Category Archives: Eating Out

Eating Out: The Brown Cow, Bingley

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Being someone who regularly eats out (albeit a bit too frequently) and lives in a city that just gets better and better when it comes to restaurants, I’m a little disappointed in myself at how few restaurant reviews are on here. To be honest, the main barrier for me is a strong case of “behind-the-camera shy.” I can’t help but cringe getting my DSLR camera out and snapping my food before tucking in. I feel slightly less conspicuous using my phone’s camera but usually end up feeling the photos aren’t high enough quality and scrapping the review.

It’s been a bit of a relief to discuss this with other bloggers lately and discover I’m not the only one who worries about this kind of thing. The best advice I’ve had from everyone, of course, has been to just do it! Well, it makes a lot of sense so I have been endeavouring to brave getting my camera out in restaurants more often and, though there have still been too many missed opportunities where I haven’t taken any photos, I am slowly building up a to-blog list… which brings us onto a gorgeous pub lunch I want to share with you all now.

The Brown Cow, BingleyThe Brown Cow Pub, BingleyTo blow out the cobwebs and enjoy some country air, a few weeks ago I went out to the beautiful St Ives estate in Bingley for a long Saturday morning walk. It already felt like I’d achieved something great just being up and out of Leeds so bright and early but the walk itself was fantastic with gorgeous views and wonderful company and a chance to get my camera out.

The Brown Cow Pub menuThe walk around St Ives came to an end, somewhat conveniently, at back in Bingley town. We were warmly welcomed in and got down to the business of perusing the menu. With five veggie options on the menu and one more on the daily specials board, it was a tough choice but I opted for the bubble & squeak cakes with watercress sauce. Bubble & squeak isn’t something you would expect to see on a pub menu so I was intrigued to see what they would do with it.Bubble & Squeak at the Brown Cow, BingleyAs you can see, the bubble & squeak cakes arrived beautifully presented with the watercress sauce in a milk bottle. It couldn’t have been any more photogenic, right? The cakes themselves were encased in crunchy breadcrumbs that contrasted delightfully with the soft potato and cabbage inside and accompanied with roasted cherry tomatoes.

Bubble & Squeak at the Brown Cow, BingleyEveryone else was suitably impressed with their mains and the other two veggie dishes on the table; the mushroom risotto and the goat’s cheese and beetroot tart looked equally delicious. Even as more standard veggie dishes you would expect to see on a menu they both had extra flourishes that showed more thought had gone into them than usual.

After we had all taken a little time for our mains to settle, some more time to choose our desserts (also not an easy choice…), and lots of time for conversation, we ordered our next course. I opted for the treacle tart served with fresh cream and raspberry coulis. Once again, the presentation was stunning with coulis arriving in its own tiny jar. In fact the presentation was gorgeous for all of our desserts so I’ll give you a peek at some of the others too, namely the chocolate fudge cake and jam roly poly!Desserts at the Brown Cow, BingleyOverall, I was very impressed with the quality of the food and the reasonable prices. The atmosphere and décor was very much of a country pub but the food was a step above! I’ll definitely return next time I’m in the area!

You can find out more about the pre-lunch walking route I did in Bingley on the Walk in Yorkshire website and see my photos of the walk itself featured on the Turtle Mat blog.

How do you feel about taking photos in restaurants? Any tips for getting over the fear?!

Sicily Diary: Palermitan Street Food | StrEat Palermo Tour

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Walking is always my preferred method of exploring and getting to know a city for the first time. Taking a walking tour is usually a fantastic introduction; giving you insights into different parts of town, interesting anecdotal tales of history and, more often than not, straying off the more well-trodden routes. It’s no wonder then that, just before heading off to Sicily recently, I was doubly excited to hear via Twitter about StrEat Palermo Tour: a walking tour around Palermo that combines the above with a foodie twist.

