Pickled Pepper, Holbeck, Leeds

We're getting spoilt for choice with good quality lunch spots on the South side of Leeds city centre. After recent successful trips to Riverside Sourdough Bakery, La Bottega Milanese and Wokon Noodle Bar I stopped off in Holbeck last Friday to give Pickled Pepper a try.

The dining area was full when I arrived, but all of the hot food is available to takeaway in addition to a range of sandwiches and salads. Dishes costing around £5.50 to eat in are all priced at a very reasonable £3.50 to go. I chose the pie and peas.

The pie was meat and potato, a good hefty wedge with a nice short pastry. The filling was very good, comprising big chunks of tender beef alongside the potato with just a touch of gravy. The peas were little petit pois rather than mushy peas, the sweetness of them worked well with the savoury beefiness of the pie. My only slight criticism is that it could have done with a bit more gravy.

The guys behind the counter were very friendly and the salads in the counter looked fresh and interesting too. I'll almost certainly be back.

7/10

Pickled Pepper
3 Saw Mill Yard
Holbeck
Leeds
LS11 5WH

Pickled Pepper, Holbeck, Leeds

We're getting spoilt for choice with good quality lunch spots on the South side of Leeds city centre. After recent successful trips to Riverside Sourdough Bakery, La Bottega Milanese and Wokon Noodle Bar I stopped off in Holbeck last Friday to give Pickled Pepper a try.

The dining area was full when I arrived, but all of the hot food is available to takeaway in addition to a range of sandwiches and salads. Dishes costing around £5.50 to eat in are all priced at a very reasonable £3.50 to go. I chose the pie and peas.

The pie was meat and potato, a good hefty wedge with a nice short pastry. The filling was very good, comprising big chunks of tender beef alongside the potato with just a touch of gravy. The peas were little petit pois rather than mushy peas, the sweetness of them worked well with the savoury beefiness of the pie. My only slight criticism is that it could have done with a bit more gravy.

The guys behind the counter were very friendly and the salads in the counter looked fresh and interesting too. I'll almost certainly be back.

7/10

Pickled Pepper
3 Saw Mill Yard
Holbeck
Leeds
LS11 5WH

La Monarca Bakery: Pastries, Lunch, and Cakes to Save Monarch Butterflies

This East LA institution has finally moved west with its opening of La Monarca Bakery Santa Monica. This place fits surprisingly well with the Santa Monica with its healthier pastries (low butter, low sugar, nothing is fried, vegetarian options) and the price is lower than most bakeries in the area.

The executive pastry chef Alain Bour is actually a France native and trained, and he combines classic techniques with Mexican flavors, like their croissant filled with guava paste or dulce de leche. Browsing their pastry case may be overwhelming (it's self-serve), so here are some suggestions.

Make sure you try the tacos de guayaba,a sugar-dusted puff pastry filled with guava and cream cheese ($1.50).

It's a different style but it gives Porto's guava cheese roll a run for its money. The pastry shell isn't the flaky type and I do think I prefer the guava paste here. One is never enough.

Their pan de elote is a sweeter version of corn bread and also worth a try.

Also try the Cafe Oaxaca ($3.75), made with espresso, mexican hot chocolate, and steamed milk.

They have free wi-fi and you can count on me coming here to work over some cafe oaxaca.

For the lunch crowd, there are different types cazuelas (Mexican claypot stew) served as sandwiches. Choose between Poblano chicken mole, Salsa Verde braised beef, or even a vegetarian chorizo, then choose your bread size.

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A few good things to eat (volume 2)

Here is the second edition in what might turn into a regular series of posts singing the praises of food I've eaten, and possibly a few drinks I've imbibed. The first edition can be found here.

Stinking Bishop, available at good cheesemongers

Stinking bishop is a rather pungent washed rind cheese. The name is actually nothing to do with the smell, but comes from the name of the stinking bishop pear used to make the perry that the cheese is then washed in. Cheese rinsed in booze. Mmmm. It does stink though, so the name is apt. The flavour of the cheese rather belies the strong odour, as it's actually quite mellow and fruity. It also has a very smooth, shiny, spreadable texture that reminds me of processed cheese spread. I like to think of it as a sort of turbo dairylea (in a good way).

It's very good when left at room temperature to ooze for a while, then scooped up with some plain oatcakes. I also ate some stuffed in pancakes, which was a rather decadent pancake day treat. I bought mine from the Westmorland Farm Shop services (Tebay) on the M6. It seems to be fairly widely available so you can probably find it in a good cheesemonger.

Wilsons Pies, Crossgates, Armley & Morley

Wilsons of Crossgates are butchers renowned for their pork pies. I first fell in love with them while living in the Crossgates area some years ago. The Crossgates centre is pie heaven. Unless things have changed there are about 17 assorted bakeries and butchers within a 200 yard radius.

In recent years Wilson's seem to have expanded the pie side of the business. Their other shops in Armley and Morley focus on the pastries rather than the meat, and they also have a mobile pie van that can be found at all Leeds Rhinos home games.

The pies are not what I'd describe as a gourmet product, but they are bloody lovely. They're salty, porky, a bit greasy, have a nice, crisp crust, and are just delicious. Small pork pies are 95p each. I suggest you go buy one, or maybe several. Preferably several.


