Category: Yorkshire

7 of the best meal delivery kits in Leeds

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Not many good things have come from the past year, but one thing which lockdown and the pandemic has certainly inspired plenty of, is innovation.

That is particularly true within the hospitality industry, with bars and restaurants having been pulling out the stops to continue offering their products and services however they can throughout a year of changing restrictions.

One of the most popular introductions we have seen from the hospitality industry during lockdown is the finish at home meal delivery kit. These home food deliveries bring restaurant quality food to your home with all the hard-work and prep having been done by the chef beforehand and you simply having to finish off heating the food at home – usually provided with very simple heating instructions so nothing can go wrong.

By Molly Leeds delivery food

These kits have managed to keep bringing a special dining experience to our own homes through lockdown, and have been a staple of date nights, virtual birthday parties, and socially distanced garden gatherings.

Of course Leeds’ fabulous eateries haven’t fallen short on offering a tantalising selection of meal delivery kits – some of which I’ve had the delight of trying myself and some of which I’ve simply drooled over on Instagram.

To help us all get through the next few weeks before restaurants reopen – and potentially after that (I would love this service to remain even when back to normality) – I have put together a round-up of some of the best finish at home meal delivery kits I have seen being offered by some of Leeds’ most loved restaurants and food businesses.

Best Finish at Home Meal Delivery Kits in Leeds

Jah Jyot

I have been following Jah Jyot on Instagram for a good few years, and owner Ranie is certainly not afraid to mix things up and try out new offerings, so I wasn’t surprised that they were one of the first Leeds food venues which I came across offering meal delivery kits – and the first one which I tried back in lockdown 1.0.

The first order we got from Jah Jyot was a mixed thali including amritsar chicken curry, chole masala, rice and samosa, plus a chilli paneer paratha wrap. It was all absolutely delicious and you could really tell it was all homemade and authentic.

We loved it, and so when we saw Jah Jyot launch their special Sunday roast kit it wasn’t long before we ordered this too. Again, it was incredible!

The Sunday roast features tandoori chicken, Bombay roast potatoes, gobi leek cheese, coriander peas, star anise cabbage and the star of the show – naan yorkies! Plus a spicy gravy to go over it all.

Jah Jyot are offering a whole range of different meal kits currently on site and are continually adding new and limited time options, so make sure to check it out.

https://jahjyot.com/

@jah_jyot_curry

By Mölly

Unlike the restaurants which have turned to offering delivery, By Mölly specialises solely in home deliveries with prepped meal kits cooked up by award-winning home chef Molly Payne.

There is a wide range of different menu options available from By Mölly, with Sunday roasts appearing to be a popular (and delicious looking) choice on Instagram, but it was the signature menu which I enjoyed for a special dinner to celebrate me and the Yorkshireman’s anniversary.

You can choose between 2 or 3 courses from the signature menu, with the option to pick your own individual dishes or enjoy a sharing starter of camembert or sharing main of beef wellington.

We opted for our own choice of starters, salt and pepper panko prawns for me and beef brisket croquettes for him (though of course we did a bit of mix and matching!). Both were truly delicious, the croquettes were packed full of very tender beef and the seasoning on the salt and pepper prawns came through perfectly. Both were the type of starter we wouldn’t really be able to master at home so it was certainly a nice treat to enjoy them having already been cooked up by a professional and us simply popping into the oven.

Next up we went for the beef wellington to share between us, which was served with potato dauphinoise, seasonal greens and a red wine sauce. Just incredible! Perhaps surprisingly, we had never had beef wellington before so it was a special dish to try and the potato dauphinoise was heaven – carbs and cheese yes please!

The portions were huge so we were so full after our main that we saved our dessert for the next day – a white chocolate choux bun and a sticky toffee pudding.

It all comes with lovely personalised reheating instructions which are really easy to follow – basically just pop everything in the oven or microwave, and then tuck in.

The whole meal really felt like something truly special and the quality was undoubtedly first class – definitely a great choice for a special occasion.

https://bymolly.myshopify.com/

@_bymollyinsta 

Stuzzi

Stuzzi is one of my absolute fave restaurants in Leeds, and I cannot wait to get back after lockdown.

