Christian`s

Emily Gadd was on cloud nine after dining at a forgotten favourite.

It was a 1980s social hotspot and the place where many couples, still happily married today, met for the first time over a drink.
Now The Beauchief Hotel, situated on Abbeydale Road South, has undergone extensive refurbishment to recapture that magic.
As part of this, chef Christian Kent – formerly of the Blue Room Brasserie – has launched Christian’s Restaurant, a modern eatery specialising in grilled steaks and fish.
On a spectacularly sunny Friday evening we were pleased to be seated in the Riverside Room overlooking the river. Surrounded by sun-dappled greenery, it was hard to believe we were just minutes from Sheffield’s bustling city centre.
The new menu uses seasonal and/or locally-sourced ingredients and we could not resist the seafood starters, including a Scottish lobster and prawn cocktail on a bed of salad. Although rich and creamy, it also managed to be tangy and crunchy – a deliciously moreish combination clearly evidenced when we mopped up the leftover Marie Rose sauce with warm, fresh bread.
The accompanying starter was a real treat – crispy fried monkfish served on a bed of rocket with sweet chilli jam and crème fraîche. The peppery rocket, tangy crème fraîche and sweet chilli made a complex trio but exuded a stunning mixture of flavours that set the white, flaky monkfish off to perfection.
For once I wasn’t the designated driver, so when the waiter came to refresh our drinks I was able to indulge in another glass of fresh, light Prosecco.
Our main courses included an exclusive preview of Tandoori lobster, which will appear on the menu in the coming weeks. Beautifully presented in its shell, the chunks of lobster jostled for space beside strips of onion, ginger and bell peppers in a thick, hot Tandoori sauce. Although cooled significantly by the accompanying cucumber and mint yoghurt, it proved a little too spicy for my partner’s palate. I sympathised profusely as I polished off her leftovers.
The next dish, a succulent roast Gressingham duck, was a double hit – its robust flavour heightened by a zesty orange sauce. But it was the final offering that sealed the deal for us – a rack of Derbyshire lamb, served with Dauphinoise potatoes and a rosemary jus. The lamb was the best I’ve tried – pink and tender, it fell away at the merest touch of a knife. I’m also a huge fan of creamy Dauphinoise potatoes, and Christian’s certainly didn’t disappoint – they were wafer-thin and delicately flavoured.
Finally, we made short work of a mouthwatering assiette of desserts, incorporating lemon tarte, caramelised profiteroles, chocolate brownie, sticky toffee pudding and a white chocolate mousse. The caramelised profiteroles in particular were heavenly, with a crunchy coating reminiscent of a toffee apple shell.
We found ourselves raving about our meal to friends the next day – a sure sign we’d found something special. This revamped eighties favourite has more than earned its place in the 21st century.

Christian’s Restaurant
161 Abbeydale Road South
Sheffield, S7 2QW
Tel: 0114 262 0500
www.christiansrestaurant.co.uk