The Gentleman's Relish (Patum Peperium), widely available

The fish version of marmite. As a dedicated lover of all things fishy (thai fish sauce, asian shrimp pastes, anchovies etc etc) what's not to like. It's a simple concoction of anchovies, butter and seasoning of some sort ground into a fine paste. Stick to the recommendation on the tub and eat it spread sparingly on hot, buttered toast. I prefer it on granary. Yum.

Bundaberg Ginger Beer, available in deli's, posh sandwich shops, etc.

I like this. It's not gingery enough but it has a rather lovely aftertaste of toffee and is more refreshing than the colossal sugar content would suggest. Try as an alternative to Irn-Bru when feeling delicate! Probably not worth importing from Australia though... Fentimans is better and comes from Newcastle.

A few good things to eat (volume 2)

Here is the second edition in what might turn into a regular series of posts singing the praises of food I've eaten, and possibly a few drinks I've imbibed. The first edition can be found here.

Stinking Bishop, available at good cheesemongers

Stinking bishop is a rather pungent washed rind cheese. The name is actually nothing to do with the smell, but comes from the name of the stinking bishop pear used to make the perry that the cheese is then washed in. Cheese rinsed in booze. Mmmm. It does stink though, so the name is apt. The flavour of the cheese rather belies the strong odour, as it's actually quite mellow and fruity. It also has a very smooth, shiny, spreadable texture that reminds me of processed cheese spread. I like to think of it as a sort of turbo dairylea (in a good way).

It's very good when left at room temperature to ooze for a while, then scooped up with some plain oatcakes. I also ate some stuffed in pancakes, which was a rather decadent pancake day treat. I bought mine from the Westmorland Farm Shop services (Tebay) on the M6. It seems to be fairly widely available so you can probably find it in a good cheesemonger.

Wilsons Pies, Crossgates, Armley & Morley

Wilsons of Crossgates are butchers renowned for their pork pies. I first fell in love with them while living in the Crossgates area some years ago. The Crossgates centre is pie heaven. Unless things have changed there are about 17 assorted bakeries and butchers within a 200 yard radius.

In recent years Wilson's seem to have expanded the pie side of the business. Their other shops in Armley and Morley focus on the pastries rather than the meat, and they also have a mobile pie van that can be found at all Leeds Rhinos home games.

The pies are not what I'd describe as a gourmet product, but they are bloody lovely. They're salty, porky, a bit greasy, have a nice, crisp crust, and are just delicious. Small pork pies are 95p each. I suggest you go buy one, or maybe several. Preferably several.


The Gentleman's Relish (Patum Peperium), widely available

The fish version of marmite. As a dedicated lover of all things fishy (thai fish sauce, asian shrimp pastes, anchovies etc etc) what's not to like. It's a simple concoction of anchovies, butter and seasoning of some sort ground into a fine paste. Stick to the recommendation on the tub and eat it spread sparingly on hot, buttered toast. I prefer it on granary. Yum.

Bundaberg Ginger Beer, available in deli's, posh sandwich shops, etc.

I like this. It's not gingery enough but it has a rather lovely aftertaste of toffee and is more refreshing than the colossal sugar content would suggest. Try as an alternative to Irn-Bru when feeling delicate! Probably not worth importing from Australia though... Fentimans is better and comes from Newcastle.

The Tiled Hall Cafe, Leeds Art Gallery

Yesterday afternoon I spent a couple of hours exploring central Leeds, just generally wandering around some of the more forgotten corners to see what I might find. I stumbled across an Ethiopian Restaurant in the very forgotten corner that is the Merrion Centre market. A quick googling swiftly put paid to my thinking I might have discovered a hidden gem, as it's actually rather well documented. I'll be back to try it at some point.

My best discovery of the day (at least it was a discovery to me) was in a place that is busy, bustling and not the least bit forgotten. The Tiled Hall in Leeds Art Gallery is the original reading room of the adjacent library, restored to it's former glory and put to wonderful use as a cafe.

Photo credit: bethmadethis

What a wonderful space. I really can't think of a better spot to while away an hour or two in Leeds. Unfortunately the food didn't really match up to the surroundings. I opted for the daily hot special, beef stew served with a crusty roll.

The stew was just rather dull. The stock base was watery and lacked flavour, it needed something, anything to give it some depth (bones, onions, wine, mustard, more browning of the meat, worcester sauce - any of these would have been an improvement). The beef itself was a bit dry and chewy, but the vegetables were nicely cooked. It was also a very meagre portion, at seven pounds overpriced by at least a couple of quid. The bread was freshly baked, but almost certainly from a bulk freezer pack of part-baked rolls.

A shame really, as the room is genuinely lovely. I would recommend a visit for coffee and cakes, or perhaps a glass of wine.


5/10

The Tiled Hall Cafe
Leeds Art Gallery
The Headrow
Leeds
LS1 3AA

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery/leeds_art_gallery/the_tiled_hall.aspx

The Tiled Hall Cafe, Leeds Art Gallery

Yesterday afternoon I spent a couple of hours exploring central Leeds, just generally wandering around some of the more forgotten corners to see what I might find. I stumbled across an Ethiopian Restaurant in the very forgotten corner that is the Merrion Centre market. A quick googling swiftly put paid to my thinking I might have discovered a hidden gem, as it's actually rather well documented. I'll be back to try it at some point.

