Category: Food

By Nik Aisyah Safiah, MSc Management (International Business)

As an international student, coming to a university in the UK has a lot of differences! You have left behind your home country to a new place, new culture, new experience and new friends. How nerve-wracking but extremely exciting at the same time? Once you have settled in your accommodation, your mind starts to wonder about food, but not just any food. It’s food that brings you back home. If you are a Malaysian, you’ll start to hallucinate about that delicious laksa noodles your dad always buy for you after every Friday prayer.

 

Is food-homesickness really a thing? As a Muslim Asian student living in Sheffield, I say, fret not! You live in one of the most ethnically diverse cities with a lot of Asian restaurants that sells Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Vietnamese, and Arabic cuisine. Alternatively, with easy access to halal meat and oriental stores in Sheffield, you could also make your own favourite dish from scratch! In this blog, I will share some of my go-to stores in Sheffield that has helped me make my everyday meals.

 

Ozmen Ltd (supermarket), Yafai and Sons, Al-Amir Halal Food

Located near the city campus, you can easily get halal meat from these stores, which sells chicken, beef and lamb meat. Not only that, but these stores also offer you all the Asian ingredients, spices that could help you make a replica of your favourite dish back home! From soy sauce, chilli spices, galangal, Asian fruits, bamboo shoots, instant noodle, shrimp paste, south-east Asian instant spices, Middle Eastern instant spices. You name it! With a simple Google search of the recipe and the ingredients you can find in these stores, you will get to eat your favourite dish in no time!

 

Moor Market 

The Moor Market is definitely the go-to place if you are looking for fresh groceries. Here, you can find a few merchants who offer fresh and imported Asian ingredients. Believe it or not, you can also get halal chicken from one of the butchers, Smith & Tissington. Top tips, you might get a reduction in price if you buy the chicken in bulk!

Tesco Express (Edward Street) & Tesco Superstore (50 Montgomery Terrace) 

These Tesco stores have designated halal meat section in their chiller that sells a variety of halal meat options, including raw chicken and processed meat such as nuggets, sausages, burgers and many more.

 

Oriental supermarket 

KH Oriental and Oriental West Street 

If you are looking for Asian ingredients, snacks, sauces, instant noodles, fish cakes, seaweed, specific noodles or sushi rice, then this is the place for you! One of my personal favourite snacks that I love is mochi, seaweed and pepero sticks.

So, there you go! All the stores you need as a Muslim Asian to bring some flavours of home while living in Sheffield! With that being said, here are some pictures of my favourite Malaysian dish that my housemates and I have made a few days ago!

 

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

If you’re a food-lover like me, Sheffield has so much to offer you. As well as all of the chain restaurants that you can get in many cities in the UK, you can also try out delicious authentic food from around the world.

Mowgli

If you’re looking for an atmospheric and exotic meal, you need look no further! Mowgli is an Indian street food restaurant that opened very recently on Ecclesall Road. The extensive menu offers a range of delicious, authentic Indian dishes, so whatever you’re looking for, you’ll be spoilt for choice. The whole restaurant has a unique atmosphere, with aesthetic decorations and sparkling lights everywhere you look. Welcoming, friendly and helpful service is another aspect which makes this restaurant so enjoyable; the staff are happy to explain the more intriguing options on the menu and to make recommendations if you’re struggling to choose. One of my personal favourite things about Mowgli are its swinging chairs; in addition to the more traditional dining table and chairs, several of the tables feature unique swinging benches which are a great experience!

Proove

Proove is a less expensive but equally enjoyable option, offering the best pizza in Sheffield (in my opinion)! Although the menu does not offer a huge choice, the pizzas are delicious and freshly cooked in an open kitchen and traditional pizza oven. The food is good quality for a reasonable price, and the service is quick and friendly. This makes Proove one of my favourite places in Sheffield to go for a more casual dining experience or mid-week treat. It makes a nice change from some of the larger, pizza restaurant chains, and as a bonus, is only around a 5 minute walk from the Management School.

The Botanist

Last but not least is the Botanist. The Botanist is conveniently located in the centre of Sheffield, in a stunning, rustic building in Leopold Square. This menu has something for everyone, with a range of delicious options from burgers to salads to steaks, and not forgetting their impressive hanging kebabs! The Botanist is particularly well-known for its unusual, extraordinary cocktails, making the drinks menu well worth exploring. An added bonus is that there is often live music in the evenings. The combination of beautiful interior décor and delicious food makes this my favourite place to take visiting friends or family, or for going out for a celebratory meal.

 

 

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

Since moving to Sheffield last September, I have spent a lot of time following my passion for food (and particularly cakes) by visiting countless cafes. Each café has its own unique atmosphere, but they all share the appeal of delicious cakes and aesthetic charm. If you’re looking for somewhere special but reasonably priced to try new foods, catch up with friends or read a book for a few hours, these cafes are the perfect place for you.

1. Birdhouse Tea Bar and Kitchen

Birdhouse is another wonderful café that is definitely worth a visit, especially for fans of tea and coffee. Located in a beautiful renovated building that used to be a cutlery-machine factory and secluded in a courtyard away from the road, this café has a great and friendly atmosphere. In addition to a delicious and healthy menu (with plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options), Birdhouse offers a vast selection of unique drinks. Tea is at the heart of Birdhouse, and you can try their exciting new tea trends such as tea infused culinary dishes, Matcha Lattes and tea cocktails.

2. Steam Yard

This is a place where I have spent a lot of time and money over the last few months! Steam Yard is an independent café on Division Street with a very tempting, mouth-watering menu and a great atmosphere. The cakes, doughnuts, croissants and cronuts look incredible and taste even better – I have yet to go to Steam Yard and resist their chocolate brownie! There are also vegetarian and vegan options, so there is something for everyone. As a result of its fantastic food and reputation, Steam Yard is very popular and often busy, so if you want to get a seat you might need to head there early!

3. Alyssum Café Bistro

Alyssum is an independent coffee shop in Crookesmoor – conveniently only a 5-10 minute walk from the Management School! This is one of my favourite places for brunch as it has a vast and delicious breakfast menu and an incredible selection of cakes. Alyssum will also make commission cakes to order for special occasions and events. Alyssum is very popular, so if you want to get a table, you’ll need to get there early or be prepared to wait. However, the delicious food and friendly atmosphere will definitely be worth the wait. If you need any more persuading, take a look at their irresistable, mouth-watering cakes on Instagram!