Market Stall of the Week: Flower stalls

There are actually 3 or 4 flower stalls on the market, they are all equally as good, all located in the top hall of the market.

Prices are really good- competitive with the supermarkets. For £20 you can get something quite special. The advantage over the supermarkets is that the stalls are manned by experienced florists who will make up a bouquet to your specifications or you can pick one up ready made.

I like to pick up seasonal items such as bunches of daffodils in the spring and poinsettias at Christmas to brighten up the flat- these are often just a couple of quid- the bargain prices mean that you can justify treating yourself more than once in a while.

Bird at Alea £15 Gopher Deal Offer.

Most people will have heard about James Martin's 'Leeds Kitchen' newly opened on the ground floor of the Alea Casino in Clarence Dock, but did you know that the casino also has an Indian restaurant called The Bird?

I reviewed the restaurant when it opened almost 3 years ago and have been back a couple of times since.

I visited this time to try the Gopher Deals offer where for £15 you can choose 2 courses from a special menu and you can also have a bottle of beer or a glass of house wine included in the price.

I chose the spinach and onion bhaji which were nicely presented with a dip. Simple classic done well.

The main course was a tarka dhal, which was nice but not exceptional. The lamb rogan josh looked really good. Both came served with rice and a small naan bread. The nice thing about this restaurant is that the food is served in smaller than usual portions for a curry restaurant making the meal much more manageable. The smart presentation helps the meal feel a bit more special.

We decided to have an additional pudding from the main menu for £4.50 each. I had an orange and ginger sponge pudding with cardamom custard and cinnamon ice cream which was a really fantastic spicy twist on a classic combination.

As a bonus with the deal you are given a free £5 chip to use in the casino. The cynic in me says that this is a ploy to make you gamble where you wouldn't normally, but I cant be too judgemental as I did end up winning the fiver that funded our after meal drinks.

Anyway, its a great midweek deal- a complete meal and a little bit of entertainment for £15. Visit Gopher Deals to print off the voucher.

The Bird
*Upmarket surroundings
*Traditional dishes served with style
*Good value all in deal

Alea Leeds
4 The Boulevard
Clarence Dock
Leeds
LS10 1PZ

0113 341 3200

Website

Market Stall of the Week: Ramsdens

Ramsdens is my favourite fishmonger on fish row. They always have a massive choice available of all different species of fish.

The fishmongers know their stuff and will help you to find what you need. Just ask and they will gut/debone/skin anything you buy so that it is ready to cook. Use their knowledge to your advantage to find similar tasting but cheaper alternatives to the cod/ haddock asked for in recipes and ask them to tell you about the more unusual varieties.

While you are there take a look at the still live and fighting fit lobsters that are often at the end of the counter.

Prices are generally much better than the supermarkets- for example the chalkboard in the photo says 'Fresh Sea Bass 400g-600g £3 each. Its £3.60 in Tesco for 210g of frozen fillets.

You also have much more choice about the portion sizes so you can buy what you really want. I know I put these photos up the other week, but I want to post them again because I cant get over how amazing the prawns and crabs look.

A few fancy freebies

I do get invited to the odd free dinner, event and launch party because of the blog, and in the past few weeks I have been to a few places...

Revolution invited me along to sample their revamped summer menu. I know I can be a but unnecessarily anti chain and I will admit that wasn't expecting much. The restaurant manager was very excited about the quality of the ingredients and the skills and passion of her kitchen staff.

It didn't quite translate into the food- I had a the summer mezze board which was nice but I thought a bit steep at £7.95 and then the peppercorn burger (£8.95), it was a good standard but nothing more than average. Would I go out of my way to visit? Probably not, but if you are in there having the (rather decent) cocktails and want some food then you could do worse.

Last week saw the official launch in Greek Street of Carluccios, an Italian chain restaurant. It was a glitzy affair with plenty of prosecco and some really good canapes including prosciutto wrapped bread sicks (elegantly described as meat lollipops by @d_foley) and some delicious carpaccio beef.