My best discovery of the day (at least it was a discovery to me) was in a place that is busy, bustling and not the least bit forgotten. The Tiled Hall in Leeds Art Gallery is the original reading room of the adjacent library, restored to it's former glory and put to wonderful use as a cafe.

Photo credit: bethmadethis

What a wonderful space. I really can't think of a better spot to while away an hour or two in Leeds. Unfortunately the food didn't really match up to the surroundings. I opted for the daily hot special, beef stew served with a crusty roll.

The stew was just rather dull. The stock base was watery and lacked flavour, it needed something, anything to give it some depth (bones, onions, wine, mustard, more browning of the meat, worcester sauce - any of these would have been an improvement). The beef itself was a bit dry and chewy, but the vegetables were nicely cooked. It was also a very meagre portion, at seven pounds overpriced by at least a couple of quid. The bread was freshly baked, but almost certainly from a bulk freezer pack of part-baked rolls.

A shame really, as the room is genuinely lovely. I would recommend a visit for coffee and cakes, or perhaps a glass of wine.


5/10

The Tiled Hall Cafe
Leeds Art Gallery
The Headrow
Leeds
LS1 3AA

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery/leeds_art_gallery/the_tiled_hall.aspx

Byker Vista Cafe, Newcastle

A very brief jaunt to Newcastle today, a few hours work, a quick lunch and back down the A1 to Yorkshire. What a glorious day it was though, I could have easily ditched work for the rest of the day in favour of strolling around the toon in the sunshine.

Unfortunately duty called, so lunch and five minutes fresh air would have to suffice. The Biscuit Factory was somehow on my radar (Twitter? Random googling? Who knows?). It's a commercial art gallery with a cafe inside, promising views across the Ouseburn valley. Sounded spot on for a sunny afternoon, so I headed over.

The cafe is located on the first floor, and does indeed have a fine view over the valley. Beautiful in an urban, post-industrial way if you like that sort of thing, which I do (think railway lines, warehouses, tower blocks etc). The room makes the most of the setting too, huge windows with barstool seating running their length.

 It's always sunny in Newcastle!

Food-wise it's fairly standard stuff; - sandwiches, panini, quiches, and some rather fine looking cakes on display (afternoon teas were advertised). I had the broccoli and stilton quiche (£5.50) with a bottle of Fentimans Ginger Beer to wash it down.

Fentimans, Warehouses

The quiche was pleasant, good creamy filling but a bit light on the stilton. Coleslaw on the side was obviously homemade, with a pleasing crunch to it and the salad wasn't bad either.

 Quiche, Coleslaw, Salad

The food was nice if unremarkable, but it's a lovely venue particularly in good weather. I also had a wander round the gallery which is well worth a look. The building is all exposed brickwork and wooden vaulted ceilings and there's a range of interesting art on display. I'd recommend a visit for afternoon tea on a fine day.


7/10

Byker Vista Cafe
The Biscuit Factory
16 Stoddart Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE2 1AN

http://www.thebiscuitfactory.com/home/

Byker Vista Cafe, Newcastle

A very brief jaunt to Newcastle today, a few hours work, a quick lunch and back down the A1 to Yorkshire. What a glorious day it was though, I could have easily ditched work for the rest of the day in favour of strolling around the toon in the sunshine.

Unfortunately duty called, so lunch and five minutes fresh air would have to suffice. The Biscuit Factory was somehow on my radar (Twitter? Random googling? Who knows?). It's a commercial art gallery with a cafe inside, promising views across the Ouseburn valley. Sounded spot on for a sunny afternoon, so I headed over.

The cafe is located on the first floor, and does indeed have a fine view over the valley. Beautiful in an urban, post-industrial way if you like that sort of thing, which I do (think railway lines, warehouses, tower blocks etc). The room makes the most of the setting too, huge windows with barstool seating running their length.

 It's always sunny in Newcastle!

Food-wise it's fairly standard stuff; - sandwiches, panini, quiches, and some rather fine looking cakes on display (afternoon teas were advertised). I had the broccoli and stilton quiche (£5.50) with a bottle of Fentimans Ginger Beer to wash it down.

Fentimans, Warehouses

The quiche was pleasant, good creamy filling but a bit light on the stilton. Coleslaw on the side was obviously homemade, with a pleasing crunch to it and the salad wasn't bad either.

 Quiche, Coleslaw, Salad

The food was nice if unremarkable, but it's a lovely venue particularly in good weather. I also had a wander round the gallery which is well worth a look. The building is all exposed brickwork and wooden vaulted ceilings and there's a range of interesting art on display. I'd recommend a visit for afternoon tea on a fine day.


7/10

Byker Vista Cafe
The Biscuit Factory
16 Stoddart Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE2 1AN

http://www.thebiscuitfactory.com/home/

Barburrito, The Trafford Centre

I don't really like shopping, it's not my cup of tea. My least favourite type of shopping is shopping in huge shopping centres. Despite this I find myself in the Trafford Centre from time to time, because it's near my house and sometimes I need stuff. Convenience is King.

