Please note, the Ecclesall Road branch of Napoleon’s has now closed it’s doors, however the Napoleon’s Owlerton Casino and Restaurant still remains open in Sheffield and you can check out my reviews of a dining experience there and a beer night I attended.
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Over the years, I have been lucky enough to attend a few blogging events that Napoleon’s have put on. Every single one of them has been great and I’ve had a really lovely time. This most recent blogger’s night, taking place on 19th August, was also nothing short of brilliant.
We were welcomed to the beautiful and quite grand looking restaurant, situated on Sheffield’s Ecclesall Road, with a selection of cocktails to choose from. I obviously went for the Amaretto Sour because when it’s on offer, why would you turn that opportunity down?! It was a wonderful start to what turned out to be a great evening full of food, cocktails, fun and chat.
Me and my boyfriend took our seats alongside the other bloggers and partners invited on the night. There was representatives from some of Sheffield’s finest blogs including Steel City Cravings, Sheffield Eats, Sheffield Food Gurus and That’s What She Writes.
Shortly after sitting down and looking over their delicious sounding August menu, we ordered our starters and mains for the evening. To start with I went for the Goats Cheese Curd on Toast with Pine Nuts and Blackberries and it was absolutely lovely! The Goats Cheese Curd was almost whipped and smooth giving it a light texture but the flavour was savoury leaving a tangy yet creamy aftertaste. It worked well with the earthy pine nuts and the sharp, sweetness of the blackberries. A delicious and filling starter.
My boyfriend opted for a light starter in preparation for his main. He ordered the Tomato and Basil Salad with Mozzarella Fritter and Balsamic Jelly, a starter which he thought was light, clean, tasty and simple. The difference in texture between the mozzarella fritter and the balsamic jelly was really nice and worked well together. The jelly was something that grew throughout the dish from a light hint to a complimentary flavour. A few extra basil leaves would have helped the dish fulfil its potential.
My only issue, if I was to be very picky of the night was the fact that there was only one veggie choice for the main. However, the vegetarian option of Cauliflower four ways was delicious and more filling than you may expect. The cauliflower puree was nice but on a dish with so many other flavours I do feel that it ended up lost for me slightly. The tempura cauliflower was very good and cauliflower cheese was both wonderful and delicious in equal measure. The standout for me was the pickled cauliflower! It sounds quite weird and I really didn’t know what to expect but the sharpness of the vinegar worked so well with the earthy tones that are so prominent in cauliflower. It a wonderful combination that I would eat again!
As soon as I saw the menu I knew exactly what my boyfriend would opt for and he didn’t disappoint me, ordering the Slow Roasted Belly Pork with Black Pudding, Pear & Cider Sauce. From the look on his face you could tell he enjoyed the generous amounts of slow roasted pork, black pudding and perfectly crispy crackling. The pork belly was well cooked and flavoursome, if at times a little fatty. The pear and cider sauce worked well with the meat and the black pudding helped bring the meal together, complimenting the meat and the sauce. It is something he would order again and the portion size was very generous.
After the mains, we headed downstairs to the casino for a roulette tutorial. Even though I have played roulette a few times now, it’s still nice to be reminded of the rules and the odds. It was an informative tutorial which I think helped many later on in the evening when it came to using their £5 betting chips.
Tutorial finished, it was back up to the restaurant for desserts after a suitable break. I was going to order the cheese board but after so much cheese in my starter and main, I opted for the poached Williams pear with chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream, no creme anglaise for me though. The pear was sweet and tasty which sat well against the rich chocolate brownie and the warming, fragrant tones of vanilla in the ice cream. The dessert was presented beautifully and had beautiful little extras that just made it such a standout dish. It was an amazing finish to the meal for me.
My boyfriend went for the salted caramel creme brulee with peppered shortbread biscuits which does sound absolutely gorgeous! It was a good, rich and creamy creme brulee and the peppered shortbread worked well when paired with the dessert. He feels it would have benefitted from some extra caramelisation on the top of the brulee, however it was a very indulgent and satisfying dessert that he enjoyed.
After a lovely meal and many cocktails, we left the restaurant stuffed full of gorgeous, well made food and feeling very happy and content with what we had chosen to eat that night. I’ve always thought the three course menu at Napoleon’s is great value especially for birthday’s and special events when you want to treat yourself to well made and delicious food.
We both had an absolutely great night and I know for a fact we will be back at some point, hopefully in the near future. Thank you so much to Rachel and the Napoleon’s Ecclesall Road team for inviting us down to try out the August menu, cocktails and the gaming floor for ourselves. It was a really wonderful evening, the food was absolutely brilliant, the cocktails were delicious, the place looks amazing and the service was great!
You can see the August menu from Napoleon’s on their website.
Napoleon’s Casino and Restaurant is situated at 844 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield S11 8TD
You can find out more about Napoleon’s Ecclesall Road on their website. You can follow them on Instagram – @napoleons_casinos, Facebook and Twitter – @NapsEcclesallRd
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