There was an authentic singing accordion player and I even got to meet Jane McDonald! Jane told me that she was there because was very enthusiastic about supporting ventures in Yorkshire. Anyway, she was very slim compared to how she looks on telly and lovely to chat to!

This week was the relaunch of Town Hall Tavern opposite the law courts. It has been taken over by Timothy Taylors and has a fresh modern look which still retains an traditional pub aesthetic. The new chef aims to cook modern British food, with some dishes designed to be prepared and served quickly for working lunches, and others that can be savoured with a drink at the end of the day. There is real ale on tap as well as a revamped cocktail menu. We loved the teapot lampshades!

Anyway back to real life... I'm off to clean the bathroom. 

Red Chilli Revisited

This place continues to be for me a fail safe favourite. My original review from a couple of years ago is here.

The restaurant is perfect for groups of all sizes- the huge round tables and sectioned off booths lend themselves to large parties. I have been no end of times with work and other groups of more than 10. You can take advantage of the big portion sizes by ordering just a few dishes to share helping to really reduce the price.

This time it was just me and Em. We noticed that the menu has been streamlined ever so slightly which is probably a good thing as the choice even now is still overwhelming. We decided on a hotch potch meal of favourites.

We shared 1/2 crispy duck and a great chicken and cucumber dish, served in hoi sin sauce, and instead of rice we had pork buns as an accompaniment. As we only had Chinese tea to drink the total bill was about £28! We couldn't finish all of the food, which is fine as the staff happily boxed up the left overs so that Em could take them to work for lunch the next day.

I have noticed that the infamously surly service has relaxed a little in recent times, and as I mentioned before, I totally love the décor- shiny red tiles on the ceiling? What's there not to love.

Red Chilli
*Lavish themed decor
*Excellent food with lots of choice
*Always good value- especially for groups

6 Great George Street,
Leeds,
LS1 3DW

0113 2429688
Website 

Market Stall of the Week: Whitaker's Eggs

Located somewhere in the middle, one row in from Butchers Row, Whitaker's Farmhouse Eggs, sells erm... eggs. All shapes and sizes from quails to goose, they also have extra large and double yolkers (I used to *love* these when I was a kid).

All of the eggs come from local farms and the prices are fantastic. 6 large free range here are £1.20 compared to about £1.70 in the supermarkets. You can also by eggs by the tray for large catering jobs.

Local, affordable, brilliant.

Merkato revisited

Merkato is an Ethiopian cafe, located in the almost derelict, and slightly surreal Merrion Market (round the back of the Merrion Centre).

It remains to be one of my favourite restaurants in Leeds for a number of reasons. Firstly, the place is completely potty, the cafe, like all of the stalls in the market is basically a plywood box, housed within the larger market hall. Inside it feels like you have gone into some ones house with traditional fabrics, wall hangings and ornaments covering the walls and basic hotchpotch furniture.

It is obviously a hub for the Ethiopian community, there are often men sat playing board games in the corner and there are Ethiopian magazines and news papers in a rack on the wall. I have never had anything but the warmest of welcomes, just adding to the feeling of being a guest in some ones home.

Most importantly, the food is AMAZING. The menu is a concise selection of about a dozen traditional stews, half vegetable based and half meat. For £6.50 you can have a selection of either meat or veg dishes served with unending piles of traditional Injera flat bread which you use to scoop up the stews instead of using cutlery.

The stews are intensely flavoured and moderately spicy, the flavours unique and delicious. Injera is made from a fermented dough meaning it has a light bubbly texture and a slightly sour taste. Its a perfect contrast for the spicy flavours and the bubbles help it to soak up all of the gravy from the meat.

The only negative point is that is it always a little bit too quiet- and that is why you should all go and make it busy, its a true hidden gem. If you like quirky/underground/alternative and good home style food you will LOVE Merkato.

