A little bit of what you Fancie.

Ever popular cupcake sensation ‘Fancie’, founded in 2007, has grown to a new savoury success. Not only do they serve sweet treats, they now have a number of dining dishes on the menu. Owner Amanda Perry has taken it that one step further in creating a new dining experience of unique themed food nights.

These nights consist of a 7-course sampler menu; usually around the £20 mark, put together by the expertise of the main Chef that Fancie acquires. Normally starting around 7pm, Fancie asks you to arrive a little earlier so that dishes can be served onwards, of course assuming everyone has arrived by then. Each night has a different theme; from Mexican to Americana, to Veggie to Classics, which is the one I chose to attend. Previous menus can be found online on Fancie’s website to wet your palettes.

The Fancie ‘canteen’ as they call it, has a shabby chic, chilled ambiance about it. The décor of rustic furnishings and raw brick walls fit perfectly with the overall appeal and brand that Fancie has to offer. The BYO policy of bringing your own bottle of wine with free corkage adds to this atmosphere.

My friend and I arrived at Fancie on what seemed was going to be a cold winter night, so kindly welcomed with a warm greeting from the host for the evening. We were seated to a table, with an ice bucket to hand for our wine, and a name label to the bottle of water provided that was sat on the table, adding that extra special touch.

The place filled up quickly, with the friendly staff getting everyone settled to begin service. Each course is served to all diners at the same time, so even if you’re finished earlier, you wait for others you aren’t with to finish, which isn’t actually notably a problem. Our evening being ‘Fancie Classics’, the night consisted of dishes of Micro Smoked Fish Platter, Pulled Pork Burger, as well as Fancie’s so called signature dish of Dixies Three Little Pigs. Each dish we had had been carefully selected and put together wisely. You were left wanting more of each taster, yet fulfilled by the next. I surprised myself with flavours and tastes I imagined I wasn’t going to enjoy, which made the evening that bit better.

With great food there is such great service. Alongside your meal, you will receive a friendly and attentive hand to serve you the way you please. Amanda Perry talks of how Fancie began in her kitchen at home in early 2008. “The first shop opened in April 2009, but I began full time in November 2008.” Fancie’s success is described by Amanda as down to “the support of the customers, the fantastic team I have around me, and the business community I have been able to network with.”

If these supperclub nights don’t sound up your street, Fancie have a lot more to offer. From possibly one of the best breakfasts you’ll find in Sheffield, to a light lunchtime bite, making any average day soon brighten up. Not only this, Fancie have gone that one bit further to offer an evening menu on other nights, consisting of some dishes from the taster themed nights. There is a great range of healthy yet indulgent dishes available. Vegetarians will also be happy to know that they are catered for generously. So much so, even meat lovers will be tempted to try these dishes. Aswell as cupcakes, Fancie know how to do many other sweet treats. These being tarts, blondies, and brownies to name a few. The dinner menu comes at a price of £6-£8 for starters, £9-£14 for mains, and under a fiver for dessert. Prices are definitely at a steal, especially by the standard of food you receive and the service you experience.

Fancie is continuing to grow from strength to strength. Thankfully, the Ecclesall road canteen has got off to a brilliant start, with these themed nights becoming ever more popular.

Store locations are Sharrowvale road cafe, Ecclesall road canteen, and the Ecclesall road bakery. If you have not yet visited one of these shops, make sure you give it a go soon, and you’ll find it’s definitely been worth the wait.

Fancie Canteen - Ecclesall Road

OPEN: Mon 09.00 - 19.00 Tue - Sat 09.00 - 21.00 Sun 10.00 - 18.00

ADDRESS: 359 - 361 Ecclesall Road Sheffield S11 8PF

PHONE: 0114 266 3311

EMAIL: hello@fancie.co.uk

Recommendations

Breakfast? Maple syrup and bacon pancake stack. A choice of 3, 6, or 9, starting from £4.50. A truly perfect way to start the day!

Lunch? Homemade corned beef hash. A complete turn around from what you think of when you here the words ‘corned beef’. Spam right? This is like none other. Chip sticks served alongside it add a perfect texture change with the hash. Priced at £8.

Dinner? Duck and fig salad, served alongside balsamic and pistachios, creating a perfect crunch to compliment the soft texture of the duck and figs. Starter priced at £7. Main? Parsnip and apple risotto. Tastes truly amazing and unique. Topped with parmesan and almonds, the textures and tastes combine well, at £9.

Don’t walk out without trying their sweet potato wedges. Some of the best I’ve ever tried, priced of £3.