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The Cabin

I've been talking about The Cabin for ages now. If you hang out with me you know about this place and you know why it took me so long to write a review about it.

In all honesty, it's because I didn't want to.

I admit it, I didn't want anyone else to know about The Cabin because I love it too much and I didn't want it to get popular because then it'd be too crowded and I wouldn't be able to have brunch there.

It's true, I'm selfish. Especially when it comes to food.

But I've given this some careful thought and saw that not mentioning this absolute gem in the blog would be a crime. 

A place as good as The Cabin deserves to be known and successful. I hid it because, I am not kidding, this place is my number one.

I will give out the rating 5/5 straight up so you can see this is the real deal.

Now, you may wonder why out of all the wonderful places I've reviewed in the past The Cabin made the top position. 

When reviewing I consider price, flavor, menu variety, decoration and availability. And without fail, The Cabin fills out all those boxes.

A bit further into Hallam territory, near the Moor, The Cabin is one of those holy, miraculous places where I can eat almost everything on the menu. Oh, and how I rejoice in the number of options.

This Canadian-style pancake, waffle & coffee house (as the name says) offers a range of gluten free pancakes, waffles and bagels with some delicious twists.

It's not your usual 'here's some whip cream and some shiny berries, enjoy' waffle kind of place. The Cabin has Waffle Dogs, which I didn't even know existed before but now there's a complicated relation between them and my wallet.

A Waffle Dog comes with a Waffle Boat and a sausage of minimum 78% pork. You can choose between a dog coming with beef chilli & cheese (£7.25) or one with their signature maple mustard and tomato sauce (£5.95).

I chose the later one, sans tomato sauce (which having learn American English was appalled to find out that means ketchup. I don't understand why Brits just don't call it ketchup). 

This dish will definitely satisfy any kind of hunger, especially the ones provoked by excessive drinking, and is accompanied by rocket in balsamic dressing and maple mustard. 

Now, when I read the words maple mustard, at first I considered moving it to the sans area along with the ketchup but I'm extremely glad I changed my mind.

In my opinion, it's what makes the waffle boat special! It's tasty, unique and a superb condiment to have with the sausage. I only wish they would put more of the mustard on it, I felt like there wasn't enough.

Another GF dish that I've had the pleasure of having is their stack of pancakes (3 per serving) with The Works (£5.95) as toppings (bacon, egg & sausage). 

It was nostalgic to eat some american-style bacon and taste its glorious crispiness.The scrambled eggs were on point and instead of your usual, boring, cylindrical sausage, I was blessed with a sausage patty which surprised me and made its way into my mouth very quickly.

I would also recommend one of their Waffle Lunch Specials: the Maple-Mustard Mushrooms with mozzarella & cheddar cheese, Greek yoghurt and chives (£5.95). It is huge, absolutely huge. My dear friend, Nathan, as seen on the picture, was pretty satisfied with it when I took him there for his birthday.

Another thing that I would mention in terms of improving is the amount of cheese on the Brie with Chilli Jam Waffle Lunch Special (£5.50). The waffle is very big and the four mere slices of brie don't cover all of it. I'm sure customers would love a bit more.

However, can you see how The Cabin easily makes its way onto my number one brunch place in Sheffield? The only improvement I ask is more food!

Additionally, the decor of The Cabin is fantastic. A warm and cosy place that smells wonderfully and has a wide seating space. They also sell on the side a number of Canadian-themed items, including candles, bath-bombs and socks. 

The only truly unfortunate thing is that for coeliacs this is not the safest place. They have a note on the register machine on the counter that says below:

So if you've got a mild gluten allergy, like me, this is definitely okay but for coeliacs I would suggest somewhere else.

The Cabin opening times can be found here.

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Alyssum Cafe Bistro

Located in Crookesmoor between an accountancy firm and a lettings shop, Alyssum Cafe Bistro is without a doubt one of Sheffield’s hidden gems.

With a cute shabby chic atmosphere, pleasant staff and food that appetizes your eyes and stomach equally, Alyssum is not only worth a visit but a must.

It’s one of my favourites for brunch and I usually go with the Alyssum Breakfast (£7.50) which is worth every penny. The dish is filled with combining flavours but I’m especially a fan of the potato rosti and the mushrooms.

According to their website “vegan and gluten conscious dishes are available upon request” but don’t think that you’ll only have one or two things to choose from. Their range is very good and they will accommodate dietary needs whenever possible.

The gluten free bread they usually serve (if I’m not mistaken) is the Genius Triple Seeded which is my go-to for sandwiches.

The staff is remarkably nice and extremely conscious about gluten free/vegan dishes.

However, in all honesty, I haven’t been to Alyssum as many times as I would’ve liked because of the prices. It’s a terrific brunch place and the quality definitely justifies the pricing but as a student I just can’t afford to go to there every week (as much as I wish I could).

I’ve had one of their superb sandwiches (GF of course) from their freshly made selection which varies according to the day. Their range of fillings were very interesting, seasoning on point and extremely tasty.

I can also vouch for their Mashed Avocado Toast & Poached Eggs (£7.50), topped with griddled halloumi and pesto, this dish will definitely get rid of your hunger (or your hangover).