Saturday lunchtime was such an occasion. I needed some stuff before heading off for the rest of the weekend. I don't think I've ever been in the Trafford Centre on a Saturday before (I usually pop in in the evening after work) and I don't think I'll be doing so again. The place was absolutely mobbed. Prizes for the busiest stores of the lot go to Hollister and Starbucks. Which says pretty much everything about why I don't like shopping.

Take Hollister first. This place seems to have stormed the high street with a very cunning marketing plan. This consists of doing away with the time honoured way of identifying your shop to the world, i.e. putting a sign up out front with the name of the shop on it, and building a sort of lean-to/shed out front instead, through which one must enter. The lean-to obviously acts as a magnet to the passing public, as there must have been about 40 of them queuing up outside it as I walked by. And what do you get when you are finally allowed to enter through this hallowed portal? Is it a bounteous, fragrant land of milk and honey? No, you get to buy an overpriced hoodie in the dark. Anyone know why it's dark in there? Me neither.

Hoodie in the bag, you can then go and queue for an equally lengthy amount of time at Starbucks. What joys await you there? Some shit coffee and the most tedious playlist in the world. They actually release compilations of the music played in their cafes, in case you want to recreate that Starbucks 'vibe' in the comfort of your own home. I can think of a better plan and it involves an idling car engine and a length of hosepipe.

Sorry, got a little sidetracked there. There was a point to this post. Honest. After queuing at Hollister and Starbucks for two hours I was feeling a bit peckish, so sporting my new hoodie and slurping on a frappachococino I headed for the main foodhall. I've been to Barburrito before and thought it was ok, definitely a notch up from the obvious fast food suspects, and more importantly it wasn't too busy, so I thought I'd give it another try.

I went for the slow cooked pork burrito with chipotle salsa. Rice, beans, salad, cheese and soured cream are all included as standard alongside your choice of meat and salsa. Guacamole is a rather steep 75p extra (I didn't bother).

It was nice enough, but could have been better. Can't fault the portion size, it was a big fat burrito, but contained a little too much filler and not enough killer. Rice was the most generous of the fillings, and who wants a rice sandwich. The pork was nice and moist, and the chipotle salsa was warming and smoky but not hot as advertised. The beans and cheese didn't seem to add much flavour-wise. £4.75 for the burrito and £1.50 for a bottomless soft drink.

A reasonable option, but I won't be rushing back. If you're in town I'd recommend giving Pancho's Burritos in the Arndale Market a try instead. Haven't been for a while but I seem to recall it being a better burrito and better value.


6/10

Barburrito
The Trafford Centre
Manchester
M17 8EH

http://www.barburrito.co.uk/

Barburrito, The Trafford Centre

I don't really like shopping, it's not my cup of tea. My least favourite type of shopping is shopping in huge shopping centres. Despite this I find myself in the Trafford Centre from time to time, because it's near my house and sometimes I need stuff. Convenience is King.

Saturday lunchtime was such an occasion. I needed some stuff before heading off for the rest of the weekend. I don't think I've ever been in the Trafford Centre on a Saturday before (I usually pop in in the evening after work) and I don't think I'll be doing so again. The place was absolutely mobbed. Prizes for the busiest stores of the lot go to Hollister and Starbucks. Which says pretty much everything about why I don't like shopping.

Take Hollister first. This place seems to have stormed the high street with a very cunning marketing plan. This consists of doing away with the time honoured way of identifying your shop to the world, i.e. putting a sign up out front with the name of the shop on it, and building a sort of lean-to/shed out front instead, through which one must enter. The lean-to obviously acts as a magnet to the passing public, as there must have been about 40 of them queuing up outside it as I walked by. And what do you get when you are finally allowed to enter through this hallowed portal? Is it a bounteous, fragrant land of milk and honey? No, you get to buy an overpriced hoodie in the dark. Anyone know why it's dark in there? Me neither.

Hoodie in the bag, you can then go and queue for an equally lengthy amount of time at Starbucks. What joys await you there? Some shit coffee and the most tedious playlist in the world. They actually release compilations of the music played in their cafes, in case you want to recreate that Starbucks 'vibe' in the comfort of your own home. I can think of a better plan and it involves an idling car engine and a length of hosepipe.

Sorry, got a little sidetracked there. There was a point to this post. Honest. After queuing at Hollister and Starbucks for two hours I was feeling a bit peckish, so sporting my new hoodie and slurping on a frappachococino I headed for the main foodhall. I've been to Barburrito before and thought it was ok, definitely a notch up from the obvious fast food suspects, and more importantly it wasn't too busy, so I thought I'd give it another try.

I went for the slow cooked pork burrito with chipotle salsa. Rice, beans, salad, cheese and soured cream are all included as standard alongside your choice of meat and salsa. Guacamole is a rather steep 75p extra (I didn't bother).

It was nice enough, but could have been better. Can't fault the portion size, it was a big fat burrito, but contained a little too much filler and not enough killer. Rice was the most generous of the fillings, and who wants a rice sandwich. The pork was nice and moist, and the chipotle salsa was warming and smoky but not hot as advertised. The beans and cheese didn't seem to add much flavour-wise. £4.75 for the burrito and £1.50 for a bottomless soft drink.

A reasonable option, but I won't be rushing back. If you're in town I'd recommend giving Pancho's Burritos in the Arndale Market a try instead. Haven't been for a while but I seem to recall it being a better burrito and better value.


