Tong Palace

After having cocktails in MOJO Gev Tom and I decided that we wanted Chinese food. We headed down to Tong Palace on Vicar Lane.

The interior is comfortable but a little basic, with a large window down one side with a lovely view out onto a side street and a brick wall... but we didn't go for the views.

The menu is divided into sections according to the type of meat in the dish, with a small selection Vietnamese dishes too.

We decided to have the starter platter with a little bit of everything at £5 a head. The satay sauce was delicious but HOT! The prawn toast was made with real prawns and the wontons were seriously tasty.For mains I had the beef and black bean sauce. I kinda forgot to take a photo of the mains... but this is how good they were.

The service was efficient and friendly and the bill including a couple of beers and some tea came to £47 for the three of us.

Tong Palace

*Traditional Chinese restaurant
*Good service
*Tasty food

120-122 Vicar Lane,
Leeds
LS2 7NL
0113 246 8088

Website

Portofino

**PORTOFINO IS CLOSED**

I noticed that Portofino had opened a couple of weeks ago on Albion Place.

As we went in we were greeted with a smile by the staff who sat us at a little table by the window at the back. The efficient, good humoured and relaxed service continued throughout the meal. The deep red and black decor with low level lighting gives a very sophisticated feel to the place. There is also a couple of small tables outside, but the owner soon hopes to obtain a licence for seating (with patio heaters and blankets for cooler evenings) on the street like the neighbouring cafes and restaurants.

The menu is fairly concise but we were presented with a very interesting and varied specials board. The idea of the quick pasta lunch flew out the window as we were tempted by the delicious looking choice of starters and fish dishes.

I had cheesy garlic mushrooms- you cant go far wrong there, and Liam had the mussels, which he really enjoyed and as you can see from the photo they were absolutely huge!
I then had the gnocchi from the specials board and Liam had the King Prawns, both tasting as good as they looked. Liam was particularly excited by the prawns which he said were soft and tasted super fresh, like the ones he had eaten on his recent holiday in Spain.

I had a classic Tartufo for pudding and Liam had his usual vanilla ice cream.

The food was really tasty, solidly executed and made with good quality ingredients, what more can you ask for?

What really stood out for me was the value, soft drinks are £2.50 with unlimited refills and if my memory is correct, the 3 course children's menu was only about a fiver! Even with all the seafood choices and a glass of wine for me, the bill still only came to £37.

This is a place I could imagine going to with a large group of friends or for a family get together, and that is what Italian food is all about. If this meal is anything to go by, Portofino has a bright future ahead of it!

Portofino

*Excellent service and value
*Family friendly (but still grown up)
*Classic Italian food

4 Albion Place
Leeds
LS1 6JL
07933 014 152

Website

And the winner is.....

So today was the grand prize draw for an item of cookware upto the value of £40 from www.cookwareessentials.co.uk

As you can see all of the entries here


Put into a hat (Or your favourite pie dish, whatever is to hand) and ask Liam to make the all important draw!



And the winner is.........


Well done to Pete Bryant (Trust Liam to find the only golf related entrant!)

Pete please email me your details and I will pass them onto Cookware Essentials to arrange your prize!

I would just like to say thank you for all the lovely comments that have been left as entries for this competition, it really is nice to know people actually read the blog and find it useful!

Sesame

Last night Gev and I were very excited to be invited to the opening party of Sesame, a new take away sushi and pie deli in the city centre.

Sushi and Pies? Yes that's right, Owner Louise loves sushi and loves how it can be considered a healthier option for lunch, with fresh ingredients and no bloating bread, but thinks some people are still a little bit daunted by the whole 'raw fish' thing.

Sesame already successfully sells Sushi to the discerning students in the LUU building, and through a takeaway service in North Leeds.Louise hopes this new little shop with fresh sushi placed next to lovely oriental salads, locally made i's pies large tubs of home made noodle meals and various other healthy and wholesome lunch options will introduce even more people to the joys of sushi.
Gev and I both love sushi and know that bad sushi is a serious let down, but no fear here at Sesame, the sushi was amazing. The fish is supplied by Ramus of Harrogate and is all ethically and sustainably sourced. It was obviously freshly prepared almost melt in the mouth (sushi can very easily go chewy if left to sit around) and the other snacks we were provided with such as crab salads and miso soup were delicious.

Sushi is not cheap stuff, as decent fish is not cheap stuff but at Sesame it is still possible to buy a satisfying tasty lunch and have change from £5. The shop will also stay open until the early evening so you could also grab something for tea on the way home from work.
If the opening night is anything to go by, Sesame will become a favourite place for takeaway sushi snacks! Like the company logo says, these guys really are 'purveyors of good stuff'!