Rated in the top five cities for street food, Palermo is a place to indulge and a walking tour all about food seemed the perfect way to legitimately stuff our faces learn more about the city’s street food culture.StrEat Palermo Tour GuideThe StrEat Palermo Tour kicks off at 10:30 from Piazza Verdi in front of the Massimo Theatre (recognisable from the closing scenes of The Godfather III I hear – I’ve been having a bit of a Godfather marathon since getting back but haven’t made it that far yet!) and the first stop is the nearby market. Before setting off, our guide Marco were presented us with our ‘Passaporto del Mangione’ or ‘Foodie’s Passport’ to prove that we were tasting everything along the way.

Snaking off the main square, the market winds its way through narrow medieval streets lined with vendors selling the freshest of fresh ingredients. Much to my delight, I spotted various vegetables I’d never seen before such as the beautiful round Tunisian aubergine and cucuzza, the near-metre long Sicilian courgette.2 StrEat Palermo - Fruit Markets 3 StrEat Palermo - Vegetable Markets 4 StrEat Palermo - Produce MarketsOur first stop, in the heart of the market, was for an array of fried goodies: Cazzilli (mashed potato croquettes with parsley and mint), Arancina (fried risotto balls with saffron and cheese – made without ham for a veggie version) and Panelle (thin chickpea fritters). Whilst our food cooked we all dipped into a nearby church to take a look around. Almost certainly one of the most impressive churches that I saw in Sicily (look out for photos coming soon!) and one we would have never spotted for ourselves, Marco also gave us some fascinating insights into Palermitans’ beliefs and their love of Santa Rosalia – whether for religious reasons or just for the hope she will support them in football…!5 StrEat Palermo Tour 6 StrEat Palermo - Stop 1 text 7 StrEat Palermo TourThe next stop was at a cart serving fresh Sfinciuni. This Palermitan soft pizza has a thick soft, almost spongy base soaked with tomato then topped with oregano and (optional) chilli. The bread is fired within the cart itself giving it crisp edges that perfectly complement the fluffy interior.8 StrEat Palermo - Stop 2 textWinding further through the markets, next on the list was a more alcoholic pit-stop: Sicilian sweet wines Sangue Siciliana (which translates as “Sicilian Blood” but is thankfully less gory than that sounds!) and the lighter Zibibbo. Both were sweet and warming, though not necessarily something I could drink in any great quantity. The establishment itself was a small bar run by a lively and very entertaining group of gentlemen. The longer stop also offered some welcome respite from the midday heat, leaving us all refreshed for what lay ahead…9 StrEat Palermo - Stop 3 text 10 StrEat Palermo TourMoving on, we got back onto the street and made our way through some interesting alleyways and squares with the odd bit of street art here and there – an area that comes to life later in the night. Our next stop had been anticipated with mixed feelings. Or it had for the rest of the group as the delicacy there was Pane ca’ Meusa…a lung and spleen sandwich. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to completely skip out on trying anything new and was presented with a much more palatable sandwich filled with slices of fried aubergine. The spleen (I’ve saved you all from any photos of it) surprisingly received rather positive reviews from the group but I was satisfied with my veggie alternative!StrEat Palermo Tour Aubergine SandwichFinally, after a tiring morning of walking and eating (such hard work!) it was time for lunch (yes, more food!) We already had the impression that Marco had carefully selected each of the street food stops, and lunch confirmed this. Tucked away and definitely somewhere we would never have known about otherwise, lunch took place in a beautiful high-ceilinged hall where we were served chilled wine, tasty Sicilian Caponata (slow cooked aubergine, tomatoes, olives, and celery), and an array of cheeses. A standout for me had to be the pistachio cheese; the Sicilian inclination to add pistachio to almost anything is fine by me!11 StrEat Palermo - Stop 5 textAs if we weren’t full enough by now, there was of course just enough room left for dessert. Also hidden away from the main hustle and bustle, the bakery we visited serves freshly filled Cannoli. A Sicilian classic, Cannoli is a tube of crispy pastry filled with sweet, creamy ricotta cheese. The contrast between the two textures and flavours is heavenly. We all opted for the large ones and didn’t regret it. The store also boasted a giant Cannoli tube which led to some speculation on how anyone would go about eating it…?12 StrEat Palermo - Stop 6 text13 StrEat Palermo Tour (36)Sufficiently full and then some, we ended for the day four and a half hours later with a trip into and up to the top of Palermo Cathedral. Worth it for the views, climbing all of the stairs up also made us feel a little less guilty about eating quite so much!

