Good food good mood

Healthy Living Network Leeds presents: Good Food, Good Mood!

12.00pm to 5.00pm, 3 November, Test Space Leeds

A fun and interactive drop-in session for anyone wanting to find out how eating a healthy diet can improve your mental wellbeing. Suitable for all ages. Flyer

Brasserie at West Park

Emma has been here a couple of times now to this little brasserie at the far end of Headingley, and suggested we go for an early tea. As the first guests of the evening we were warmly welcomed.

As well as the main menu, there is also a gourmet burger menu, a comprehensive kids menu priced at £4.50 a dish and a number of specials up on a board.

The specials were explained to us and we were given the main menu. Em had gone for the early bird menu before but this time there was no detail of the offer on the menu, it's not mentioned on the website and so we were left a bit unsure and guessing what we were allowed to have or how much things would end up costing.

The starter from the specials board was fig wrapped in parma ham. It came out very quickly so it had obviously been made in advanced and then just stuck under the grill to melt the cheese in it. It was very nice and the salad had a tasty dressing but maybe I would have liked it to have been grilled for a bit longer as it wasn't quite warm enough for my liking.

My main course was a huge piece of blackened miso cod. This was fantastic, the blackened crust not tasting burnt but adding an interesting twist to the flavour. This came with pieces of chorizo, new potatoes and a rocket salad.

Emma had chicken with a grape and Stilton sauce and sweet potatoes. Again a mountainous portion with plenty of flavour and interesting things going on.

For pudding we both had the chocolate brownie, home made with the also home made banana and ginger ice cream. Simple but spot on.

We also shared a bottle of house wine.

When the bill came it was all a bit confusing. Just over £10 deduction each had been made for the early bird dishes, one main dish had a £2.50 supplement added and a 10% service charge had also been stuck on the end bringing the total bill with wine to £54. Not bad considering we had the wine too, but not a bargain for an early midweek tea either. (And added service charges REALLY annoy me).

The restaurant is really nice inside, the decor is fairly simple and neutral but feels warm and inviting. The addition of candles on the table makes it feel really quite special and romantic, even on a damp Wednesday teatime.

What I would really like to see, is if they are going to offer and early bird, a separate menu done for the purpose detailing what exactly can be had and for what price. I wasn't the only one this would have been of use for, I also heard another couple debating the same while we were there, and I think one of them decided not to go with a dish from the specials board that he wanted because he wasn't sure if it was included or not.

Brasserie at West Park
*Relaxed, romantic atmosphere
*Good sized portions & interesting dishes
*Early bird menu needs clarifying

269 Otley Road,
West Park,
Leeds,
LS16 5LN

Website

Grub excursion: Lytham

I was in Lytham last week to see my friend James Butcher to play in a concert. I stopped for a quick snack at Seniors fish shop after getting off the train.

I noticed that as well as the usual cod and haddock they also had sea bass and calamari on the take away menu. The staff were super polite and helpful to me and all of the customers that were served while I was in the shop . I ordered a fish butty, they charged about £3. Fish butty was not on the menu but he sorted one out for me anyway. (It sounds daft but I have encountered problems with this in the past in other chippies).

I wasn't going to bother mentioning it and I wouldn't have thought much else about it except that this fish butty was AMAZING! The fish was really delicate and the batter was really light and crisp- some of the best fish batter I have ever tasted. I just wish that I had the time to sit down properly and eat a full meal there.

I have since noticed on their website that they were voted 2nd best chippie in the UK this year, looks like this is a well deserved award.

Seniors fish and chips
*Good value
*Really light crisp batter
*Award winning

97-99 Clifton Street,
Lytham
Lancashire,
FY8 5EH
Tel: 01253 734445
Website

Cornucopia

I visited this new food event in the Corn Exchange today. Its a bit like a farmers market, with lots of fantastic independent food producers selling their wares under the cover of the Corn Exchange's lovely roof!

Stalls included Swillington Organic Farm, Dough Bistro, Yummy Yank, Fayre by Alley and all sorts of other treats.

The event carries on tomorrow 10am - 4pm cornucopia-leeds.co.uk

This Weekend...

News

I don't know what has happened to October, sorry about the lack of reviews, but I seem to keep going to the same old places.

Had another fantastic meal  with my sister at Saffran which is at the bottom of Kirkgate. We took our own wine and then had three courses (pudding was a shared plate of baklava as we were stuffed!) The bill was about £35, and to be honest, there was so much food left over, another person could have eaten with us for that price!

I have been behind the scenes at Salts Deli for Culture Vulture. You can read about it here. I am doing another behind the scenes later in the week at another favourite place of mine, so look out for that.

I have had lunch at  the Fish& van on Commercial Street a couple of times. They have a facebook page if you want to look. In essence its a fish and chip takeaway van, but the fish is all sustainable sourced. They sell the Hughs fish fight MacBap and they also do interesting flavoured batters as well as the traditional.

They new Bottega Milanese in the Light is going from strength to strength. I have been in there a few times this week to try all manner of speciality cakes and treats that are now being stocked.

Leeds Women's Aid Fundraiser

Early Bird and Deals Round Up...

These lists are always popular and its been ages since my last update of the best early bird and midweek deals around Leeds. All these details are correct at time of writing, but please check with the restaurant before you go that the offer is still running. Also I have not eaten at all of these places yet so I cant vouch for quality either...

Please comment if you know of any others and I will add them to the list.


Early Birds

Sams Chop House: Hearty traditional food, in a great Victorian themed dining room. Market menu is £11.99 for 2, 13.99 for 3 courses Monday to Saturday, lunchtimes and early evenings Website (Get the corned beef hash, its immense).