6/10

Barburrito
The Trafford Centre
Manchester
M17 8EH

http://www.barburrito.co.uk/

Kaosarn, Brixton Village Market, London

First stop on my London day of eating, Brixton. Brixton Village Market, formerly known as Granville Arcade, was mostly vacant until a couple of years ago. A regeneration project is seeing it gradually fill up with a variety of interesting eateries, which are generally getting very positive feedback - see here for more information.

One of the latest openings is Kaosarn, a small Thai cafe located at the Coldharbour Lane end of the arcade. I was lured in by the thought of some decent Thai food after the abomination I had the other week. I ordered chicken stir fried with rice, chilli, holy basil and a fried egg (Kao pad kra pao or somethingorother in Thai), and water. Iced tap water was supplied without question or suggestion of the bottled stuff.

I enjoyed eating this. Sweet, salty and hot, with added richness from the runny egg yolk and texture from the crispy bits of egg white. The chicken wasn't overcooked and the rice was just right. My only criticism was that it needed a bit more chilli and a bit more basil. In summary, nothing mind blowing just good well cooked food, just what the doctor ordered on a damp, miserable day.

The staff are also worth a mention, as they were lovely. The waitress looked worried on delivery of my food, and explained that the fried egg was the Thai style of serving it. She seemed to be concerned I wouldn't like the look of it. I proved my satisfaction by eating the plateful in about five minutes. The older guy doing the cooking also left the stove when I was leaving to ask if I'd enjoyed the food and if it was too hot. I told him a bit hotter would be great and he was almost apologetic. I reassured him that I'd enjoyed it anyway and he seemed genuinely pleased.

I hope this place is a resounding success. The food is good, it's reasonably priced (stir-fry was £6.90 plus tip), and the people running the place are genuinely keen to impress.


7.5/10 (bonus 0.5 for being so nice!)

Kaosarn
Brixton Village Market
Brixton
London
SW9 8PR

Kaosarn, Brixton Village Market, London

First stop on my London day of eating, Brixton. Brixton Village Market, formerly known as Granville Arcade, was mostly vacant until a couple of years ago. A regeneration project is seeing it gradually fill up with a variety of interesting eateries, which are generally getting very positive feedback - see here for more information.

One of the latest openings is Kaosarn, a small Thai cafe located at the Coldharbour Lane end of the arcade. I was lured in by the thought of some decent Thai food after the abomination I had the other week. I ordered chicken stir fried with rice, chilli, holy basil and a fried egg (Kao pad kra pao or somethingorother in Thai), and water. Iced tap water was supplied without question or suggestion of the bottled stuff.

I enjoyed eating this. Sweet, salty and hot, with added richness from the runny egg yolk and texture from the crispy bits of egg white. The chicken wasn't overcooked and the rice was just right. My only criticism was that it needed a bit more chilli and a bit more basil. In summary, nothing mind blowing just good well cooked food, just what the doctor ordered on a damp, miserable day.

The staff are also worth a mention, as they were lovely. The waitress looked worried on delivery of my food, and explained that the fried egg was the Thai style of serving it. She seemed to be concerned I wouldn't like the look of it. I proved my satisfaction by eating the plateful in about five minutes. The older guy doing the cooking also left the stove when I was leaving to ask if I'd enjoyed the food and if it was too hot. I told him a bit hotter would be great and he was almost apologetic. I reassured him that I'd enjoyed it anyway and he seemed genuinely pleased.

I hope this place is a resounding success. The food is good, it's reasonably priced (stir-fry was £6.90 plus tip), and the people running the place are genuinely keen to impress.


7.5/10 (bonus 0.5 for being so nice!)

Kaosarn
Brixton Village Market
Brixton
London
SW9 8PR

Cafe Logos, Salford

I was working at the Salford office yesterday, only five minutes walk from the attractions of Salford Quays. What with the Lowry, the Imperial War Museum, the Outlet Mall and various office developments you'd think the area would be better served with dining options. I haven't looked too closely but there's not obviously much of interest. Any suggestions would be warmly welcomed. Hopefully things will improve when the BBC and others start moving into the new MediaCity UK development.

In the meantime my favourite spot is Cafe Logos on South Langworthy Road. It's a big, clean, modern looking place serving freshly made sandwiches, soup and daily hot specials. The sandwiches are ok, but the cooked specials are better. There is usually a choice of two, always priced under a fiver, yesterday's being honeyed chicken on the bone with stir-fried veg and rice or chicken curry and rice. I opted for the honeyed chicken at £4.75. That's more than you might pay for a regular sandwich at lunchtime, but it's much more of a meal. I'd compare it favourably with most middling pub lunches.

Yesterday's choice was about par for the course, generous portion; fresh, crunchy veg and moist, tasty chicken. It looks burnt on the photo but wasn't, just nicely caramelised, gooey, crispy chicken skin. To be honest it looks entirely terrible on the pic, but that's just my rubbish effort at photography. I really need to brush up my skills in this area.

Cafe Logos won't blow your mind but it will serve you up a freshly cooked, tasty, healthy lunch for a reasonable price. Which is more than can be said for some of the places nearby.

p.s. according to the MediaCity website, Booths supermarket are moving in. Excellent news, much better than another Tesco Express or the like.

