Lunch at The (new) Forum

We'd decided to give Coffee Revolution, part of the Sheffield University Students' Union, a go as it has had excellent reviews for its coffee.  We walked out very quickly though, as there was a band warming up an hour before their gig start time, and it was pretty noisy.  Didn't see anything to eat other than sandwiches either - maybe we'll return one evening.

So we ventured down the road into the city centre in search of some food.  It's been a while since I last went to The Forum on Division Street.  When last we visited, it was more of a cafe/bar, though now I'll opt to call it a coffee shop/cafe/bar.  For me, 'cafe' has distinctly foody overtones, whilst the new look Forum is definitely pushing their coffee.

Since the demise of the nearby Starbucks, one assumes they are attempting to draw in the morning crowd, now that they open from 8am with a breakfast menu, and there is a new coffee bar area.  We decided to give it a try, fancying a different lunch for the day.

They're keen to push their new menus as well, including a "Fitness and Fasting" menu, with sub-200kcal options for those on the 5:2 diet.  I personally find this fad to be the same as all those other silly diets, and I couldn't fathom being able to deliver cancer treatment on only 500 calories a day, let alone engage in any activities that could be classed as "fitness", so we discarded that one.

Their main menu has a mixture of sandwiches, main meals, lighter bites and breakfast options for the appropriate time of day.  There's codes for gluten free (G) and vegetarian (V), but I have to ask why they really bother advertising doing anything gluten free when all that is on offer is a soup, chicken wings and salmon and sweet potato cakes.  Bit more variety, guys?

That said, the sweet potato cakes were very nice.  The atmosphere is much the same as it always has been; a bit of everything.  Families, early drinkers, people out for an afternoon meal.  Not too many just sitting to enjoy a cup of coffee.  Nicky's double espresso was missing half of itself, and he was charged for the full drink, which was swiftly sorted.  The crema on top was also lacking in colour and consistency, missing the smooth 'dark honey' shade that it should have, and as a result it tasted burnt.  My caramel latte was actually rather nice, though, and the milk was very smooth, so well done on that score.

As before then, we enjoyed the food, service was ok (why place my glass of tap water on the other side of the table?), but as a coffee shop?  Well, after lunch we went to Tamper for a good cup with a slice of their ginger crunch...

tamper:coffee, straight from New Zealand

I'm one of those annoying people who scours the Internet for information before trying a place. We're cycling around Flanders in July, and part of my preparation will include googling good coffee in the local towns and cities. So it's no surprise that I found Tamper online first of all, searching for coffee in Sheffield, though we seldom go into the centre itself these days. I found myself particularly drawn to their history and general ethos; Jonathan came from New Zealand and set up shop here to give us a taste of the quality independent coffee shops of his homeland. Sometimes I think my other half quite fancies the idea himself, though in place of Kiwi Brunch we'd opt for South African cuisine.

We first tried Tamper on a Saturday morning, hoping to get there before it was too busy. Having been back since late on a Monday afternoon, I'm not sure a quiet time exists for Tamper, testament to its popularity and quality. So I'll get the downside out of the way; it's not the kind of place I would sit and waste hours reading magazines or messing about on my iPad. But if I want the best coffee Sheffield has to offer, it's top of the list (disclaimer: the blog is young, with plenty more places to try, but if consensus is to be believed this is a safe statement to make).

That morning I went for French toast - my favourite breakfasts involve bacon and maple syrup, so this was a no brainer, and considering I'd spun away 580kcal that morning already I made an exception to my 'no gluten' rule. I asked for no banana, and sure enough it came with no banana! I tried some from Nicky's plate though, feeling like I was missing out because surely it must be nice if Tamper decide so, and my 27.5 year long banana-less world came to an end. Just in time for my new fitness regime.

We sat in the window watching the world go by, but truth me told most of the world popped in for a coffee to stay or to go. In for a penny and all, we then had a delicious chocolate brownie to share.

Coffee wise I went for their favoured flat white, which was lovely. I usually go for ridiculously sweet coffee, and I've come to realise that that's mostly to counter the poor quality bitterness so many places end up serving. So this was syrup free and highly recommended. Nicky went for a long black (two espresso shots, with water on the side to pour as required), and enjoyed it immensely.

Second time round it was lunchtime, and my salami, mozzarella and pesto sandwich went down a treat with one of Jonathan's Iced Coffees - the most coffee tasting one I've had this side of the equator. It's even made with ice cream, which is something I've been searching for since my weeks in sunny Cape Town.
Nicky opted for a ham and cheese sandwich, both of which were served on 'rustic' boards, and enjoyed it with another long black. Worth saying as well that in his eyes, Tamper embodies 'all you need' in a coffee shop. Give it ten years and maybe that South African competition will appear...

Tamper only accept cash as payment, but with the nearby cash point it's not an issue. They use locally sourced products where available (Our Cow Molly milk and ice cream), which is always a bonus.

This place is definitely on our favourites list, and makes the trip into town worth it for a visit alone. They get everything right, including all the small things that so many places overlook. Here I'm including a simple greeting, even when busy, remembering details about orders, and ensuring all ingredients are actually on the menu so no surprises. Service is prompt and with a smile, ensuring customers' return.