In the meantime I was pleased to see they are offering fresh pasta kits to cook at home. Unfortunately, I haven’t actually tried for myself yet as they are collection only but if the quality of their dine-in food is anything to go by I have no doubt that their home kits are a true treat.

The kits include everything you need to whip up a Stuzzi finest creation, including freshly made pasta, and the options change up regularly. At just £15 they are a total steal too! You can order via DM on Instagram.

@StuzziLeeds

Heaney & Mill

Heaney & Mill have been pulling out all the stops when it comes to at home restaurant kits – with a weekly changing set menu, a Sunday roast offering, a deluxe dining menu and regular limited edition menus for occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and right now, St Patrick’s Day.

I haven’t yet tried a Heaney & Mill delivery myself but it’s certainly been popular across my Instagram and the quality looks incredible. Having done some research about the different kits available for delivery in Leeds, Heaney & Mill certainly has one of the best offerings and very reasonably priced too – plus they deliver to all of Leeds so you don’t need to worry about your proximity to the city centre.

I’ve dined at Heaney & Mill pre-lockdown and it was lovely, so I can only imagine their dine at home kits will be every bit as good.

https://www.heaneyandmill.com/shop

@heaneyandmill

Tattu 

Tattu has to be one of Leeds’ most iconic restaurants and I know many of us – myself included – have missed dining under those cherry blossoms this past year.

But now you can enjoy Tattu to you (cherry blossom not included)! The relatively new offering from Tattu delivers everything you need to enjoy their contemporary Chinese food at home, with boxes changing on a monthly basis.

The March offering includes a Tattu by the Sea box featuring the legendary lobster and prawn toast, black cod fillet and dessert, or their Caramel Soy Fillet Steak box including their popular caramel steaks (can attest this dish is amazing) plus everything you need to bring the Tattu flavours alive.

I’ll take both please!

https://store.tattu.co.uk/

@tatturestaurant

Ambiente Tapas 

Tapas is my favourite restaurant food, and I have missed it terribly over lockdown. Leeds is certainly not short of top tapas restaurants, and Ambiente down by The Calls has to be one of the best.

The restaurant is offering a great-value tapas at home experience offering a choice of 5 tapas, a sharing paella and a bottle of wine for just £50.

It’s billed as a family feast but I’m sure me and the OH would happily finish this between just the 2 of us!

https://www.ambiente-tapas.co.uk/dineathome

@ambientetapasleeds 

Yuzu

A newly launched dine at home box I have seen with raving reviews across Instagram this past week is You do YUZU, from Asian street food specialists YUZU.

The box features a bao, gyoza and a beer. It doesn’t look like the Leeds offering is fully live yet but definitely something to keep your eyes peeled for!

https://www.yuzustreetfood.com/

@yuzu_streetfood

Fish Friday at Oxo’s on the Mount, York

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After a year of living in York I thought I’d done it all – drunk at every last cocktail bar, browsed every last gift shop and dined at every last restaurant. But I recently discovered there was a whole other side of York I had never ventured out to.

For it turns out, around the west of the city centre heading out towards Holgate and South Bank there lies a whole array of hidden gems I had never visited before, namely the fabulous Mount Royale Hotel, nestled at the top of The Mount – about a 15 minute walk from the train station in the opposite direction than I would typically travel.

Luckily, I was recently invited along to try out the Fish Friday menu at the hotel’s restaurant Oxo’s on the Mount – seemingly an iconic choice with in-the-know locals.

Upon arrival at Oxo’s we were greeted by the wonderful maitre d’ Julian, who has been  at the restaurant for many years, and instantly made us feel at home.

The hotel and restaurant is a family run affair and is a mainstay in the York hospitality scene, having been run by the Oxtoby family for over 50 years. It’s even played host to many famous faces and Hollywood stars over the years.

As soon we sat down and browsed the menu we knew we were in for a treat. The selection changes up on a regular basis, with a few traditional dishes always available.