7/10

South Langworthy Road
Salford Quays
Salford
M50 2RP
http://www.cafelogos.net/

Cafe Logos, Salford

I was working at the Salford office yesterday, only five minutes walk from the attractions of Salford Quays. What with the Lowry, the Imperial War Museum, the Outlet Mall and various office developments you'd think the area would be better served with dining options. I haven't looked too closely but there's not obviously much of interest. Any suggestions would be warmly welcomed. Hopefully things will improve when the BBC and others start moving into the new MediaCity UK development.

In the meantime my favourite spot is Cafe Logos on South Langworthy Road. It's a big, clean, modern looking place serving freshly made sandwiches, soup and daily hot specials. The sandwiches are ok, but the cooked specials are better. There is usually a choice of two, always priced under a fiver, yesterday's being honeyed chicken on the bone with stir-fried veg and rice or chicken curry and rice. I opted for the honeyed chicken at £4.75. That's more than you might pay for a regular sandwich at lunchtime, but it's much more of a meal. I'd compare it favourably with most middling pub lunches.

Yesterday's choice was about par for the course, generous portion; fresh, crunchy veg and moist, tasty chicken. It looks burnt on the photo but wasn't, just nicely caramelised, gooey, crispy chicken skin. To be honest it looks entirely terrible on the pic, but that's just my rubbish effort at photography. I really need to brush up my skills in this area.

Cafe Logos won't blow your mind but it will serve you up a freshly cooked, tasty, healthy lunch for a reasonable price. Which is more than can be said for some of the places nearby.

p.s. according to the MediaCity website, Booths supermarket are moving in. Excellent news, much better than another Tesco Express or the like.

7/10

South Langworthy Road
Salford Quays
Salford
M50 2RP
http://www.cafelogos.net/

Crab and Lobster, Asenby, North Yorkshire

Today I met up with my sister and future brother-in-law for a long, leisurely lunch. We went to The Crab and Lobster, a North Yorkshire restaurant (it possibly just about classes as a pub, it does have a bar) specialising in seafood. I hadn't been there before, but had heard of it. It's been around for years and has become a bit of a Yorkshire institution with a good reputation.

Not normally a strong point of mine as I tend to focus on my food rather than the surroundings, but first a note on the decor. This place is eccentric to say the least. The main dining areas are kitted out in a sort of nautical theme, with fishing nets adorning the ceilings and even an entire vintage diving suit in situ. Some parts seem to veer off from this into a sort of 1920's opium den or speakeasy sort of vibe, with chinese patterned screens, hats and musical instruments adorning shelves and walls. The gents toilets win the prize for most bonkers of all, being entirely kitted out with photo's and paintings of Marilyn Monroe accompanied by actual real-life bra's and knickers hanging from the walls. Not sexy ones either, just plain white cotton smalls. All in all I rather liked it, mad but suggesting a place that doesn't take itself too seriously. Sometimes more upmarket, rural pub restaurants can be a bit po-faced. Not the Crab and Lobster.

Back to the food. The original intention was to order from the set menu (£18 for three courses) but it turns out that Sunday is the only day they don't serve this on, so a la carte it was. The menu is a mixture of classic dishes (fish soup, lobster thermidor, steak and chips etc) and some more ambitious sounding stuff (Grilled Fresh Local Halibut, Cauliflower & Almond Puree, Tomato, Asparagus Seared King Scallops, Lobster Bisque sounded good). I chose the fish soup, followed by fish and chips.

Pints or halves of well kept Best Bitter from local brewery Nick Stafford's Hambleton Ales went down nicely while we were waiting. The bread basket promptly arrived, and was excellent. Three different breads, one granary, one white with a cheese crust, and one dark with walnuts. The dark bread was my favourite, almost like a very nutty malt loaf. The accompanying butter was unsalted and creamy.

The fish soup was served the classic french way, with croutes, rouille, and Gruyere cheese. It was a delight to eat, the rich red soup having a good stock base and being chock full of salmon, mussels, prawns and scallops. The addition of all the cheese and rouille made it very rich, and a struggle to finish, but I just about managed it with strings of cheese dribbling down my chin. My sister's mussels (in a cream sauce with bacon and cabbage) were also noteworthy. Good plump specimens, not at all gritty.

After the fish soup, my main course was a little bit disappointing (probably also a poor choice after such a substantial starter). The fish was a good chunky fillet of haddock cooked just right, but the batter was too thick and rather stodgy. The mushy peas were dry and claggy, and would have been fine if let down a bit. The chips however, were excellent with very crisp exteriors and soft fluffy centres. The tartare sauce was also very nice.

Having ordered such substantial starters and mains, there was little room left for pudding so we ordered one to share between the three of us, a lemon meringue pie with raspberries. They were back on the top form of the starters with this, it was very, very good. Perfect balance of sweetness and tartness between the lemon filling and the meringue, and the pastry case was light and buttery. The raspberries on the side were more than just garnish, having the strongest, deep, tart raspberry flavour of any I can recall eating. No mean feat in February, I think they must have been macerated in some sort of raspberry syrup or liqueur.

