Anchorage is a brand new addition to the food scene in Sheffield and in my opinion, it’s a bloody brilliant addition to the scene as well. I was lucky enough to win a half price meal for the opening week so that armed with plenty of curiosity and all the good things I’d read online, I headed down there for probably one of my favourite meals ever.
The bar specialises in East Coast food, if you want New York style cuisine then this is the place for you and with an extensive alcohol menu that takes in everything from cocktails, a huge array of wine and craft beers and ales, there really is something for everyone here. Set up by the team behind Wick At Both Ends and The Harley [both ridiculously good establishments!] to bridge that gap between pub food and more refined cuisine, they offer a laid back atmosphere and affordable prices but with food that a special edge you wouldn’t find in most pubs up and down the country.As it is a new establishment and I really wanted to try out the menu fully so I opted for 3 courses because as we all know I can not skip dessert however full I may be. For starters I had the chopped salad which though looked slightly unimpressive when the small ramekin arrived was a deceptive course. It really was the most tasty salad I have had in a long time – green beans, white cabbage, Bibb lettuce and chopped egg all mixed together with lemon and dill mayo – made for so many lovely flavours. It really was a nice addition with the egg instead of a lot of other chopped salads I’ve had which is usually greens and a usually quite bad dressing. This you could tell was fresh ingredients, made to order and with different yet tasty flavours, it was an impressive salad.
For mains, I went for the only thing this carb lover was ever going to order, the mac’n’cheese burger. You read that right guys, mac’n’cheese in a burger! Honestly I think my life peaked at this moment. The brioche burger bun for a start was so soft and beautiful that I could have just eaten that but the mac’n’cheese inside was the perfect portion size, enough to fill the burger but not too much to make the pasta and bread combination too carb heavy. With Parmesan and Monterey Jack cheese instead of the usual cheddar or more common cheeses it gave a beautifully subtle and lovely flavour to the pasta. The chips as well were really nicely cooked, I would have preferred thick cut chips but that is just personal preference and I guess for a truly authentic East Coast experience then it is all about thin cut fries.
I may have been full but nothing was stopping me from eating dessert because that dessert menu is to die for! As soon as I saw the words – waffles, caramelised apples and cinnamon, I was all over that. Literally the best decision I have ever made. Those waffles were the best waffles I have had since I was in Belgium two years ago – soft and with just the right amount of sweetness to them. Apples caramelised with cinnamon is genuinely the stuff of my food dreams and I could easily have eaten about two bowls just of the apples if I’m honest. A simple, authentic American dessert that tasted so damn good!
All together it would have come to just over £20 for 3 courses and 2 drinks [one of which a massive cocktail!] which is VERY reasonable for the quality of food, the freshness of ingredients and the portion sizes on offer. I know for a fact I will be back to Anchorage very soon [I’m planning on taking everyone I know so that should add up to plenty of visits!] because there is no way I can stay away from that Mac’n’Cheese Burger and those Waffles for very long. Thanks for such a lovely meal Anchorage, you really are up there as one of my favourite places to eat in Sheffield.
Anchorage is situated at Unit 3, West One Plaza, Fitzwilliam Street, Sheffield. You can also find out more by visiting their website, their Facebook page or you can follow them on Twitter – @Anchorage_Bar