Kendells Bistro: Classic French bistro. The pre theatre menu is available Tuesday – Saturday 5.30 – 7.00 pm £24.95 for 3 courses and 1/2 bottle of house wine (Less without the wine) Website

Brasserie 44: Another traditional restaurant with a classic menu. £23.95 for 3 courses and 1/2 bottle of wine every day from 5pm-7pm Website

River Plate: Great Argentine steak house, currently offering a 20% discount before 7pm Mon-Thurs, book over the phone and quote 'Tango' .Website

Sous Le Nez: French bistro style food. 3 courses and 1/2 bottle of wine £24.95 Mon-Thurs 6-7:30pm Fri&Sat 6-7pm Website

Create: All day set menu 3 courses £13.95 at lunch, £16.95 for dinner. Website


Brasserie Blanc: Three courses for £13.95 Website


Lounge: Pre theatre menu, £14.95 for three courses with wine before 7pm Website

Tampopo: Eastern express menu, £7.95 for a main with a side dish from 12pm- 7pm Website


Salvos, Headingley: Voted by The F Word as best Local Italian. 3 courses with coffee for £16.50 Mon-Fri before 7pm Website

Olive Tree: Greek restaurant, 3 locations through the city. 3 courses for £14.95 Mon-Sat 6-7pm, all evening Sunday. Website The restaurants Italian cousin Giorgios in Headingley does a similar deal Website

Thai Sabai (also in Headingley) does 2 courses and a drink for £9.95 before 7pm. Website

Hummingbird Kitchen and Bar, Chapel Allerton: Three courses for £15.95 6pm-7.30pm Mon- Thurs Website
Wasabi TeppanYaki: 6pm-7pm £22 for 3 courses Website


Amaan's, Morley: 3 courses for £10 before 8pm on weekdays Website

Bistrot Pierre, Ilkley: 2 courses before 7pm for £13.90 Website

Happy Mondays... (And some Tuesdays too) 

Oracle: This trendy riverside bar is offering all of its menu at 1/2 price on Mondays Website

Box: Headingley Student bar, 40% off food on Mondays (all off the Arc inspiration bars- Arc, Trio, Zed, Hub, Napa, Kobe etc-have similar offers) Website


Azucar: Half price tapas on a Tuesday Website

The Crescent, Ilkley

Just so you know, I was invited along to write this post and they paid for my meal and drinks.

The Crescent Inn is a fairly new refurbishment. It consists of a cosy country pub, an 11 bed boutique hotel and a large bistro.

We decided to eat in the Le Bistrot Pierre rather than the pub area (which offers dishes such as fish and chips, burgers and steak).

We ordered from the bistro lunch menu priced at £11.95 for three courses. Each course has at least five dishes to choose from, all fairly simple classic French dishes with classic combinations of flavours.

We chose an additional aperitif of honey glazed chorizo £2.75 for five little sausages, they were tasty enough to justify the price.

Emma had a salad of grilled goats cheese and beetroot, beautifully presented, the dash of raspberry dressing provided enough sweetness to contrast with the acidity of the cheese.

I had a fricassee of  mushrooms and bacon on toasted brioche, this was simple but really good, proper comfort food.

Emma for her main course had pork cooked firstly sous- vide and then pan fried. A piece of smoked garlic sausage added extra succulence and flavour. The meat was really tender due to its slow cooking. This came with seasonal veg and herby potatoes.

I had a eggs benedict type dish made with smoked haddock, spinach, a perfect runny free range egg and a big blob of rich hollandaise sauce. This sauce looked like it had suffered a bit from waiting too long under a heat lamp but actually the flavour was not affected. I opted for the salad accompaniment. Eggs Benedict is my favourite breakfast and I found this smoked haddock version as equally as pleasing for a lunch.

We were stuffed but it was free so we persisted on with pudding. A lovely lemon tart was topped with raspberry sorbet. The only other fault that I could find with the cooking was that the dense chocolate mousse that was laced with grand manier had a very slight, unusual grainy texture (although I still finished all of it and the piece of shortbread that came with it).

Our service of course was very good but I noticed that everyone in our part of the restaurant was receiving a level of attention and treatment equal to us.

The decor varied in the different parts of the restaurant. We were sat in an area where powder pink couches lined the room, and there were mirrors, glass lampshades and lime waxed wood fixtures. All that was missing from this French boudoir scheme was a white toy poodle. I loved it and would like to imagine that if Marie Antoinette were alive today, her salons and boudoirs might look a little like this too. Other parts of the restaurant are decorated more conservatively, so maybe sit there if you are eating out with the lads.

I think with the extra appetiser, a glass of wine and coffee each the bill for the two of us would have been around the £40 mark. Not bad for a lavish lunch that left me so full that I couldn't eat any tea that night. This lunch menu per head is a whole fiver less than afternoon tea at Betty's, and even with a glass of wine its probably still cheaper! This to me is good value for money.

We got to take a little sneak peak around the lovely boutique hotel. Rooms cost £55-£120 depending on room/ date. This includes all you can eat from the breakfast menu in the morning.  Bargain.

This is a small group of family run restaurants, with other ventures across Yorkshire and the Midlands. The attention to detail and the close involvement of the owners in every venue means that this still has the passion of an independent but with the slick organisation of a chain. Worth checking out if you are in Ilkley or are looking for a destination for a day trip.


Le Bistrot Pierre
*Simple dishes well done
*Great value lunch menu
*Lovely surroundings

Brook Street,
Ilkley,
West Yorkshire,
LS29 8DG.

01943 811 255
Website