In Japan, it’s the first day of spring[1] today. However, that idea seems a long way away here in Blighty. Anyways, it won’t be long before one could take a weekend morning stroll along Abbeydale Road to grab some brekkie, in the sun if one is lucky.

I’ve driven by Forge Bakehouse already for some time until a friend recommended the bear claws[2] there, which sells out really quickly especially when a queue of customers can build up rather quickly in the mornings. The first time I visited the place, I note a wide variety of bread, and decided on some almond croissants and Portuguese-styled custard tarts. Whilst queuing, I also note that the establishment is also a café, and that they do breakfast.

So, I returned the following weekend and got myself a baked egg, and a cup of flat white which was pretty divine. They make several varieties and I had the huevos rancheros, which ended up being a favourite of mine on subsequent visits here.

This baked egg dish is mildly spiced up, comprising chilli, chipotle, peppers and tomato, and to mop it up with chunky toast, buttered, is pretty good if you ask me.

302 Abbeydale Road
Sheffield S7 1FL
www.facebook.com/forgebakehouse

Another spot further up, this time on London Road, where the old Mandar-Inn eaterie was at, is a new place, owned by the same people, called Satay Yo! Beer. Ayah and I wasn’t really sure what to make of the unusual moniker (inspired by a certain kaitenzushi place perhaps?) when the sign went up after the renovation was completed. Satay is pretty much what I love to get my hands on every time I were to go on hols in Malaysia. So, I decided to give this place a shot.

From the menu, it appears the eaterie is a fusion restaurant – not in the manner of fusion food, but a place fusing the different varieties of East Asian street food. I opted for the nasi goreng Pattaya which is a Thai version of the run-of-the-mill fried rice. For those of you not in the know, think of it as a Thai omuraisu. Since I was in a satay place, I had to order satay.


I couldn’t fault the fried rice, nor the teh tarik which I ordered. I thought the satay was a tad dry, and the kuah kacang was not up to scratch. I wondered if the satay was grilled over a gas fire, and not coal fire. The place was all right, but it did have a cowboy bar feel to it. Verdict: I’ll stick with the nasi goreng in the near future, then.

158 London Road
Sheffield S2 4LT

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[1]Known as Setsubun 「節分」.
[2]They hd almond croissants which looked like, err… claws – but looking up Google tells me something else.