arches lining the quayside with the restaurant in the adjacent arch. With the coffee and cream decor it's a bit like eating inside a cappuccino.

Apart from a party of 12 and some drinkers outside, it's just us – not exactly city hustle on a summer Friday night.

The rabbit's not on the menu so I try the olives and pesto again, along with some fun miniature Scotch eggs made with quails eggs and several slabs of cold home made black pudding, both £3.50. The pudding works better cold than you might think, is very oaty and has a sweet edge.


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