Sesame

*Great alternative for lunch
*Fresh and local ingredients
*Yummy sushi

Enterprise House
16 St Paul's Street
LS1 2LE

Website

By Land, Air and Sea but still Home for Tea!

Ok guys listen up cause I have had a great idea!

On Thursday 17th of September we (as in me and Gev, Tom from Heading there and the ladies from Culture Vulture... and anyone else mad enough to join us) will be eating our way around the world in a day. As well as having a blast we want to help The Smile Train pay for life changing surgery for at least two children in the developing world.

Our challenge will take the form of an around the world backpacking tour where we visit the restaurants of Leeds and Bradford sampling cuisine from a huge range of international specialities. We think you might be surprised and delighted at just how many different nationalities and cultures are represented in the restaurants around town!

Maybe the day will inspire your next restaurant visit; maybe it will even inspire your next holiday, either way we are certain it will be a whole lot of fun! (And will hopefully inspire you to donate to a worthwhile cause).

Since 2000, The Smile Train has provided free surgery for 350,000 children with cleft palates. Clefts are a major problem in developing countries where millions of children are suffer with the condition. Most cannot eat or speak properly and aren't allowed to attend school or to work. These children face very difficult lives filled with shame and isolation, pain and heartache. The good news is every single child with a cleft can be helped with surgery that costs as little as £150 and takes as just 45 minutes. We aim to raise enough money to help at least 2 children, although ideally we would love to raise much more.

For our friends on twitter and Facebook we plan to send updates all day, so those who are stuck at work can still join the fun. For those who can, we would love to see you out and about on the day! We will be meeting 10 am at Cafe Rouge in the Light, after that you can track us down with our tweets.

For updates about the event and to see what happens on the day follow @headingthere @leedsgrub and @culturevultures on twitter (#h4t). You can also join our Facebook group. We will be sending updates from all three users so add them all. Please could you also make a donation to this worthwhile cause on our Just Giving page.

I'm so excited about this, its gonna be a shed load of fun, so please join us, we would love to see you there!

Betty's in Harrogate

I have never been to a Betty's before but after reading Gev's review of Little Betty's in York and Sourrain's review of the one in Ilkley I thought I just had to go. We were going to have lunch there but the queue was far to long so we went to Weeton's instead (see previous post).

By the time we had finished lunch, and then our picnic, then had been for some real ale in the pub, the queue had gone right down and conveniently it was time for afternoon tea. (I'm sure if I look back in my family tree I will find that I am descended from Hobbits... seven meals a day doesn't sound that unreasonable to me!)

We got seated in the tea room almost straight away. Marble table tops, silver teapots, white china and a view overlooking the park... lovely.

Gev and Tom shared a plate of scones, I opted for a delicious nutty layered cake from off the trolley. We all had a pot of tea each too. The tea was really lovely, fresh and fragrant. I love Afternoon Tea and all the little frivolities that go with it like cakes on tiered stands, and pouring your tea through a strainer... silly I know.

I had a preconceived idea that Betty's was an over priced tourist gimmick, and really it is, but I don't care because the food was lovely, the service faultless and we had a great time! The bill for tea and cake for 3 came to just over £17.

*Traditional tearoom
*Can be a bit touristy
*Good quality but expensive

1 Parliament Street
Harrogate
HG1 2QU
01423 814070

Website

Grub Excursion #13 Harrogate, Weeton's

I went to Harrogate with Gev and Tom initially with the intention of going to Betty's for lunch, however by the time we got there, the queue to get in was coming out the door and was heading towards the corner of the building.

We decided instead to try Weeton's, a place that had been described to me by a friend as a butchers come farmers market with a cafe at the back... that is exactly what we found.

Like pretty much everything else in Harrogate, Weeton's looks slick and expensive. Actually its not expensive, the prices are really quite reasonable, and the quality we found to be exceptional.

Weeton's was set up by local farmers and stocks over a 1000 lines of local Yorkshire produce. There is fresh fruit and veg, countless jars of pickles, preserves and sauces, cakes and alcohol. There is also a deli counter and butchers inside the shop, again selling the best of local produce.

We were hungry so we went through to the back of the shop where there is a small collection of tables and took a seat. We decided to share a platter of cheese, pickles, meat and bread for about £8. (We wanted to have pies and other things from the deli counter but apparently it makes things difficult with VAT so we had to just order from the menu). The platter was nothing short of amazing, and served with a huge pile of bread and butter. It was great as a light lunch for 3.We then spent the next half hour running round like kids in a sweet shop (or like adults in a posh wine and cheese shop) filling our baskets with goodies to take home, although a lot of the stuff didn't quite make it home. On leaving the shop we crossed the road to the Stray (The big park in Harrogate) and sat in the sun and had a picnic. The meat pies were particularly good, and excellent value, starting at just £3 for a large family sized pie.

