 |
| Review: Nourish Ecclesall Road, Sheffield |
Hi readers,
How are you today?? Are you having a lovely, chilled Sunday?
I hope all is well and you’ve been thoroughly enjoying
yourselves this weekend after the long working week (which was DEFINITELY
longer than normal this week – I don’t know how it happened. Not just me,
several people have commented on how long the week was. So damn long).
On this lovely Sunday, while you’re kicking back, I’m here
to share a post that’s a bit different from my usual offering. In that, I don’t
have a recipe for you today (sorry, readers, there will be more recipes soon!).
Instead, I’m writing to you today to share with you all the down low on a cool
event I got to attend this week… a
blogger’s event.
 |
| Here! |
That’s right, readers, for the first time EVER I was asked
this week to attend an invite-only event for bloggers, in an independent health
café that opened just a month ago in Sheffield. I went along one evening this
week to Nourish, on Ecclesall Road, not really knowing what to expect… and had
a great time! There were maybe 10-15 bloggers there on the night and we were
hosted by a really friendly guy called David, who runs Nourish.
And I was LATE (I know! Soooo bad!) by about 15 minutes,
rushing to get there after work, but he made it no big deal. We settled in,
seated around one big table in the café, to try out sampler pots for eight
different dishes from the Nourish menu. And we tried some reeeally tasty food,
readers! The highlights of the night, my favourite things I tried, were hands
down sweet potato brownies and chocolate avocado mousse… as I am a chocaholic.
 |
| Chocolate avocado mousse! |
Everything we sampled though, readers, was hands down good tasting,
healthy food. There was always something I could eat – as a vegetarian – and a
lactose intolerant attendee was also very well catered for. Safe to say,
dietary requirements are well covered at Nourish. At the end of this post I go
into more detail listing the different foods we got to try out on the night –
read through this blow-by-blow if you’re interested in knowing more about the
food on offer at Nourish, or you can check out the full menu on their website here.
What a great experience it was, to be invited along to a
blogger’s event! I was a little nervous, having not attended one before, (I
took my phone along to use as a camera, and a pen and paper for note-taking –
everyone (everyone) else there came
armed with SLR camera and they took NO NOTES… did they not care? Did they have
dictaphones? Were they practising mental note-taking??) but our host made
everyone feel welcome all the same. He was merciful and let me use the staff
loo.
 |
| Here he is! Our host, David. |
Overall – a great night. And we learned loads. David knows his stuff. Talking on the topic of their
customer base at Nourish, he filled us in. Turns out – gym goers are their
tribe and will rave about Nourish to anyone with abs and ears, but gym goers are
generally good at making packed lunches. So, most of them only really eat at
Nourish as a treat. The health food market is still finding itself, but at the
moment students, office workers, and – randomly – hairdressers (!) make up a
large part of the customer base at Nourish. Who knew this? Not me.
And David knows a lot about nutrition, readers, and then
some. He know a lot a lot. Like, he made me realise how much there is to know
about nutrition. Glaringly obvious – he knows all this stuff, he lives and
breathe his nutrition, and thus has an incredible amount to share on the topic.
When someone’s that passionate about something, readers, it can’t help but rub
off. I found it all muchos interesting.
 |
Here's some Baked Sweet Potato
with Nourish Sun-dried Tomato Hummus |
David champions nutrition through Nourish’s menu by
channelling science and crazy sports performance ideas into every menu item. He
told us about the different ways men and women monitor their calorie intake –
men are more likely to account for everything they’ve consumed, while women are
bigger believers in free calories (totes believe this – I refuse to count
liquid calories for fear my wine won’t taste the same).
Plus, there’s an option on the Nourish menu for a breakfast
drink called a Bullet Proof Coffee, which contains butter and coconut oil. We
were all perplexed by this! FAT?? David explained this is for people who are
fasting, as a way to supercharge their brains without eating food. You drink high-fat
coffee, containing high-calorie omega 3 butter, in place of breakfast in the
morning. No food needed. You metabolise the coffee quickly for energy and it
gives you a morning pick me up. Plus, you feel buzzed from the caffeine. What
an idea!
