Sheffield hotel's cuisine clinches top food accolade

Aston Hall Hotel in Aston was visited by inspectors who dined on rabbit tagliatelle, pan fried duck breast and chocolate and coffee tart for dessert, rating the food highly enough to earn the accolade.

Staff from the Best Western hotel’s Bamford restaurant, including Sheffield man and head chef Craig Simpson, celebrated the news last week.

“We’ve been wanting a rosette for a long time so we were shocked when we first found out but then really happy”, said Craig, who formerly worked at the Dam House, Crookes, and the new closed Loch Fyne in Broomhill.

The 30-year-old added: “Our AA plate has come through now so all the chefs have had their pictures taken with it.

“During the week we do have a lot of repeat guests who come every week but at the weekends we are getting more local people starting to come again now for the food.”

Earlier this year the restaurant at Sheffield College was awarded the prestigious AA College Rosette Highly Commended.

Sheffield’s Cubanas bar has also celebrated a rather more alcohol focused award....

Cubana owners Adrian Bagnoli and Brad Charlesworth flew to Havana earlier in the year to hand pick a bottle of ‘Maximo Extra Anejo’ which is now on offer at the Leopold Square bar for an eye-watering £150 a shot.

The luxury spirit was the icing on the cake for the venue’s first ever rum menu which boasts 167 varieties from as far afield as Japan and the USA.

But the real reward came at the coveted 10th annual Rum Barrel Awards in London– where Cubana beat over 60 entries from across the UK to the prize.

Adrian said: “We are delighted to have beaten some of the most respected dedicated rum bars in the country to this prestigious award. “We intend to build on this by improving and increasing the quality of our rum listing year on year.”

Another week, another street food festival. Next Monday December 12 Trafalgar Warehouse in the city centre will host the free Street Food Warehouse - also on December 19.

Street food from local traders, craft beers from Sheffield’s Brew Foundation, gins and live music will be on offer from 5-9pm. 
Dim sum, Thai, pies, tapas, tacos and arancini are among dishes lined up.