In this case, Josh, my boyfriend, had the dish mentioned above. He had no doubts when ordering because, quoting him, “it’s everything I like on a plate.”

The last time we were at Alyssum, Josh ordered the Baklava Pancakes (£6.80) and when our dishes arrived, as much as I enjoyed mine, his' was incredibly visually appealing.

More than that, they tasted like heaven. I was able to have a bite (since I’m not coeliac) and they were just perfect. Tasted like a baklava, looked like pancakes but weren’t heavy at all. Just the right amount of sweetness.

The only really bad thing I have to say about Alyssum is the lack of seating. It’s a small place and usually busy, so whenever you go I recommend the earlier the better.

If you’re lucky enough you can catch a rare sunny day and enjoy sitting outside but if it’s cold, chances are no one will bear to sit there and the inside of the place is full.

I’m giving it a 4.5/5 just because of the lack of seats and prices (although completely fair).

All in all, Alyssum is one of the loveliest places in Sheffield. I have been there for brunch and lunch but now I’m looking forward to try one of their bistro nights as well.

They are open Monday to Friday from 9.00am - 4.30pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9.30am - 4.30pm.

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The Interval

The Interval at the Sheffield Students’ Union is one of my all time favourites. It used to be my go-to brunch/dinner/lunch/snacking but when their menu changed at the beginning of last semester we kind of had a falling out (or at least I did) but it all changed after they introduced a brand new gluten free menu!

Now The Interval has again returned to my top 5 places to eat in Sheffield and I'm tremendously happy. 

So the number one reason for it being on my top 5 (apart from having GF food) is that it's cheap as hell. You really do get your money's worth. It's small prices for big portions and most of the ones I've tried were delicious.

The staff is really nice too, they help you out if you've got any questions and seem to take a lot of care with a GF order. And they also have vegetarian and vegan options!

The menu is quite new and these are the dishes that I've tried so far:

- Pizza (Margherita £5.95 & Italian £6.50): Very good base, smaller than a non GF pizza but any person who's been GF for a while knows that's usually the case. Good amount of cheese and tomato sauce. Very tasty, definitely a go.

- Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato & Black Beans Enchilada (£5.85): Good amount of cheese, tasty, pretty much a standard enchilada, worth a try.

- Chicken & Chorizo Enchilada (£5.95): It was alright, good sauce but I thought the chicken and chorizo pieces should've been smaller.

- Brie and Bacon Wrap (£4.35): By far the worst in my opinion. GF wrap just kind of gave up at one point and the contents started falling out. Not very firm at all and the filling was cold. The wrap wasn't very tasty in itself either. I wouldn't recommend it.

This is me about to have the Italian pizza, looking way too excited. Thanks for the pic Trina.

So out of the four dishes that I've tried I only didn't really like one which I think it's an okay amount but of course in the end it can be a matter of taste. Opinions vary and maybe someone likes that wrap, I, however, definitely do not.

I'm more looking forward to  taste the Pulled Pork and Spicy Nduja Rigatoni (£5.55) and the Tomato & Mozzarella Wrap (£4.30), which hopefully will put the Brie and Bacon one to shame.

All in all, price and taste wise is an easy, cheap and decent meal to have. Usually the food doesn't take too long to be ready and if you're a student it's even better since it's on campus. 

Overall, I’d rate it a solid 4.5/5

Opening times at the Interval vary but this is the timetable for this week:

I'd recommend to check times on the website but they're usually open from 9:30-23:00 on weekdays, 11:00–23:00 on Saturdays and 12:00–21:00 on Sundays. Food is only served until 21:00.

If you have coeliac disease, read the menu very carefully, especially the small letters on the bottom of the menu since items marked with a * mean that: "manufacturer states this item may contain gluten please note that by the nature of our kitchen, in which we make, bake and serve sandwiches & pizzas all day, flour & breadcrumbs can be carried in the air and onto surfaces. whilst we offer gluten free options we cannot guarantee that any products are 100% free from all traces of gluten. thank you for your understanding".

*The Interval didn't pay me to do this review (I wish). I am genuinely a fan of the place and go frequently. You're most likely to find me there during weekly lunch times or on weekends having their English breakfast*

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The Ins and Outs

WHAT IS GLUTEN:

If you google that phrase the first link that is gonna appear says that “gluten refers to the proteins found in cereal grain’s endosperm (a type of tissue produced in seeds that are ground to make flour)”.

Basically is a mixture of two proteins that can be found in a number of grains. If we were to simplify it, gluten is basically anything that contains: wheat, barley, rye and oatmeal.

The general sense is that a gluten-free person can’t eat things such cakes, pasta, pizza, bread…basically an Italian grandma’s worst nightmare. However not all hope is lost, the gluten free market is a growing one. The availability and variety of GF products has risen immensely. So if you wanna eat some of those things usually you can find it in your local chain market.

WHAT IS THIS BLOG:

This blog is an attempt for a second-year journalism student to not only practice her blogging skills but also review and inform coealic or GF people of gluten-free places and products in Sheffield, UK.

