Food Review

Food Review Harvester

Lucy Adlard visits a new branch of this chain pub in the Cardigan Fields development by Kirkstall's Vue cinema

While perusing the menu (as I often do these days before I eat out, not for any journalistic research purposes, more just because I like planning future meals), I noticed that Harvester gives the calorie content of all of its dishes. This seems to be a new theme in places such as KFC and McDonalds and I find it unnerving. Harvester say it is so that their customers can ‘choose a meal appropriate to their taste or occasion’, but personally, when I eat out I am generally throwing caution to the wind and am very much in the ignorance is…

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Food Review COOK North Leeds

Tom Goodhand visits the new shop on Moortown Corner offering high quality ready meals

It might sound like a contradiction in terms, but "high quality ready meals" is just what the COOK stores do. The chain has over 50 stores across the country, but until recently Leeds folk have had to trek to Harrogate or Ilkley to get their hands on COOK’s food.

However, this autumn COOK North Leeds opened on Moortown Corner, bringing with them over 80 dishes which are all as simple as removing packaging and shoving them in your microwave or oven.

So what’s different about COOK from calling into your local supermarket? Well, their food is all made…

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Food Review Gallery-FortyOne, Kirkstall, Leeds

Sophie Haydock tries some homely Mediterranean cuisine at this Kirkstall restaurant

Gallery-FortyOne’s heart is certainly in the right place. The Mediterranean bistro in Kirkstall is the kind of place that is comfortable, warm and inviting. The service is friendly, speedy and professional. What’s more, it is an independent, family-run business, which should be celebrated. The daughter of the owner served us on the night in question, telling us she studies in London but comes up every couple of weeks to help her dad out at the budding eatery, which opened less than a year ago. It’s testament that in that time, it has attracted some loyal customers and weathered the…

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Food Review Rib Shakk, Corn Exchange

Anthony's open a brand new – and very different – second restaurant in the basement of the Corn Exchange

The Corn Exchangein Leeds city centre has become home to an excellent variety of boutiques, eateries and stalls in recent years. Since its renovation and reopening in 2008 the range of businesses under the stunning domed-roof has grown into something which feels classy, yet somehow retains a grassroots, homemade finish.

The latest eatery to spring up in this self-contained mini-mall is Rib Shakk. It doesn’t require an enormous leap of imagination to figure out what the USP of this small cafe-cum-diner is. With mains ranging from £7.95 up to £36 for the largest sharing platter, the small establishment…

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Food Review Horse and Farrier, Otley

Rob Wright tries out the food at Market Town Tavern's newest pub

There is a lot to be said for consistency. Time is at a premium for everyone these days and we just don’t have the time to filter through a dozen piss poor pubs before finding that one precious gem. So it is good to know that Market Town Taverns are consistently good.

The Horse and Farrierin Otley, formerly the Three Horseshoes, is MTT’s latest acquisition and has been turned into a bright and clean haven for those who appreciate fine wines, good ales and a satisfying meal. It even has that new furniture and carpet smell, which may not…

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Food Review Lahore, Burley Road, Leeds

We try a new Burley Road takeaway offering a blend of South Asian and New York food

With the dark and cold nights drawing in and sleet thrashing down, we fancied some warming, tasty food that we could order in. Luckily for us, there’s a new deli in town, offering fast food that doesn’t compromise on quality.

We headed out to Lahore on Burley Road, stepping out of the cold into the brightly decorated deli. We were greeted with smiles by the smartly-dressed and friendly staff, a refreshing change from the usually dour faces of those at the more well-known fast food chains, and were offered menus to peruse at our leisure.

Never a couple to agree…

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Food Review The Food Academy at Flannels

A new restaurant opens on the third floor of the Leeds city centre designer clothes store. The food is superb, but don't call in expecting a quick bite for lunch...

Ever since the Anthony’s group closed their restaurant above designer clothes retailer Flannels, the third floor of the Vicar Lane store has been empty.

Last month Leeds City College announced a partnership with Flannels to open The Food Academy and The Art Gallery at Flannels on the third floor. The restaurant showcases Leeds City College’s most talented students from their catering and hospitality courses, with students and apprentices from the college looking after both the food and service. As it sits above Flannels, the restaurant isn’t open evenings, but opens for a late breakfast through to a late…

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Food Review Fish&

Simon O'Hare takes a short trip to Leeds-on-Sea for fish 'n' chips with a twist

If you’ve walked down Commercial Street lately, the road between WH Smiths and Boots, you might have found yourself doing a bit of a double-take. Because plonked right there in the middle of this pedestrianised street in the middle of this chilly northern city, miles and miles away from the sea, is a beach hut. Like some kind of bizarre dream, it’s just sitting there opposite the shops and building societies amid the urban hustle as though it’s the most normal thing in the world. But having sampled the food being served up from this little hut, we’re pleased to…

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Food Review Pinche Pinche, Chapel Allerton

Pinche Pinche me, I’m dreaming, says Rob Wright as he tucks into a Mexican feast

It is an unsurprisingly dismal November night in Chapel Allerton. It’s cold, it’s wet and I can feel a sniffle coming on, and as I step into the warm burgundy interior of Pinche Pinche, I’m thinking "this Habanero Salsa better be as hot as they make out".

We’re greeted with a smile and a so-laid-back-I’m-horizontal attitude by our waiter, Josh, who sees us safely stowed at our table before cluing us up to the specials. "They’re not on the board," he says, conspiratorially tapping his head, "they’re up here". I really like the Mexican tapas approach these guys have to…

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Food Review Heart Cafe

Tom Goodhand visits a great Headingley cafe that's part of an admirable local community project

While for some, Headingley is seen as the place where you live in a rented house for a few years during uni, the place you visit for the Otley Run or the place where you go to watch the rugby or the cricket, for many others Headingley is home.

Headingley Development Trust has spent the last six years trying to promote and develop a sustainable community in Headingley and their flagship project is the impressive Headingley Enterprise and Arts Centre, also known as Heart.

Built in an old primary school in the centre of Headingley, Heart acts as…

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