Open Mon- Sat, 10am-6pm for eat in or takeaway.

Merkato
*Great family run cafe
*Amazing, traditional dishes
*Crazy location with a warm welcome

79 Merrion Market
Merrion Centre
LS2 8NJ

Market Stall of the Week: Shoecare

This brilliant shoe and key bar at the bottom of fish row is a one stop shop for all key cutting, shoe repairs and engraving type things.

Much cheaper than Timpsons ( £5.99 vs £8.99 for replacement heels on ladies shoes) they provide a while you wait service- they have sorted me out plenty of times late on a Saturday afternoon when I have realised that the shoes I want to wear that night have worn out.

They also cut keys for £4-£6 (second key half price) and engraving starts at £9.50 for 10 letters- again while you wait, or an hour for engraving.

The Greedy Pig

Thanks to Dave Rushton for the new banner!

The Greedy Pig is a little greasy spoon/ sandwich shop on North Street just outside of the city centre. It has recently been taken over by new owners- a husband and wife team, who have revamped the menu.

It still has a core focus of cheap and cheerful sandwiches and fry ups but with the added passion and flair of a professional chef in the kitchen. This means that the mayo in the sandwiches and stock in the soup are home made, as are the Glamorgan sausages in the veggie breakfast and the amazing looking cakes on the counter.

A lot of the sandwich fillings are refreshingly different. I had roasted salmon and beetroot (£2.50). I was also tempted by the offer of twice cooked chips for £1.50 a bowl (just £1 with a sandwich). I took a seat in the small, basic seating area and had a read of the complimentary tabloid newspaper.

The food came quickly, the chips were amazing and the sandwich had a good amount of filling, lots of salad and it came in a nice brown roll. With the addition of a can of coke, the total bill was £4.10.

I also on the way out bought a piece of rocky road cake for £1. Nice size, freshly made, delicious.

They are open early for breakfast Monday - Sat and offer a take away service if you prefer lunch at your desk.

As this is a new venture for the owners things are still evolving- I look forward to seeing what they do with the place. For the time being take it for what it is, a basic cafe but run by people who care about getting the basics right- good ingredients (eggs are free range, coffee is fair trade) cooked well and all served with a smile.

The Greedy Pig
*Cheap and cheerful
*Many things made from scratch
*Decent ingredients

58 North Street
Leeds
LS2 7PN

0113 245 3596

Website

Shop at the Market Week #4

Today I want to share with you some of the stall that I love in the market which help to make it such a unique resource.

Haberdasheries: The market has several good haberdashers, fabric and wool shops which I use frequently. The range available is brilliant and the staff are always willing to offer some good advice. Between them you can find almost anything you need for dress making/ craft/ interior design projects. I also bought a reconditioned Singer sewing machine for £50 from the sewing machine shop.

B&M Fabrics: An excellent stall with all types of fabric styles and patterns. Great for seasonal crafts as they always get Easter/Halloween/Christmas fabrics in. Really helpful staff. They also cut foam for sofa cushions at brilliant prices.

Pet shops: To my knowledge, the market now has the only pet shop left in the city centre. Although places like Wilkinsons do sell pet supplies, the range isn't quite as comprehensive as this little Aladdin's cave of hide chews and flea collars!

Key cutting/ Shoe repairs: This stall is also one I use frequently mostly because they have a very fast turn around, either while you wait or within a couple of hours on a busy day (unlike Timpsons who I have know to keep a pair of shoes for a couple of days in the past).

Alterations: I have had curtains and clothing altered a few times, prices are very good (I think it was £20 for a huge pair of curtains to be taken up) and it was done in 3 days.

Butchers, fishmongers and green grocers: The biggest selection of all these can be found in the market, between them stocking a huge range of cuts/ species/ varieties. Prices are very good, as cheap or cheaper than the super markets with the added bonus of expert stall holders. Fruit and veg doesn't seem to last quite as long but I find that encourages me to buy just what I need.