Occasionally the posts can branch out to other places around the world but most of them are definitely gonna be about GF places in the Steel City.

WHO IS WRITING THIS BLOG:

Hello, my name is Laura and I’m the second-year journalism student mentioned above. I’m 21 and from São Paulo, Brazil.

WHY ARE YOU WRITING THIS BLOG:

I found out I had a mild allergy to gluten in August 2013. I had always felt pain after eating something and I was dumb to think that was how digestion worked?? Crazy, I know. Every morning I would eat a bowl of cereal and go to school and during the first class I would feel a terrible pain in my stomach.  

After a few years of me brushing it off my mom put a stop to it and I went to a gastroenterologist. I described my eating habits and he came to a conclusion I was lactose intolerant. I was ridiculously scared. I couldn’t be. Chocolate was my life. 

While still trying to process the thought of never eating chocolate again and wishing I had never gone to the doctor in the first place, he sent me to a clinic to get a test done and confirm my intolerance.

The test was simple. You drink a cup of pure glucose and sit on chair and every half hour they take a sample of your blood. The whole thing lasted two hours. When we returned to the doctor with the results I was in complete denial. I was refusing to be separated from chocolate.

The doctor opened the envelope and said "You’re not lactose intolerant”.

A huge sense of relief came over me. I wanted to sing, wanted to dance, to scream out the window of his office “AUGUSTUS GLOOP I’M COMING FOR YOU” but then he said the words that I was going to be saying daily for the next 4 years (and rest) of my life “You’re allergic to gluten”.

My first reaction was “huh” and my second was “what the hell is gluten”. 

The doctor explained that my digestive system attacks itself whenever I eat gluten. My body identifies gluten as a pathogen and would end up hurting my stomach in hopes of destroying it. He said if I kept eating it I could have a stomach ulcer or cancer, so I had to stop consuming any product containing gluten.

I was a bit skeptical. Even though chocolate was my #1 there were still loads of other things I loved eating that had gluten in it. So I brushed off the doctor’s warnings and ate cup noodles a few days later.

Worst. Decision. Ever.

Ever.

I lied in bed for three hours in extreme agony. The pain was awful, simply, deplorably, awful. 

It took me a few more occasions of pain endurance to get the memo that I couldn't eat gluten anymore. I would eat chicken nuggets and pretend everything was fine but next thing I know it was like my body was saying “now look what you’ve done”.

So four years later I’m living a very much gluten-free life. Sometimes I stray from the path, take a bite of a cookie or try a piece of cake but it’s not as bad. 

I’m allergic. It’s different from having coealic disease. Usually I can have a bite of something or a very small portion and be completely fine but I don’t buy anything with gluten anymore. The times I do eat it it’s basically me asking for a bite of a friend’s dish because it looks good and I’m weak.

All in all, this blog exists because I’m a GF person who enjoys writing and reviewing things.

INTOLERANCE, ALLERGY AND COEALIC DISEASE

According to my google search lactose is a sugar so if you can’t digest lactose you are intolerant to it. You’re not allergic to it because an allergy is a reaction to a protein and gluten is a mix of proteins.  

Essentially all I know about being coealic is that it sounds 10x worse than just being allergic. The symptons are far more serious and the simple contact of food with a plate/toaster/fryer that had gluten products in it is enough to get the body reacting against it. 

THE GLUTEN FREE FAD

A lot of people love to make fun of GF folks. Since being gluten-free became a trend between fitness bloggers and such, people are kind of like “ugh just eat it”.

Uh, okay. To coealic/allergic people you’re basically saying “ugh just feel this excruciating pain”.

If there are people who are GF for dietary reasons, want to get thin or whatever, it’s their choice. But if a person is coealic or allergic it was definitely not their choice. Trust me, I wouldn’t ever choose to be it.

It’s annoying and tiring. Eating out is like a treasure hunt and GF products are way more expensive than non-GF ones. If you eat it by mistake or because someone wasn’t careful enough you’re gonna pay the price later and it’s a hell of a painful one.

So quit being an arse if you’re like “hahah gluten” and have a little more sympathy.

COMMON MISTAKES

Yeah, we can eat rice.

Potatoes too.

Beans.

The rule of thumb is: wheat, barley, rye and oatmeal = gluten

But oddly there are quite a lot of things in the market that don’t appear to have gluten but do have it. Eg. majority of the lindt chocolates, yogurt, ice cream…etc. Another rule of thumb is to always check the label.

WHAT NOT TO SAY TO A GF PERSON

“omg so you’re gluten-free? I always wanted to do it but I just can’t!!”

well, I never wanted to do it in the first place but here I am paying more than £2 for a loaf of bread.

“I can’t believe you’re gluten-free, what do you eat??”

mostly plants, you know, like those long-neck dinossaurs in jurassic park, I’m basically one of them now.

“you can’t eat gluten?! but everything has gluten in it!”

!!!!I know right!!!!!!!!! that’s why I’m so skinny now, can’t you see?? two more months and I’m gonna disappear!

The rule of thumb is: Don’t be a douche. Gluten is not everything.

SOURCES: Live Science