As a big seafood fan I could have eaten every dish!

After much deliberation we decided on our starters and mains:

-Crispy monkfish with parsley purée, roasted garlic mayonnaise, capers and buttered bread
-Curried mussels in a curry broth with spring onion, potato, coriander and bread
-Surf and turf of flat iron steak marinated in olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and king prawns served with chunky chips and salad
-Pan fried seabass fillet with a red pepper, chorizo, tomato and chickpea cassoulet served with buttered spinach

Yum!

Monkfish isn’t a fish which I have very often so I really appreciated the opportunity to sample this, and it was incredibly delicate with a lovely light batter coating.

Of course I tried some of the mussels too! Mussels are one of my favourite seafood dishes and the use of the curried broth was a very unique and tasty twist which we both fully enjoyed.

Next up, my steak was perfectly cooked and the highlight – as you would expect on Fish Friday – was the juicy king prawns.

I also sampled the seabass and cassoulet which was a delicious combination of flavours, with the chorizo complementing the seabass perfectly.

As well as hitting the spot taste wise, all of the dishes were also beautifully presented which I always find gives that extra special touch to a meal out.

After a short break we managed to find some more room for dessert, obviously!

I opted for my all-time favourite dessert crème brûlée, with a winter touch of nutmeg and glazed satsuma. My boyfriend was also pleased to find his favourite sticky toffee pudding on the menu, making for happy faces and happy tummies all round.

If you’re not as greedy as us, you can enjoy 2 courses on the Fish Friday menu for just £19.95pp, while at just £25.95pp for 3 courses those who do have a sweet tooth will also find this special Friday menu to be great value.

The setting, presentation and atmosphere – as well as the food of course – really is exceptional for the price.

Alongside the appetising food menu there is also an impressive drinks selection to choose from, and as Fish Friday is also Fizz Friday I of course started the meal with a prosecco, while my partner enjoyed a glass of York gin

I also finished off the meal with a cosmopolitan, which was one of the biggest cosmos I’ve ever had and incredibly tasty too

Once our food had settled we decided to head on to the charming bar area for a final nightcap.

Now, if you imagine what a cute and cosy British pub would look like, Oxo’s is it. It was just the perfect place to lounge by the fire with a Bailey’s as the winter season started setting in. With a roaring fire, plaid furnishings, books adorning the walls and tealights creating a perfectly ambient atmosphere, we couldn’t have asked for a better setting on a cold November’s night.

I really can’t believe I have only just now discovered Oxo’s and The Mount Royale Hotel, but it’s certainly better late than never, and it won’t be our last visit for sure!

Dinner at Ivy Leeds: Review

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Dinner at Ivy Leeds

Recently, I was lucky enough to complete the Yorkshire Ivy trifecta, with an invite to sample the menu at the elegant Ivy Leeds, in the City Centre’s Victoria Quarter.

The Ivy Victoria Quarter Leeds

Having previously dined at The Ivy York and The Ivy Harrogate, I was excited to see how the Leeds branch would compare, and it completely lived up to the high-class service, food and decor which I’ve come to expect at all Ivy restaurants, having had a wonderful experience each time.

Food Menu at the Ivy Leeds

The food menu at the Ivy Leeds is the same as that in both York and Harrogate, with a varied selection of classic dishes – such as pastas, chicken, steak, fish, burgers and more, served with an extra special je nai sai quoi.

To start I opted for the crispy duck salad, which was very unique featuring watermelon and cashew nuts, topped with delicious Chinese-inspired crispy duck pieces – yum yum!

Creme Brulee at Ivy Leeds
Dinner at Ivy Leeds

For main, I went for the fishcake sat atop a bed of mushy peas and completed with a perfectly runny poached egg on top. A good runny egg is always the marker of a top notch eatery in my eyes!

My friend also started with the duck salad, and chose the roast chicken for main, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Of course, we couldn’t resist ordering a mahoosive plate of courgette fries on the side too!

Dinner at Ivy Leeds
Look how perfectly runny that egg is!!

