Trib3: More than just a workout

Ever since I've been more occupied with school work, I've gotten hooked onto the idea of high intensity interval training (HIIT). For those of you that need a little breakdown on what HIIT is, it comprises of doing high intensity exercises that shoot your heart rate up for a short period of time 5-7 mins) for a number of rounds for 30-45 minutes. 

Being in a smaller city like Sheffield, you rarely find boutique gyms as you would in London which specialise in good HIIT sessions. One of the reasons I've been on the lookout for such a place is because I've attended Barry's Bootcamp in London and I loved it. Think doing the shaun T insanity workout but suffering with 30 other people in the room - it's that intense and that much more motivating. I'm not too sure if that means I'm a masochist (i hope not!) but recreating that feeling with home workouts sometimes just doesn't cut it. In addition my wallet always felt much lighter after attending each session @ barry's -cue sad music for wallet-

So I stumbled across TRIB3 on my way home one day and did a little google search on it. Located just above Sainsbury's along Eccessall Road, this boutique gym recently opened in January 2016. From the website itself, TRIB3 prides itself in being a bootcamp gymnasium where 'we savour the pain'. Perfect! Booked in for my free trial class over the weekend and off I went.

I'm a sucker for interior design, and I loved how modern and chic the interior looked. They have a main counter where you register, purchase your post-workout smoothie if you wish (£4 onwards) and they also provide towels (£1 for rental) for you to rent. Walking past the 'hall of fame' (or shame if you died in there like I did), polaroids of people who have participated are plastered on the wall and leads into the open bar concept, where you pick up your post-workout smoothie. They also have a seating area for you to chill before/after class.

The toilet has 2 wash areas so you're free to bath after your workout, but the most pleasant surprise was when I was told that they provided toiletries for your use! This means no need to bring shampoo, conditioner or even body wash. They also provide lockers for your use and hairdryers and straighteners too. Btw, can we have a moment for these gorgeous white tiles against these brick walls?

The basic idea involves 3 types of exercises for 5 minutes each, twice, followed by a 3 minute blast before you end your workout. The first 3 letters of the gym- TRI, stand for something more than just the name itself. T stands for treadmill. Yes, the dreaded thing that many of us battle with at the gym. R stands for resistance, which comprises mostly of dumbbells, strength exercises for the core and back and a high threshold for pain. The last, I, stands for intensity. If you think treadmills are hell (they are in this scenario), intensity is just as bad. Think doing burpees, jump squats, mountain climbers and high knees within 5 minutes.

To be honest, each section felt like the longest 5 minutes of my life, and each type of exercise was just as tiring as the next. George was the one leading the trial class, and if there's one thing that keeps a class running it's a good, motivated instructor - and he was great. 45 minutes felt like 60 minutes, mountain climbers felt like I was climbing mount everest itself, sprinting felt like I was flying, but the rush of endorphins you get that is madness. I'm pretty sure everyone was happy it was over, and happier that they did it.

They even provide sweatbags for you to dump your clothes in!:)

I would say HIIT is best for people who want a quick but good workout that involves cardio and strength (depending on which kind of HIIT you do but most will involve getting your heart rate up to about 80% of your max heart rate). Some health junkies even claim that the after-burn (in terms of calories, if you'd like to know) is much higher than if you were to run on the treadmill for, say, an hour. This means that even if you don't burn as much in 45 mins as you do in 60 mins, the after effects would be that your body continues to burn more calories than usual. How much truth there is to it, it's up to your body to show you the results!

From their website, TRIB3 is set to open in Krynkl (Shalesmoor) in Sheffield and to neighbouring city Manchester. Just to add I wasn't paid nor sponsored for this review, I'm writing simply because I love what TRIB3 has offered to us in Sheffield and I'd like to spread the word about it :) Their introductory offer is £6/class and £70 for 10 classes + 2 free classes at the moment. I'd like to think that is reasonable, especially for the upkeep of such a place.

If you'd like to try it out, they're still offering trial classes every weekend and all you've gotta do is head on to their site or download their app, sign up and register yourself for a class! I promise it will be worth it. Join the tribe.

TRIB3

557 Ecclesall Road Sheffield, S11 8PR
Classes run from 6.30am on weekdays and 9.15am on weekends
Find them on Facebook, twitter, on their website and instagram

[Review] Forge Bakehouse

Despite the weather not being the best (think battling the ghastly winds and erratic rain), we reached our next destination for the weekend - Forge Bakehouse. 