I left convinced that:
a)
David knows more about nutrition than most of us
ever will do.
b)
The man should indeed be in charge of the menu
for a health food café. Basically, it’s his calling.
c)
I should eat at Nourish more.
 |
| Here's my Brazilian Beans |
And, I have eaten at Nourish before! This branch on
Ecclesall Road is café no.2 for Nourish. Their original cafe is located on
Pinstone Street in town, just at the top end of the Peace Gardens. I’ve been in
a few times before, readers, as it’s really well located for grabbing a healthy
lunch on a sunny day, if you fancy eating outdoors sitting in the Peace
Gardens. I spent a few sunny lunches doing just this, back when I worked in
Sheffield city centre.
And – just think – the new Nourish café on Ecclesall Road is
fantastically near to the Botanical Gardens! It would be so easy, on a sunny
day now, to grab a healthy Nourish and take it out to eat in the Gardens with
the squirrels. Something I DEFINITELY intend to do.
Aside from the squirrel/sun-bathing factor, as David
explained, there are two reasons why Nourish have chosen to move on to Eccy
Road and open their second café there. The first reason is that they’re
well-liked by students, and Ecclesall Road is an area with a high student
population. So, Nourish are wisely focussing in on a target market. They’ll be
launching a student discount in September to hammer this home.
 |
Here's some Baked Sweet Potato
with Supergreens & Kimchi |
Plus – second reason – Nourish aren’t a chain cafe, they’re
independent. As the locals among you will know, Ecclesall Road is a kind of cool
area, it’s vibrant, and it’s a hub for independents – lined up one after
another. So, Nourish have made the decision to open on Eccy Road in order to
join these independents, and support each other as they get off the ground,
without too many brands around to spoil the party. Which sounds a fine idea to
me.
I came away from the event on Thursday not feeling
brainwashed. Maybe as a vegetarian food blogger, with a gym membership and a
smoothie maker, I didn’t take much convincing. But, waving my goodie bag as I
walked home, drinking an ingredients-unknown vegetable-tasting orange-coloured
juice, I left Nourish feeling informed and enthusiastic about what the café is
doing and where it’s heading.
 |
| Here's a little Coconut Lentil Curry |
I spend a lot of time in Starbucks – have you seen the poor
baristas when they’re lining cups up in front of the coffee machine, with steam
flashing in their face?? They look hot and they look bothered. The staff at
Nourish – meanwhile – get gym memberships, personal trainer sessions,
supplements, nutrition plans, and plenty of free food! David said Nourish know
they’re doing well when employees are choosing to eat the food, they’re liking
it, and they’re not taking time off sick. That’s how they know.
Without meaning to sound like I’ve swallowed a Nourish brand
book, readers, I just mean to say that I believe in Nourish. I believe their
menu is fun, the food tastes good and is priced reasonably, it’s good for your
body and for the supply chain, and the staff are good people who deserve their
growing spot on the Sheffield health food scene. If you live in Sheffield or
you’re ever visiting, readers, I’d definitely recommend this as a café to try.
Especially if the weather’s good – take your food outdoors and soak up some
Vitamin D. Enjoy life.
Without further ado,
here are 8 reasons to give Nourish a try…
1. Start the day right and enjoy a healthy
breakfast.
Nourish open early – at 7.30am – so unless you begin work
before 8am you can swing by and pick up a healthy breakfast. There’s a really varied breakfast
selection, with eggs and pancakes, bagels and breakfast bowls, muesli and
porridge all on the menu.
2. They have lunches that you’ll like all year
round.
If you’re anything like me, then you maybe struggle with
planning and packing up weekday lunches that match the seasons. There’s only so
much salad you can munch in summer, and a limit to how much soup you can swallow
in winter. It’s easy to just live on cereal/porridge all year round… but don’t
do it! At Nourish, they have hot meals and chilled salads, baked potatoes and a
choice of hot or cold toppings. Whatever the season – they have your back.