As we progressed throughout the day, we gained stamps in our Foodie Passport to prove we really had tried it all. This was a very nice touch and made it much easier to remember the names of everything we ate. We did manage to forget our last stamp though; I could have got away with claiming we skipped dessert but then I wouldn’t have been able to tell you how amazing it was!15 StrEat Palermo - Passport textOverall, the day was an absolute pleasure. I hope I’ve given you all a glimpse here but without giving everything away as I would urge you to take the tour if you are ever visiting Sicily. Both my boyfriend and I loved the day (he even seemed to enjoy the spleen…). The food was incredible and Marco was friendly, entertaining and knowledgeable; everything we could have asked for in a guide!

For me, the tour was ideal to find out what street food is veggie early in the trip and made me feel much more comfortable ordering these dishes again. I’d never thought before to specifically search for food walking tours before but this is going to be top of my agenda for future trips!

You can find out more about StrEat Palermo on their website or connect via .

*I was a guest on the tour for the purposes of this review, but it was truly a highlight of my time in Sicily :)

Pane ca’ Meusa (lung/spleen sandwich)

Pane ca’ Meusa (lung/spleen sandwich)

Pane ca’ Meusa (lung/spleen sandwich)

Loving Hut Vegan Restaurant, Archway London

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Loving Hut is a rare breed in that it is part of an international franchise of vegan restaurants boasting over two hundred outlets worldwide. My friend Debbie and I have visited Loving Hut restaurants together in South Korea, Hong Kong and Poland, so it only seemed right that we finally visit one in the UK.

Loving Hut has a few restaurants across London, as well as in Norwich and Brighton. We headed to the one in Archway – located only a minute’s walk from the Archway tube station on the Northern Line. We had called ahead to book, and were glad we had as the place quickly filled up not long after we arrived.Loving Hut, Archway LondonLoving Hut The restaurant is bright and airy (not necessarily obvious with these photos taken on my phone!), with yellow and white decor and immaculately clean. These are definitely some of the distinguishing features that make Loving Hut restaurants instantly recognisable, alongside the veggie “wall of fame” celebrating famous vegans.Veggie Hall of Fame

As with other Loving Hut’s I’ve visited, the menu largely comprised of various Asian cuisines with a creative use of mock meats. In order to try as many dishes as possible (naturally), my friend and I chose the set menu A: a platter of appetisers to begin followed by two main course dishes, a portion of stir-fried vegetables and chow mein noodles. Set menu B included a course of mock “duck” which, though we would have loved to try, we thought might have been pushing our stomachs to the limit. Loving Huts are all alcohol-free so I accompanied my food with a ginger beer.

Prior to the starter, a serving of “prawn” crackers arrived; a nice touch given that in non-veg Chinese restaurants you’d have to skip them. They were tasty and crisp, but not undesirably fishy. The starter platter arrived next comprising of barbecued veggie “spare ribs”, spring rolls, crispy seaweed, sesame on toast, and samosas, all accompanied by a sweet chilli dip. I couldn’t fault anything but the veggie spare ribs definitely stood out. The “ribs” were a piece of marinated soy meat skewered onto a small piece of wood – the stick itself wasn’t edible but it added an extra dimension to eating the soy meat.Loving Hut Starter Platter Vegan Spare Ribs

