Eating out

Fish& takeaway and canteen

July 13, 2011

Fish&…that sounds interesting. Go on, then, what is it? It’s quite a clever little idea. A nice, blue mobile fish and chip van that rocks up at festivals, parties, events and the like. We stumbled across it at the glorious Kirkstall Festival the other weekend…a sunny day, fantastic live bands in the Abbey’s cloisters, fairground, [...]

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The Midnight Bell, Leeds…could do better?

January 29, 2011

In retrospect, last Wednesday evening wasn’t the best night for our first visit to the Midnight Bell. The presence of Arsenal football club at nearby Elland Road for an FA Cup replay against the mighty Leeds United meant that the Bell was packed to the rafters with Leeds fans out for a pre-match drink before [...]

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Sela Restaurant, Leeds

December 31, 2010

I’m not very good at planning things properly, which is how we ended up at Sela the other night. It was quite accidental. We’d planned to eat at The Reliance, but found it stuffed to the rafters with Christmas party type people, with a table waiting list that may have stretched into January. So, we [...]

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PIN, Leeds

November 13, 2010

Leeds Brewery have been quietly expanding in Leeds over the last few years. They’ve now got four pubs and bars, each with a distinct identity and reason. PIN is their ‘contemporary cafe bar’, a small bar and restaurant tucked away on Dock Street, just over the river. Given that PIN is a Leeds Brewery bar, [...]

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Il Leoncino, Centro Storico, Rome

October 23, 2010

The Romans have a slightly different way with pizza. Their bases are thin and crisp, in contrast to the softer and fuller Neapolitan style. A good Roman pizza will crack at the edges when you bend it, and if it’s cooked properly, the edges will be scorched. Finding a decent pizza in Rome isn’t difficult [...]

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Do you complain in restaurants?

July 10, 2010

You ordered something that sounded tasty. The waiter arrives with your meal, puts it down in front of you and you start eating. You realise quickly that the expected juicy steak has been grilled to within an inch of total carbonation, or that the chicken is salmonella pink in the middle. The waiter reappears, a [...]

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Bar Celta, Barcelona

June 30, 2010

Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter is a rabbit warren of narrow streets and alleys, lined with small shops and houses, washing strung over balconies to dry in the Mediterranean sun. Every so often, the claustrophobic streets open up into large, open squares, with tables, chairs and a generally continental buzz. Back in the alleys, there are some [...]

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