In summary I liked this place a lot, on the whole it was very good. The fish soup was a particular highlight. It's expensive, 3 courses with service but no booze will set you back about thirty quid, but the set menu at £18 would represent great value. To add to the fun on a Sunday you get serenaded by a man with a banjo in a technicolour suit, who goes by the name of Richard Muttonchops, ably accompanied by his mate on sax. Apparently they play free jazz. Told you it was bonkers.


8/10

Crab & Lobster
Dishforth Road
Asenby
Thirsk
North Yorkshire
YO7 3QL
http://www.crabandlobster.co.uk/
http://www.hambletonales.co.uk/
http://www.muttonchops.org/

Crab and Lobster, Asenby, North Yorkshire

Today I met up with my sister and future brother-in-law for a long, leisurely lunch. We went to The Crab and Lobster, a North Yorkshire restaurant (it possibly just about classes as a pub, it does have a bar) specialising in seafood. I hadn't been there before, but had heard of it. It's been around for years and has become a bit of a Yorkshire institution with a good reputation.

Not normally a strong point of mine as I tend to focus on my food rather than the surroundings, but first a note on the decor. This place is eccentric to say the least. The main dining areas are kitted out in a sort of nautical theme, with fishing nets adorning the ceilings and even an entire vintage diving suit in situ. Some parts seem to veer off from this into a sort of 1920's opium den or speakeasy sort of vibe, with chinese patterned screens, hats and musical instruments adorning shelves and walls. The gents toilets win the prize for most bonkers of all, being entirely kitted out with photo's and paintings of Marilyn Monroe accompanied by actual real-life bra's and knickers hanging from the walls. Not sexy ones either, just plain white cotton smalls. All in all I rather liked it, mad but suggesting a place that doesn't take itself too seriously. Sometimes more upmarket, rural pub restaurants can be a bit po-faced. Not the Crab and Lobster.

Back to the food. The original intention was to order from the set menu (£18 for three courses) but it turns out that Sunday is the only day they don't serve this on, so a la carte it was. The menu is a mixture of classic dishes (fish soup, lobster thermidor, steak and chips etc) and some more ambitious sounding stuff (Grilled Fresh Local Halibut, Cauliflower & Almond Puree, Tomato, Asparagus Seared King Scallops, Lobster Bisque sounded good). I chose the fish soup, followed by fish and chips.

Pints or halves of well kept Best Bitter from local brewery Nick Stafford's Hambleton Ales went down nicely while we were waiting. The bread basket promptly arrived, and was excellent. Three different breads, one granary, one white with a cheese crust, and one dark with walnuts. The dark bread was my favourite, almost like a very nutty malt loaf. The accompanying butter was unsalted and creamy.

The fish soup was served the classic french way, with croutes, rouille, and Gruyere cheese. It was a delight to eat, the rich red soup having a good stock base and being chock full of salmon, mussels, prawns and scallops. The addition of all the cheese and rouille made it very rich, and a struggle to finish, but I just about managed it with strings of cheese dribbling down my chin. My sister's mussels (in a cream sauce with bacon and cabbage) were also noteworthy. Good plump specimens, not at all gritty.

After the fish soup, my main course was a little bit disappointing (probably also a poor choice after such a substantial starter). The fish was a good chunky fillet of haddock cooked just right, but the batter was too thick and rather stodgy. The mushy peas were dry and claggy, and would have been fine if let down a bit. The chips however, were excellent with very crisp exteriors and soft fluffy centres. The tartare sauce was also very nice.

Having ordered such substantial starters and mains, there was little room left for pudding so we ordered one to share between the three of us, a lemon meringue pie with raspberries. They were back on the top form of the starters with this, it was very, very good. Perfect balance of sweetness and tartness between the lemon filling and the meringue, and the pastry case was light and buttery. The raspberries on the side were more than just garnish, having the strongest, deep, tart raspberry flavour of any I can recall eating. No mean feat in February, I think they must have been macerated in some sort of raspberry syrup or liqueur.

In summary I liked this place a lot, on the whole it was very good. The fish soup was a particular highlight. It's expensive, 3 courses with service but no booze will set you back about thirty quid, but the set menu at £18 would represent great value. To add to the fun on a Sunday you get serenaded by a man with a banjo in a technicolour suit, who goes by the name of Richard Muttonchops, ably accompanied by his mate on sax. Apparently they play free jazz. Told you it was bonkers.


8/10

Crab & Lobster
Dishforth Road
Asenby
Thirsk
North Yorkshire
YO7 3QL
http://www.crabandlobster.co.uk/
http://www.hambletonales.co.uk/
http://www.muttonchops.org/

Deli Central, Wakefield

I'd planned to head back over the Pennines to spend the day in Manchester today, but my mate Barry had a few hours to kill before meeting friends in Leeds so I agreed to accompany him on a tour of the splendours of Wakefield.

Before you laugh there are some splendours in Wakefield, honest. The civic quarter has some solid victorian architecture, the cathedral is pleasant, the chantry chapel is historic and interesting, the new Hepworth Gallery is opening in May, and the marvellous dereliction of Kirkgate railway station is not to be missed.