Forge Bakehouse is located along what is known as the Antiques Quarter - a row of antique and vintage shops scattered along Abbeydale Road. The seating area was relatively small, seating a maximum of 5 tables. The cafe was pretty full by the time we managed to grab a seat, so I'd suggest going early on the weekends.

The menu is simple, with not much variety but a good selection - one of the things I look out for at cafes. From past experience, the more complicated the menu, the poorer the quality of the food served. That's because places that serve a variety of foods would mean they have much to handle on their plate, and unless they have sufficient staff and work space... That spells lacklustre food.

Gibassier, flavoured with Orange Blossom and Aniseed (£2), Flat White (£2.50)

Foodie friend and I were joking that the heavily dusted power atop the bread could possibly be salt. Apart from the fact that the bread felt more like a doughnut due to the powdered sugar, I enjoyed how flavoursome the bread was. Tangy and airy, it would be something I'd enjoy having toasted with a slab of butter and jam/marmalade instead of powdered sugar. The flat white was rather very strong, which foodie friend later realised it was cos they added 2 shots inside. I opted for the soy flat white, which was much milder and milkier than the former. 

French Toast
Top -French Banana with Raspberry Compote, Peanut Brittle, Valrhona Chocolate Sauce and PB Mascarpone (£6.50)
Bottom - Spiced Poached Apple with Toasted Pecans, Oat Crumble, Cinnamon Mascarpone and Maple Syrup (£6.50)

I was contemplating between the huevos rancheros and the french toast, but decided that life was too short to just have something I've never had before (yup) and instead, opted for something I've had a thousand times over as a kid - French Toast. As a kid I remember making french toast almost every weekend and being glued to the TV and immersing myself in Cartoon Network.

If I had a chance to choose which to order again, I'd choose the french banana with raspberry compote. I picked the spice poached apple as the latter sounded a little too decadent, what with the PB and all. The maple syrup on the side was a little diluted (later saw that they used Clark's maple syrup and not pure Canadian maple syrup :( this has since been clarified that yes!, they do indeed use pure Canadian maple syrup instead of Clark's for their french toast), and the bread very slightly dry in some areas. However the oat crumble and spiced poached apples were nicely done - not overly sweet and the components complemented themselves really well. Foodie friend's option was much better though, drizzled with compote and chocolate, really... How wrong can it go? I really enjoyed the raspberry compote, and the PB mascarpone was pretty damn awesome. 

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Overall, I enjoyed my time at Forge Bakehouse. Service was friendly and the food was served within 15 mins - a perk at smaller cafes! The counter was also perpetually packed with people, even though seats were fully taken up. They also sell homemade bread by the loaves, which I'll make sure to take one home in the future.

Forge Bakehouse

302 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield S7 1FL

Opening Hours

Sun 10:00 - 15:00

Tue - Sat 9:00 - 18:00

You can find them on Facebook here

I was not paid nor sponsored for this review. The review was written entirely in my opinion.

[Review] Alyssum Cafe Bistro

There's something I love about weekends - Being able to sleep in, enjoying a nice cuppa whilst browsing the news, and watching the world go by through your bedroom window. But I've decided that I'm going to make the most of my weekends by attempting to visit a new cafe every weekend. 

Fellow foodie and I were cafe-browsing online (in between rushing for our essay and doing our revisions) when he found a quaint cafe nestled along Crookesmore Road. And we decided to pay a visit. And it turned out to be wonderful.

Alyssum Cafe Bistro was opened earlier in the year by a mother-daughter duo (how sweet!) and serves Greek inspired dishes, a much healthier alternative to the usual pub food you find in Sheffield. 

Although the place may be rather small - about 4 tables at most, the ambience was nothing but relaxing and homey. 

The menu at Alyssum - A selection of sweet and savory foods for both the sweet tooth and the (not so) sweet tooth

Handmade namecards - I'd give this A for effort!

Almond Flat White (£2.60), Flat White (£2.30)

The first to arrive were our drinks. Being a coffee addict (I blame law school), I ordered the almond flat white. I've always been more keen on trying coffee with different kinds of milk, and when I do find coffee joints that serve almond milk, you can be certain I'll order it. 

I do have to admit, the regular flat white fared much better than the former. I have read that any plant milk does spoil the consistency of the coffee, so I don't blame them one bit. The regular flat white was creamy and smooth, with 2 shots of espresso inside (!!) It did get me buzzing with excitement a little while after, but that's how you know your coffee's good.