Unusual ingredients: there a few really good Asian, Caribbean and Eastern European grocers on the market who will happily supply you with all manner of weird and wonderful ingredients, spices and vegetables often for a fraction of the prices found in the supermarket 'World food' aisles.


Flowers and Plants: There are a huge variety of florists and plant sellers in the top portion of the market and prices are extremely competitive.

Bits n bats n other tat: The market is also great if you just need other 'stuff' random items for projects such as craft and DIY and things for the home that you are struggling to find elsewhere. Always worth a look if you want to find something unusual or a bit specialist.

Shop at the Market Week #3

More shopping done today and this time I managed to get into both Tesco Metro at Bond St and Express at Clarence dock to check prices actually available to those of us living in the city centre without cars rather than the best online prices.

Market       Tesco Online         Metro           Express

500g Beef Mince                
£2.07           £2.00                   £2.00           £2.34

Back bacon                        
£5.72/kg      £6.00/kg               £6.56/kg        £6.66/kg
(best price per kg as pack sizes vary- at Tesco you have to buy 2 packs to get this best price)  

Leeks                                
£2.20/kg       £2.49/kg              £3.98/kg       £3.98/kg

Salmon (fresh fillets)          
£12.09/kg    £10/kg (on offer)  £16.67/kg    £15.91/kg (for 2x 220g packs)

6 large free range eggs      
 £1.20            £1.68                £1.68           £1.76

Total                                
£23.28         £22.17               £30.89          £30.56

Difference                        
0                 -£1.11                 +£7.61         +£7.28


So a big difference, especially on fish and meat. It is also worth remembering that on the market you can ask for any quantity, where as the supermarkets encourage you to buy multiple packs to get the best price. This is great for families but for single people and students with small/ shared kitchens in the city centre this is far from ideal. Today on the market I saw a lady buying just a single slice of ham- no waste, just what she wanted.

Also whilst looking at the fish row on the market I saw plenty of things that you could never imagine finding in the supermarket, all fresh (and some still alive) from the wholesalers this morning...

Shop at the Market Week #2

This week is Shop at Leeds Market Week. They have an excellent blog here, check it out. Also get down the market and see what fantastic events are going on. Anyway, here is part 2 of my price comparison shopping challenge...

On this occasion I popped into the market to buy the ingredients for a chilli.

From Neil's fruit and veg I bought Mushrooms, peppers, an onion and some bananas (for breakfast, not for the chilli!) I was charged £2.50. For the same items by weight, mysupermarket.co.uk told me that I could get them for £2.43 from Tesco (again main store prices, this may have been more at the Metro store).

A can of own brand kidney beans was 45p (48p in Tesco)

Beef on the market ranged from £4.15 a kg for standard, £4.84 a kg for steak mince which compares with Tesco £4 a kg - £5 for the better stuff (all as parts of  various discounts)

So for 500g Market price £2.07, Tesco £2.00

Totals for the shop Market £5.02 and Tesco £4.91 a difference of just 11p

More Excursions

Over the past couple of weeks there have been a lack of posts due to the fact I have been elsewhere other than Leeds. Here is where I ate/ drank out:

I found a great bar in Manchester on a night out thanks to a twitter tip off from @gilly_dc. Font bar is in a back street behind Oxford Rd station. It serves ace cocktails for £2 ALL OF THE TIME and the decor is really arty/ interesting. Similar to Nation of Shopkeepers in Leeds but a bit less up itself (always a good thing)

We also on that day went to the Museum of Science and Industry. It was free and we learnt about binary code from an actor pretending to be Alan Turing. Brilliant.

I popped back to my tiny little home town of Towcester and had lunch in the Towcester Tea Rooms with my sister. Its small and twee and its full of novelty tea pots and local history books. All home made stuff, basic menu but reasonable value (Jacket potatoes from £3, quiche and a salad £5)  in a town where there isn't much choice or competition.