Sorry, forgot this was a food blog for a moment. Back to the comestibles. Before the grand tour we popped into Deli Central for a bite to eat. It's a very good looking little place, all blond wood and posh chutney for sale. I rather unimaginatively opted for a ham, cheese and tomato panino and a pot of tea. Just a pot of tea for Barry who was still full after dining on fish and chips, curry, trifle and beer the previous evening.

The panino was generously proportioned and tasted fine, but was otherwise unremarkable. The leaf and tomato salad on the side was limp and undressed, but the potato salad (cold new roasted potatoes with sun dried tomatoes, spring onions and some sort of dressing) was good. The pots of tea were loose leaf and very nice. At £5.45 for the sandwich and £1.80 for the tea it wasn't cheap.

In summary a decent option, but a bit expensive. Quiches on the deli counter looked good though.

6/10

Deli Central
20 Northgate
The Bullring
Wakefield
WF1 3AA
http://www.deli-central.co.uk/

Deli Central, Wakefield

I'd planned to head back over the Pennines to spend the day in Manchester today, but my mate Barry had a few hours to kill before meeting friends in Leeds so I agreed to accompany him on a tour of the splendours of Wakefield.

Before you laugh there are some splendours in Wakefield, honest. The civic quarter has some solid victorian architecture, the cathedral is pleasant, the chantry chapel is historic and interesting, the new Hepworth Gallery is opening in May, and the marvellous dereliction of Kirkgate railway station is not to be missed.

Sorry, forgot this was a food blog for a moment. Back to the comestibles. Before the grand tour we popped into Deli Central for a bite to eat. It's a very good looking little place, all blond wood and posh chutney for sale. I rather unimaginatively opted for a ham, cheese and tomato panino and a pot of tea. Just a pot of tea for Barry who was still full after dining on fish and chips, curry, trifle and beer the previous evening.

The panino was generously proportioned and tasted fine, but was otherwise unremarkable. The leaf and tomato salad on the side was limp and undressed, but the potato salad (cold new roasted potatoes with sun dried tomatoes, spring onions and some sort of dressing) was good. The pots of tea were loose leaf and very nice. At £5.45 for the sandwich and £1.80 for the tea it wasn't cheap.

In summary a decent option, but a bit expensive. Quiches on the deli counter looked good though.

6/10

Deli Central
20 Northgate
The Bullring
Wakefield
WF1 3AA
http://www.deli-central.co.uk/

A Tale of Two Lunches

We are quite blessed in the UK these days with the variety of lunch options in many of our towns and cities. We have welcomed the midday offerings of other nations, adapted them and made them our own. But we also still like a good British pie, fry-up or sandwich with salad cream. Here are a couple of contrasting places on either side of the Pennines.

La Bottega Milanese, Leeds

La Bottega Milanese sits squarely in the new, modern Britain category. It’s a Milanese coffee bar transplanted to the Calls in Leeds. Sandwiches are made to order on ciabatta or focaccia, coffee is an art form and cakes are supplied by Anthony’s.

On today’s visit I ordered a Milanese on ciabatta (parma ham, rocket, mayo, parmesan, olive oil, lemon – I think) and a slice of torta della nonna (Grandma’s cake). Nice piggy ham and peppery rocket, and a light, fresh ciabatta made for a good sandwich. Possibly a bit stingy with the filling but that’s a minor complaint from a greedy person.

The cake (not one of the Anthony's supplied ones) was very good. It’s a sort of thick custard tart garnished with pine nuts. Fairly plain and simple but I mean that as a compliment, it’s nice to have something more restrained with a cup of tea instead of the increasingly prevalent sugar and icing bomb American style sweet things (not that I don’t love cupcakes sometimes...). The pastry was good too.

I can’t comment on the coffee, as I rarely drink it (caffeine doesn’t like me) but given their enthusiasm for the stuff I’m sure it’s great.

At £3 for the sandwich and £2 for the cake it’s good value for quality ingredients in a city centre location. It wasn’t very busy when I was in there (about 12.30 pm so peak lunchtime) so I hope they’re doing a good trade. Please go – we want places like this in Leeds doing well.

7/10

32 The Calls
Leeds
LS2 7EW

http://labottegamilanese.co.uk

Pat’s Place Cafe, Knowsley Industrial Estate

Pat’s cafe has its steel toe-capped boots firmly in the traditional camp. If you spend your days in a hard hat engaged in robust industrial toil (just like me obviously) then this is the place for you. Situated on Knowsley Industrial Estate, an outpost of genuine heavy industry, it offers up fry-ups, pie dinners, toasties, chips and sandwiches (salad is available) to the masses. When I’m feeling healthy sandwiches are the way to go, but at other times it has to be a pie dinner. £2.50 will get you a choice of pie, with chips, peas and gravy.

It’s usually pretty good but last Friday it was strangely disappointing. The chips were soggy and they were out of peas. Usually the chips are fried to a good crisp and not at all greasy. The pies are of reasonable quality, and definitely contain genuine meat. I like the Steak and Pepper best. There was a photo but it's gone missing; - think pie & chips, covered in gravy, in a polystyrene tray.

On the off chance anyone reading this spends time in the area, you could do much worse for your lunch than Pat's. Not that it needs a recommendation, it’s always rammed.

5/10 (recent visit)
7/10 (most other visits)

Pat's Place Cafe
Charley Wood Road
Knowsley Industrial Estate
L33
Merseyside