I also bought a wedge of the Cote Hill Blue which was delicious, soft and creamy. An excellent cheese!

Weetons is an wonderful place for lunch, to stock up on picnic items, or just to visit for great produce and ingredients. A must for anyone visiting Harrogate.


Weeton's
*Fresh, quality local produce
*Fair prices
*Lovely atmosphere and location

23/24 West Park
Harrogate
HG1 1BJ

01423 507 100

Website

WIN WIN WIN!

The lovely people at CookwareEssentials.co.uk have given me the opportunity to give one of you lucky people (who lives in the UK) the chance to win an item of cook ware up to the value of £40 from their online store.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post by 12 midday, next Friday the 21st Aug 2009. The winning name will then be drawn from a hat and announced on Leeds Grub.

The winner will be able to chose any item they want from CookwareEssentials.co.uk up to the value of £40!

I am *seriously* jealous, I want this prize! The website has items from top brands such as LeCreuset & Emile Henry.... here are some of the things I would choose if I were to win this fab prize!

Cornish Blue mug... need I say more?


Mini Emile Henry Ceradon Clafoutis dishes!


LeCreuset omelette pan, I actually already have one and its absolutely invaluable.


Small print....
"Cookware Essentials.co.uk is a division of CSN Stores Ltd, the third largest U.S. internet retailer of home goods. CSN Stores has over 200+ US and international web sites that offer a diverse array of products from modern furniture to mattresses."

This prize has been provided by CookwareEssentials.co.uk. I have no connection with this company and will not be getting any kind of payment from running this competition.

I have never previously purchased any items from CookwareEssentials.co.uk, so cannot comment on/ recommend/vouch for purchases made through the site.

One entry per person, open to UK readers only and my decision is final! :)


Good Luck!

Ho's Chinese Bakery

I had to go for a 'planning meeting' with Mili from Extraordinarily Ordinary for something we are plotting. (check her blog for details).

We met at Ho's on Vicar Lane, a Chinese bakery with a restaurant upstairs. I had already eaten but was tempted with a pork bun and a cream cake. The items were £1.20 each.

The pork bun was warm, soft, and had a generous tasty filling. The cake was simple but tasty, and nicely decorated. I also had a freshly squeezed orange juice.

This place isn't quite a cafe, more a bakery with a few comfortable tables where you can sit and eat (hence the food being served on disposable plates). The restaurant decor and theme runs down into the bakery, making the bakery feel strangely lavish!


Although my orange juice took a little while to arrive the staff were very friendly and helpful.

Ho's Bakery

*Tasty Chinese snacks
*Reasonable prices
*Excellent service

115, Vicar Lane,
Leeds,
LS1 6PJ
0113 242 8828

Thorntons Ice Cream

For a few years now, high street chocolate shop Thorntons have been selling ice cream during the summer months.

There always seems to be a queue at the serving hatch in the shop window, but the wait is well worth it. The flavours are varied and interesting, containing chunks of chocolate and swirls of sauce. There are classic Thorntons flavours such Viennese truffle and refreshing looking fruit sorbets.

The quality of the ice cream is good, and you get a decent sized scoop. I normally go for 2 scoops for £2.50 which includes a truffle stick and chocolate sauce.

Thorntons ice cream

*Good sized portions
*Interesting flavours
*Indulgent treat

39/40 Commercial Street
LS1 6EX
0113 2449498

Website

Gevs coffee spot #5 La Cremeria & York Coffee Emporium

Once again I was in York (one of my favourite English cities to visit and spend a day) when I made an exciting discovery of what has the best coffee shop ever!! A large statement I know, but the coffee from here really has to be tasted to be believed!

La Cremeria is possibly the smallest coffee shop ever (Think of the size of your living room and them half it!) but do not despair coffee lovers, as they do take away. They have a little window opening onto the street where you can purchase all they sell to take with you on your merry trip around the historic walled city!

Its gets even more exciting as coffee isn’t the only thing they do well! They have an excellent selection of home-made ice-creams (perfect for all the hot summer days still to come), teas and chai latte’s, (if you’re not sure what one is, try one, they’re a hot and deliciously spiced milky decaffeinated tea).

I love coffee shops that take pride in their choice of coffee bean, lucky for this wonderful little shop, they only have to go next door to the York Coffee Emporium to select the yummiest blend of coffee.

Unfortunately for me, my rich and creamy latte disappeared in seconds flat! Oh well, the question is: what to have on my next visit?

Located just around the corner from the York Minster this place is a must for all visitors to York and compulsory for all those York residents!! So what are you waiting for?

And while you are there make sure you go next door to the York Coffee Emporium... it does exactly what it says on the tin, it is a wonderful emporium of coffee (and tea actually).

La Cremeria
20 High Petergate,
York,
YO1 7EH
01904 612647