I also spent a couple of nights in London hanging out with friends and trying to watch the Royal Wedding (Can you see them???)

We basically survived on pizza and beer, but we did manage one sit down meal.

We made an unplanned stop at @siam on Frith St in Soho for lunch. Its a smart little Thai restaurant. I went for the lunch deal which was a bargain at £8.95 for 2 courses. My friends chose from the main menu. The portions were huge and the food was all freshly cooked and of a decent standard.

Dishes from the main menu were £10-£15 each, which is really what you would expect for the location. The bill for 3 people having 2 courses and 2 beers each ended up being just under £80 (including service).

Service was polite but a little slow as there was only one waiter on his own. He was very sweet so we forgave him when he told us that my meal included lice!!! (Fortunately the kitchen had run out of these so I was given a bowl of rice instead). Anyway, worth going for the lunch deal as that really is good value.

That is it for now. Normal service to resume soon. I hope.

Shop at the market week

This week is shop at Leeds Market Week. There are tonnes of events going on, culminating on Saturday. Starting from Tuesday at 11am where there will be a tour of the market to help you find out about the produce on sale and where to find it. There will also be the opportunity to talk to some of the traders. Shop at Leeds Market blog is HERE

Anyway, as part of all this I have for the past couple of weeks been attempting to do as much of my shopping as possible at the market. I will let you know how I got on over the next week on the blog and on Saturday I will actually be at the market giving a talk on my experiences (details TBC).

I did a bit of a price comparison exercise on a few groceries I needed. After shopping at the market I have made a comparison with the main supermarkets from the best available prices on www.mysupermarket.co.uk. This website scans the prices across Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury and Occado (Waitrose). It is worth remembering that the main supermarkets do increase prices in their town centre convenience stores so I might have got a slightly different result if I had gone to Co-Op, Tesco Metro or Sainsbury Local (the nearest supermarkets to the Market) and checked the prices on the shelves there. 

1) Hair dye

The hair care shop only stocked Schwarzkopf brands but I found the colour I wanted. 

Market price £3.99. Tesco £4.48 

2) Baking ingredients

I got three items from the baking stall, all cost more than the supermarket equivalent. Despite this I really like the baking stall, there is an amazing range of nuts, dried fruits and other ingredients that you wouldn't find elsewhere, plus the staff are really knowledgeable and will happily give advice, something that you don't get in the supermarket.

Strong flour: £1.80 vs just 68p from Tesco (this was very cheap, other supermarkets ranged from £1.24- £2)

Muscovado sugar: £1.30 vs 99p from Tesco

Mixed peel 70p for 100g vs 59p for 200g (I halved this to 30p for like for like comparison by weight)

3) Pet care

1kg of hamster food £1.80 on the market vs £1.93 from Tesco (plus the market have more choice and will weigh out less if you need it) 

Fish food from market 20g for £2.40, Tesco 25g for £2.55

4) Dairy

6 large free range eggs from the market just £1! Tesco £1.68

Lurpack butter £1.69 vs £1.50 in most of the supermarkets

5) Store cupboard items- this is probably the hardest thing to shop for as there is not one stall with a big range of cans and packets. Ranges available are inconsistent and choice of brands is limited. Its ok for convenience but I would probably do a big stock up of cans and packets elsewhere.

Sun-pat peanut butter 224g £1.59 vs £1.59 in Sainsburys for the same item (I would however have gone for own brand if it was available for about 50p less in the supermarket) 

Total spend: Market £16.27 vs supermarkets combined best price £15.70 a difference of 57p (It would be interested to see how the prices would have compared if I had done all of this shopping somewhere like Tesco Metro)

The only thing on my list that I didn't get was toilet paper. There was some available in Britain's Best Prices, 4 rolls for £1.04 but this contained a fragrance and lotion, so for the sake of my sensitive skin I decided to spend a bit more and buy plain stuff from the co-op.

Not bad as a start. Keep checking back in the week for more updates and details!