3. You can get a healthy fast food meal for
under a fiver.
All the Nourish cold wraps cost less than £4 and you can
‘meal deal’ and add a piece of fruit and a bottle of water for just £1 more. No
excuses – this isn’t a blow the bank kind of café, you can eat well and still
stick within a £5 budget.
4. You can go ALL OUT and still spend less than
a tenner.
If you’ve say just done a HIIT session and need some serious
food in you, this still won’t cost you the earth! Looking at the menu – you can
order the most expensive food item (a large Beef Rendang hot dish - £6.25) and
one of the most expensive drinks (say a Mango Spinach Green Smoothie - £3.65)
and you’ll still have stuck within a £10 budget. Sweeeet.
5. They will come to you.
Nourish are on Deliveroo and will be joining Uber Eats in July,
so you can still order from the café if you can’t make it in-store. Plus,
Nourish run regular lunchtime orders to the staff of nearby businesses. And, as
well as delivering food to offices, Nourish offer tailored nutrition services
for businesses. Nourish can help a company with health reports for staff
members, run healthy eating workshops and group activities, goal-oriented
workshops and mobility analysis, they introduce ‘health champions’ in the
workplace… and so on.
6. They don’t rest on their laurels.
Nourish know their customers. We learned from David that
March-July can be a tough time for the café as many ladies are bikini dieting,
so they’re less likely to treat themselves to fast food – even if it is healthy
fast food! I never realised this (no bikini diet going on here). But the
challenge isn’t stopping them! Nourish continuously work to improve the
flavours of their menu items. David told us all about the difficulties they’ve
had with getting hot quinoa to hold flavour – a battle hard fought for them. He
could talk at length about it… for real.
7. The ingredients are wacky and well-sourced.
Nourish aim to introduce Sheffielders to new ingredients –
like kimchi! See below for an explainer on what on this Earth that is. They’re
not hiding behind a bottle of Hendersons – they’re giving it their all and
brandishing a menu filled with exotic flavours. Plus, Nourish listen to their
suppliers to keep informed about issues along the supply chain for their far
flung ingredients (who knew the Mexican drug cartel were interested in
avocados?!).
8. Nourish love Sheffield.
They will open a café in Meadowhall when their lottery
numbers come in. As David aptly put it, “we’re not just here to say here’s some food”. Nourish care more
than that. The café want their customers to eat well, feel healthy and enjoy
their meals. They hope that customers will like the food and will come back for
more… I know I will! Nourish want to stick in Sheffield for a while and grow
here at home in the Steel city.
 |
I'd be going back EVEN IF
they hadn't give me this (... result!) |
And that, readers, is about everything I have to say. What a
fab café and what a great event to have been invited along to, for my first time
attending one! I came away feeling surprised at how full I was. And how
welcoming everyone had been. Plus, I have some great ideas for recipes to try
in the kitchen! I’ll be giving kimchi a go fo sho. And, if you’re in Sheffield,
I hope you give Nourish a go, too! Wherever you live, support your local
independents.
Nourish safely,
Hayley
^ Also, I realised this week there are now over 100 recipes
in the ChefBeHere Recipe Book. Whoo!
Is that mental?? Go look! If you’re stuck for what to cook and there isn’t
anything in there you like the look of then youareimpossibletofeed. Go eat
meat. Order a takeaway. Don’t come back here until you’re in a better mood.
Then, you’ll have a lovely time perusing the (now super-extensive) collection
of ChefBeHere recipes.
^^ Also, MUSIC. I found a playlist that Yoga Girl share last
month and cannot stop listening it’s on Spotify
here. My fave song is Sampha –
(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano.
^^^ ALSO, we got free codes at the Nourish event to try out
a boot camp exercise place on Ecclesall Road, called Trib3. Love a good
freebie, went along this morning, and it was INTENSE. Like holybejesuschrist. I
came out soaked. They give you a refrigerated damp towel in order to bring you
around enough to be able
to do the
cool down at the end. You work out like crazy switching between floor work,
resistance weights, and running on treadmills. You think you’ll die, you hate
the instructor (I got Amy), you wonder if this really is hell. You’re in hell.