For dessert I went for my usual favourite Creme Brulee, while my friend chose the signature chocolate bomb which is not only a chocoholic’s dream, but is also a visual spectacle as the bomb melts when you pour over the hot sauce – definitely one for your Instagram!

Cocktail Menu at the Ivy Leeds

As well as the yummy food on offer, the Ivy is also known for its exciting cocktail menu, and if you’re enjoying a slap-up meal here it would be rude really not to have a cocktail.

Well, that’s what we told ourselves anyways as we both sipped our Ivy Royales – the restaurant’s unique take on the Chambord Royale, incorporating gin, vermouth and hibiscus & rosewater sloe juice.

Cocktails at Ivy Leeds

Other cocktails include a Candy Floss Fizz, a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini and the locally inspired Kirkstall Cosmo and Rounday Gardens.

The Extra Special Touches

Now, let’s be honest – The Ivy is not the cheapest restaurant you are going to find in Leeds, most definitely not. It is reasonably highly-priced, but the cost is not only reflective of the quality of the food but also the extra-special touches such as the attentive service which makes you feel like a proper VIP for the night, or the stunning floral and grand art deco interiors which create the perfect setting for a special occasion.

That is exactly what The Ivy offers, somewhere truly extra special to enjoy for a celebration or special treat. It is certainly somewhere I’ll be planning to take my friends and family when they come down to visit me in Leeds, though with a new Ivy restaurant now set to open in Glasgow they might even beat me to it.

Fine Dining at The Ivy York

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Ivy york tea

In recent years, the iconic London restaurant The Ivy, has been branching out across the UK, and luckily for us Yorkshire-based folk the county has seen a large portion of the new openings popping up right on our doorstep.

There is now an Ivy restaurant in York, Leeds and Harrogate.

Inside Ivy Harrogate
The Ivy Harrogate

Having previously visited the Ivy in Harrogate last summer, I was absolutely delighted to be invited along for dinner at the Ivy in York as part of the York Literature Festival, a few weeks ago.

Jill Dawson at the Ivy York

Set menu at Ivy York
The Language of Birds

As part of the York Lit Fest, the Ivy York hosted a fabulous night with author Jill Dawson, which included a 3-course meal alongside a Q&A with Jill and a reading from her latest book The Language of Birds.

If Im being honest, the offer of a 3-course meal was which first peaked my interest in the event, but the talk with Jill was truly fascinating too. She provided some very interesting insight into her writing processes and inspiration, and I’m now very much looking forward to getting stuck into her latest novel which is based on the scandalous Lord Lucan mystery – the perfect read if you’re always binging the latest crime docs on Netflix.

The Ivy York Restaurant

Private Dining Room at Ivy York
Private Dining Room at ivy York

Of course, the highlight of the night was the incredible setting of The Ivy and the top-quality food which was on offer.

As well as the Ivy’s menu, the restaurant is famed for its elaborate stylings, with floral decor, intricate  patterns and grand furnishings adorning the venue.

I’d previously visited the bar area of York’s Ivy, and this time I was thrilled to get a sneaky peek inside of the restaurant’s private dining room, where the event was held.

The private room would also be the perfect choice for any special birthdays or other celebrations, I’ve already added it to my list for any future party planning!

Food at the Ivy

Having previously dined at the Ivy in Harrogate, and being seriously impressed by the food I was very excited to sample more of the menu.

Tempura prawns at Ivy Harrogate
Crab linguine at Ivy Harrogate

Prior to my first visit to the Ivy I did worry whether the much-hyped restaurant would live up to expectations, and it actually exceeded them. On my first visit to the Ivy I had the tempura prawn starter and the crab linguine pasta, and can highly recommend both.

This time, we were served with a set menu which included some of the Ivy’s most classic dishes:

-Bang bang chicken to start

-Shepherd’s pie main

-Crème brûlée for dessert

Crème brûlée is my favourite dessert so I was already in my happy place as soon as I read the menu.

