Restaurants and stuff

Only if you look shifty.

 

Fair enough if it was me, but it was my dad and we had already booked and paid for 10 of us

 

Personally, I'd have been offended and it would have spoilt my day. After paying for 10 meals in advance they are presuming (& taking the piss) that you are still going to screw them, that's really bad customer service and I wouldn't go again.

Satdi night out in Bratfud OMG! The Venue Ivegate, a total shithole, never seen anything like it, big metal security barriers around the DJ area, WTF goes on in there? Stank like a sewer too. The Drum Winder was bizarre, it's new but could have been new in 1985.........and if you like smoking roll ups, drinking cheapest pints & and showing off your new grey/olive/brown Greenwoods anarok, this is the place for you. Bouncers all over the place. The tunnels were dead at 7, that's because most bars in there don't open till 7, WTF? In Leeds that place would be rammed from noon. Bear food place upstairs looked cool and had some regular/normal middle aged spenders in there, having tapas and drinking Fino & stuff, all Thackley like.

The Olde Crown. Don't know what to think, but think Pile Bar 1990. Fook me I honestly didn't know places like this existed nowadays, was a total eye opener for me, all it needed was tinsel stage curtains. They had a real singer on now and again, he was good but it was all "Build me up Buttercup" old time standards. This joint would be laughed out of Leeds centre but wow, it got busier and busier, by 11pm it was rammed, mostly with folk who looked like they'd arrived from straight from a Flock of Seagulls concert, it was a total throwback and giving Bratfud folk what they want, a good time. Tbh I enjoyed it.

 

That is totally unnecessary. If it was me, I wouldn't set foot in the place again and would tell them so.

 

This isn't a restaurant menu, but what I cooked for 10 of us for our annual New Year's Eve dinner. Quite pleased with this year's effort.

 

Some good gear there. The pethis are a Prashad favourite of mine.

 

Aside from grating fresh coconut which is a pain they are easy to make.

 

Just tried Streeteat in Baildon - next door to the laundrette.
Everything was lovely but the lamb and mint loaded fries were especially delicious.

 

New one on me. What kinda stuff?

 

https://foodhub.co.uk/ordernow/streeteat/baildon/4025590
it’s a takeaway but I think you can eat in the bar just a few metres away.

 

Ta.

 

El Gato Negro Leeds

Walked in lunchtime, quiet, nice room but nowhere near as nice as Iberica. Menu & prices same as (ish) Iberica, La Casita, Ambiente and others.........

We had Padron peppers to share and they were good, but hard to go wrong frying them & sprinkling sea salt on them, £5, not enough, maybe half as many as in the £1.10 portions from Sainsburys. Tradional tortilla with garlic, I don't like that, too stodgy, but Mrs Abbo said it was fine but again it was small for the cost, £6 I think. Patatas bravas to share, again small, same taste as everywhere. Aubergine with onions & summat for me, was ok.

4 beers and I think we spent about £45 on a snack really, we didn't particularly enjoy it, I expected something different but got a corporate chain feel, like in Ambiente, but the food is better and the portions larger there. We only ordered a small amount and waited far too long for it, nobody asked us anything, on paying, nobody asked if we'd enjoyed the meal, just nothing.

It's in a good spot with a ton of nightime monied footfall but still will have to do better than I saw and tasted as there are a ton of good visible options right outside that provide more "normal" belly filling food. It's only a few mins walk to Iberica where you feel as if you are somewhere really special, the Iberica bar at the rear is better too & usually, the staff are mostly Spanish, it all feels authentic, even if it isn't.

 

We went last night. Very nice indeed. I had the mutton main, which was really tasty. I think the swede and carrot mash side was the first time I've ever seen swede, which I love, on a restaurant menu. Other half had the veggie souffle, which she really enjoyed. Both had the creme brulé pud, which was not only gorgeous, but huge. Yum yum.
Very decent bottle of malbec for £23 was good value. I've been charged a lot more for a lot less. £55 quid each for three courses, wine, and a g&t beforehand was not bad at all for food of that standard.
Service was friendly and efficient. We had a long chat with the owner at the end of our meal. They've has some recent staffing issues but still managed to come up trumps. We will undoubtedly go back before too long.

 

Is this the place where the gym used to be?

 

Yes, it is. Easy half hour walk from Basildon.

 

I remain non-tempted by el Gato, but am in Manchester in a month for a gig, and tapas may be the best option so might have a go there.

I enjoyed La Casita in Ilkley recently. Good at what it does without trying to be any more.

 

Scoffing at The Crafty Indian in Shipley at some point next week.

 

What you walking on, the wings of an RAF typhoon?

 

Ha! Bloody autocorrect!
Drives me mad this does. Always wants to change Baildon to Basildon. Causes no end of confusion, especially as I was born in Orsett, just a few miles from Basildon.

 

We might try that in a couple of weeks. We are going to Ilkley Cinema the week after next for a late afternoon / early evening showing and could try it out afterwards.