Clockwise from left: Smashed avocado toast & poached eggs with pesto, a squeeze of lemon and halloumi (£5.90), Fluffy pancakes with caramelised cinnamon fruit and honey (£4.80), Smoked salmon eggs benedict (£5.90)

One of the few things I love about Alyssum are their portion sizes. It's not too big, but not too small where you'd get hungry after an hour or so. We ordered a side of fluffy pancakes to share (because why not) and they were pretty darn awesome. The pancakes were indeed fluffy and minimally sweet, with the caramelised apples coated in cinnamon almost heaven-like. I reckon I would have eaten about 6 of these aka the whole plate if I didn't order my toast.

Smashed avocado toast & poached eggs with pesto, a squeeze of lemon and halloumi (£5.90)

Avocado + eggs? Almost always a no-fail combination. I've only tried halloumi once before this and I didn't really fancy the taste nor texture. But I decided to give it a try once more and was pleasantly surprised by how it complemented the entire dish. The eggs were perfectly poached too.  

Smoked salmon eggs benedict (£5.90)

I didn't get to try much of the smoked salmon eggs benedict, but I believe Foodie friend didn't enjoy the sourness of the hollandaise. I did snitch some of the hollandaise sauce and agreed that while it is a little on the sour side, I personally enjoyed how it had a different taste from the regular hollandaise sauce you find. It didn't seem at all creamy either.

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Will I be back again? Most definitely. It makes my tummy extremely glad there are places like these around that make the journey worth travelling to. The owner was terribly sweet and even asked if the food was good! If there's anything better than good food, it's good service.

If you're ever in the area, do give Alyssum Cafe a try. I'm sure you won't regret it.

Alyssum Cafe Bistro

76 Barber Road, S10 1EE, Sheffield

Monday - Friday 0830 - 1700h

Saturday - Sunday 0930 - 1700h

You can find them on Facebook here

Food Review: Tamper Coffee at Seller's Wheel

Hi guys!

I know I'm meant to be posting more reviews on food, but I haven't had the chance to try any new places out around my area. However I finally tried a new (not so new) cafe in Sheffield, UK, called Tamper Coffee. If any of you live in Sheffield, you'll love this quaint little cafe.

Tamper Coffee has 2 locations - One at Westfield Terrace and another bigger outlet at Arundel Street. The Arundel Street outlet serves a wider variety of food, offering brunch and lunch menus. 

The interior is almost industrial-like, red brick walls surround the area with wooden tables and chairs. It gives off a really chill vibe, with people sipping a cuppa and typing away furiously on their laptops.

They even have an outdoor area! It was too sunny so we decided to hide in the comfort of shade (aka inside)

Brunch is served from 8am - 12pm (Isn't brunch suppose to be from 11-2ish?) on weekdays. Anywho, the menu is relatively small, which I normally prefer as it helps me decide 10x faster than usual. I opted for the usual eggs benny with a side of chorizo. Mr Handsome was feeling exceptionally sweet-toothed and got the french toast.

Vanilla Milkshake - Left (3.50)

Iced Latte with Almond Milk - Right (2.80)

I'm a sucker for anything old school/vintage. I loved the jars they served the drinks in, and would you look at at that candy cane of a straw? It wasn't the most practical (it was made of paper), but I love the innovation. Props for that.

French Toast (6.50)

Egg dipped brioche, caramelised banana and coffee infused maple syrup with crispy bacon

Wasn't out of this world great, but I love how the bacon complements the dish. It was sweet yet crispy, and I'm not usually a fan of bacon. The brioche was fresh and is always a great bread to use for french toast! However, the bananas lacked sweetness and it lacked a certain 'awesome-ness' to it.

Eggs Benedict (7)

2 poached eggs, herbed potato hash brown, toasted muffin, buttered spinach and fresh hollandaise

with added chorizo (+1.50)

Okay, I expected nothing from the usual eggs benny. Of course one would expect the ever so famous runny egg, beautifully done hollandaise sauce, and a toasted muffin. But I really liked this version Tamper did by adding a herbed potato hash brown into the mix! The hollandaise sauce was pretty damn well done, and the egg was, tick, perfectly poached. Thumbs up:)

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Overall, I love the vibe over at Tamper Coffee. It's chill, the servers are friendly and the place is brimming with locals (always ideal). If you ever pop by Sheffield, give this a try.

Tamper Coffee Seller's Wheel

149 Arundel Street

Mon-Fri 8.00 am – 5pm

Sat 9am – 6pm

Sunday 10am – 5pm

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Stay beautiful, x.