Bang bang Chicken at Ivy York
Bang bang chicken

Shepherd's pie at The Ivy York
Shepherd’s pie

Crème brûlée at Ivy York
Crème brûlée

The highlight of the meal for me though was the bang bang chicken starter, which is a dish I most likely wouldn’t have chosen myself but very much enjoyed. The shepherd’s pie was also delicious – totally hearty and comforting, just as you want from a traditional dish like this.

The other star of the show was the incredible homemade bread which we were served on the side, which was extremely soft and flavourful with just a small hint of salt to enhance the taste.

There is also an impressive cocktail menu – try the strawberry spritz – and the restaurant also serve their very own brand of beer.

Cocktails and beer at The Ivy
Cocktails and beer at The Ivy

If you’re considering dining at one of the Ivy’s new Yorkshire venues, I certainly recommend it for the food, the setting, and just that extra-special experience.

And make sure to keep your eyes peeled for any events too, for something a little bit different!

 

 

The 5 Best Cocktail Bars in York

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Cocktails at Stonegate Yard York

I lived in York for 365 days exactly, and in that time I drank more than 365 cocktails (that’s normal, right?). So if you’re looking for recommendations on the best places for cocktails in York, I’m here to help.

1.Bora Bora

Bora Bora York
Bora Bora is my top choice of cocktail bars in York

True to its name, Bora Bora feels like being in a tropical paradise come rain or shine. The heated outdoor courtyard is perfect in all seasons, there is a tasty selection of cocktails that are well priced too, and the 00s R&B tunes they play add to the sunshine vibes. My favourite place for a cocktail in York.

Bora Bora, 5 Swinegate Court East

2. Stonegate Yard

Cocktails at Stonegate Yard York
Stonegate Yard has a laidback atmosphere to suit all age groups

A very close contender for the top spot, and one of my go-to cocktail bars while living in York. Whenever I had friends or family visiting we would stop by Stonegate Yard for a cocktail. The atmosphere is relaxed and it appeals to people of all ages, making it a perfect choice if you’re out in a mixed age group. The unique setting is essentially an outdoor courtyard but with a roof – meaning you get all of the advantages of sitting outside without worrying about the rain. Lovely place by day or night.

Stonegate Yard, 8-10 Little Stonegate

3. Cut and Chase

Cocktails at Cut and Chase York
Not just a cocktail but a work of art at Cut and Chase

Cut and Chase opened while I lived in York and it wasn’t long before I stopped by. Not only serving cocktails, it is primarily a restaurant – I’ve also sampled their dinner menu and can attest that it is fabulous too. Their decadent cocktails are not only delicious but also a handcrafted work of art. A little pricier than some of the other bars in York but worth it for 1 or 2 extra special drinks.

Cut and Chase, 39 Goodramgate

4. Pitcher & Piano

Cocktails at Pitcher & Piano York
Night-time view of the river at Pitcher & Piano

Situated by the river, Pitcher & Piano is an idyllic spot for sipping a refreshing cocktail on a summer’s day. When the sun is shining it does get busy, and you need to get there early to nab a good table outside. It’s my preferred choice to its neighbouring Revolution (who do also do fab cocktails) but I find Pitcher & Piano to have a more reserved atmosphere. It’s not only for sunny days as the beautiful indoor area still offers a lovely view of the river which is particularly pretty by night. I remember one wonderful evening near Christmas when my Mum was visiting – we sat inside with a view to the sparkling lights outside, while traditional chilled Christmas songs played over the speaker.

Pitcher & Piano, Ebor Hall, Coney St

5. Bobo Lobo

Cocktails at Bobo Lobo York
Total tropical indulgence at Bobo Lobo

A popular choice for the weekends, when it opens the dancefloor at the back of the bar. The cocktails here are extravagant and tropical, served in pineapples and coconuts with lavish garnishings – perfect if you like your drinks Instagram-worthy.

Bobo Lobo, 5 Little Stonegate

These 5 bars are just my top choices of where to go for cocktails in York. I love a cocktail night in York as the city is filled with fabulous bars, and the best thing is they are all within easy walking distance of each other so you can try them all. If you’re planning a weekend away in York you’re sure to have a wonderful time.