And then, 45 mins later, you bounce out feeling great! High five Amy and pick
up a smoothie in the cafe on the way out. If you’re a busy person and need to
squeeze a work out in quickly, and you’re a gritty human being – look Trib3 up
here.
Now, full disclosure
about the food…
8 items from the menu
that I got to try at the Nourish launch event:
1.
Nourish
Bowl – mixed leaf, chickpeas, kale, butternut squash, red pepper, feta
cheese. One of the most popular options on Nourish’s menu, a veggie salad. With
cheese! I’m loving feta lately. (£4.85)
2.
Baked
Sweet Potato with Supergreens & Kimchi – avocado, broccoli, hempseed,
lime juice, mint, kimchi. David explained that kimchi is a favourite of his
(I’d never heard of it!). Kimchi is a mix of cabbage, spices and chilli left to
ferment – it’s sour and packs a real flavour punch! Works well when paired with
sweet potato. (£4.95)
3.
Baked
Sweet Potato with Nourish Sun-dried Tomato Hummus. I would never have
thought to put hummus on a sweet potato, but this works nicely. The sweet and
savoury balance each other out. I’ll carry on this combo at home for sure.
(£4.45)
4.
Brazilian
Beans – black beans, butternut squash, red pepper, red onion and okra
cooked with chilli, garlic and spices. Ingredients you don’t buy everyday –
black beans and okra – make for an exotic dish. (£4.45)
5.
Coconut
Lentil Curry – coconut milk, red lentils, chickpeas and sweet potato with
Nourish Thai paste, garam masala and lime. A lovely mild curry – it’s rare I
cook with lentils so I always enjoy ordering them out, when someone’s cooking
for me. (£4.45)
6.
Chocolate
Avocado Mousse. Interesting! Not as sweet as a chocolate mousse or as
savoury as an avocado. A refreshing flavour somewhere in between. Do try this
if you get the chance – it’s hard to describe. (£2.95)
7.
Nourish
Acai Berry Mix. A pink fruity, flavoursome mix. Somewhere between a yoghurt
and a smoothie in texture. Tasting summery! (£4.45 in a breakfast bowl with
fruits).
8.
Sweet
Potato Brownies. Yummy, dense and chocolatey. No hint of the vegetable in
your cake. Definitely taste like a treat, instead of a healthy option. But,
healthy they are! With only 174 calories per pot, these brownies are a light
pud. (£2.95)
And 8 items from the
menu that I’d like to try when I visit Nourish again:
1.
Porridge
with Nourish Chia Jam – I haven’t tried a chia jam before but I am a lover
of a jammy bowl of porridge. (£2.45)
2.
Avocado,
Tomato & Sumac Bagel – I googled and sumac is a tangy, lemony spice…
I’m intrigued! (£2.95)
3.
Sweet
Potato Pancakes with Vanilla Protein Yoghurt – I haven’t tried a pancake
made from sweet potato before and wouldn’t normally serve pancakes with
yoghurt, so this sounds interesting. (£4.45)
4.
Supergreens
& Kimchi Wrap – will the sour kimchi work when it isn’t offset by sweet
potato, like when I tried it at the launch event? I wonder! (£3.65)
5.
Baked Sweet
Potato with Feta Cheese & Kale Pesto – I like pesto and remain quite
unsure about kale. Can kale pesto work? Is it good?? (£4.95)
6.
Baked
Sweet Potato with Chipotle Beans & Mozzarella – Nourish slow bake their
beans and this topping is served hot. Lovely on a cold day, I imagine. (£4.95)
7.
Espresso
shake – a coffee milkshake… what might this be like? I love a frappuccino
on a hot day and wonder if this is similar. (£3.45)
8.
Blueberry
cheesecake – if Nourish can make a healthy version of one of my favourite
desserts, and it tastes good, then I’m going to be visiting A LOT. (£2.75)
