Tag: Food

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

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!

 

 

7 best Scottish foods you won’t (commonly) find in England

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Haggis Eggs and Potato Scones

On a recent trip to Chester, I stumbled upon a delicious – and surprisingly Scottish – brunch spot, called Atina Kitchen. While the cafe’s name suggested a Mediterranean origin, the venue clearly had Scottish roots – with upcoming whisky tastings and Scottish food nights promoted on their event calendar. Most excitingly, was the Highlander breakfast – essentially a Haggis eggs Benedict – which I promptly ordered, along with a side of potato scones. Haggis eggs Benedict is something which I had never even seen in Scotland before, and potato scones are a Scottish breakfast staple which are hard to come by in England.

Haggis Eggs and Potato Scones
Stereotypical breakfast ordering – haggis for me, full English for him

After polishing off the entire plate I got to thinking about some of the other great Scottish foods which English folk are missing out on.

1) Spiced Onions

One drunken night shortly after moving to Yorkshire I found myself in an Indian restaurant looking for something to soak up the alcohol. My drunk food of choice was spiced onions and poppadoms. The waiter looked perplexed as I placed my order but headed off to put something together – when he handed over my takeaway box I was the one left perplexed as I looked down at the box of sliced onions with some dry spice on top. Disappointed I showed the onions to my boyfriend, he looked back at me asking what I was expecting. After a quick Google we came to find that spiced onions are in fact a Scottish Indian cuisine which haven’t made it across the border, where mango chutney reigns supreme. I also found this handy and easy recipe for making spiced onions at home, which I did the next week and introduced my boyfriend to the tasty Scottish Indian cuisine he’d been missing.

[Update:Lately I have been very excited to find spiced onions in some Indian restaurants around the Bradford area]

2) Empire Biscuits

Another food I had no idea was Scottish until a sad day in Yorkshire trying and failing to hunt them down. After a particularly gruelling morning at work I needed some sugar to perk me up through the afternoon. For no apparent reason, I had a craving for an empire biscuit – two biscuits sandwiched together with jam, topped with icing and a jelly tot. As I scanned the bakery aisle in Co-op I couldn’t find them anywhere, so I headed to the other Co-op (this was a small town overrun with Co-ops). Again, no luck. Then, after venturing around all three of the town’s bakeries with still not so much as a jelly tot in sight I had to admit defeat and realised the delicious empire biscuit was another Scottish treat.

3) Potato Scones

Potato scones are the highlight of a full Scottish breakfast – somewhat the equivalent of an English hash brown…only better! Now, unlike spiced onions and empire biscuits, when I moved to England I knew I would be leaving potato scones behind – and it wasn’t a decision which I took lightly. When I first set off to England, along with my clothes, new sofa and television, I packed a sufficient stock of potato scones. I hoard the potato scones in my freezer and whenever I’m visiting Scotland I bring back additional supplies. If I won’t be home for a while my Mum posts them to me. A fry up just isn’t a fry up without a potato scone (you can leave your beans, mushrooms and tomato thanks).

4) Macaroni Pies

The macaroni pie is exactly what you expect – a pie filled with creamy macaroni cheese. Macaroni pies hit the headlines a few years back when Greggs dramatically announced they would no longer be selling the Scots’ beloved pies. The nation was so outraged a petition was started, which even the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon supported. While Greggs no longer sells macaroni pies you can still find them in most other bakeries and supermarkets north of the border.

5) Square Sausage

Ok, so a lot of my favourite Scottish foods are breakfast-centric. While the English do a decent fry-up you’ve really not tasted a proper Sunday breakfast until you try a full Scottish. In Scotland rather than links sausages our fry ups tend to come with Lorne sausage, more colloquially known as ‘square sausage’…because it’s square. Why is it square? I don’t know. How else is it different? I don’t know. Why it is so much better? I don’t know, but trust me it is.

6) Morton’s Rolls

Whether you call them baps, butties, breadcakes or barms it doesn’t matter – there is no true English equivalent for that perfectly crispy Scottish Morton’s roll. The ideal base for holding a square sausage and potato scone.

7) Chippies

Of course we have chip shops all over the UK, and I’m sure the English seaside is one of the best places for high-quality fish, chips and mushy peas. But what I didn’t realise until introducing my boyfriend to a Glasgow chippy after a night of clubbing is that Scottish chippies offer a whole range of deep-fried delicacies you just don’t get in English chip shops – haggis supper, chicken supper, pizza crunch supper {that’s deep-fried pizza)…Scottish chippies are definitively better than English chippies – well at 3am after one too many gins anyway.

What’s your favourite regional food? Let me know in the comments below.