For the main course, we had a couple of options and chose the veggie “lamb” in black bean sauce and Kung Po “chicken” alongside the vegetables and noodles. Now I’m pretty sure we actually ended up with sweet and sour in place of the Kung Po, however, we didn’t really mind. As it tasted so good there seemed little point in sending it back, as much as I was looking forward to the Kung Po. That aside, all of the dishes were full of flavour and cooked to perfection. Loving Hut Main Course Vegan Sweet & Sour ChickenVeggie LambStir Fry VegLoving Hut Vegan Chow Mein Though we were stuffed full, it seemed wrong not to try at least one dessert so we shared a portion of lemon vegan cheesecake. This arrived topped with blackcurrants and raspberry coulis. I’m not completely sure what it was made from but the texture was divine. It definitely ranks as one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever had. A big claim I know! All in all, the food was flawless and the service was good but unobtrusive.Vegan Lemon Cheesecake at Loving Hut

You can find more info on Loving Hut in the UK here and internationally here. I’d definitely recommend checking out the latter one if you’re travelling and looking for vegan options!

Have you ever visited a Loving Hut restaurant? Share your experience below!

Iceland Diary: Vegetarian Reykjavik

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When anyone mentions Icelandic food, it tends to read something like a vegetarian’s worst nightmare: fermented shark, singed sheep’s head, grated puffin, minke whale… Luckily, like most places, wild meat options are only a fraction of the story.

For such a small city, Reykjavik has decent selection of eateries across a range of cuisines. The more out-there dishes like those mentioned above tend to be more aimed at tourists looking for an “authentic” experience, than locals eating what they would usually eat. You can find various Asian cuisines, Italian places, myriad cafés, and even a few dedicated vegetarian restaurants in Reykjavik.

Eating out in Reykjavik is not a cheap affair though. We bought a few supplies from the supermarket to make our own breakfasts each day and sandwiches to take along on our Golden Circle trip which dramatically cut down the cost we would have otherwise incurred. That said, for me, dining is an integral part of any trip so here are my veg-friendly recommendations for Reykjavik:

The Laundromat CaféInside the Laundromat Café 1The Laundromat Café was an accidental find but not to be missed. They have a varied menu with a few solid veggie and vegan options. I went for the ‘vegan toast’ accompanied by salad and potato wedges (you could skip the chips in favour of more salad if you were so inclined). The vegan toast comprised of crusty bread topped with houmous, grilled aubergine, and an absolutely incredible chutney made from dates sprinkled with cashew nuts, at a reasonable 1390ISK. There was also a good beer selection including local beers and I loved the decor. Vegan Toast at the Laundromat Local Beers at the Laundromat

GlóGló RestaurantGló is an almost vegetarian restaurant with an emphasis on healthy eating. Every day they have a fresh menu boasting one vegetarian dish, one raw vegan dish, one chicken option and a soup of the day, in conjunction with an accompanying salad bar. You order at the counter and can choose up to three salads to go with your main. On my visit the options were aubergine parmigiana or raw pizza (or mango chicken, if you’re interested).

Gló seems a very popular option with Reykjavik locals and it’s not hard to see why. They publish their menu everyday on their Facebook page if you wanted to check in advance, but only in Icelandic I’m afraid. The main courses here check in at around ISK. Gló Parmigiana Gló drinks

EldsmidjanEldsmidjan PizzeriaEldsmidjan is a long-standing institution in Reykjavik. Offering reasonably priced, freshly stone-baked pizzas and refillable soft drinks, you really can’t go wrong here. The interior is fairly basic and the service is to the point, but they have some nice touches such as chilli flakes and herbs to top your pizza as you wish.

A large margarita pizza costs 1895ISK and a refillable drink is 295ISK. We found a large pizza ample enough to share between to, as an ideal lunch after more than a couple of beers the night before.EldsmidjanPizzaEldsmidjan Toppings

Laekjarbrekka

LaekjarbrekkaLaekjarbrekka is set in an old house that dates back to 1834. Beautifully restored with an atmosphere evocative of times past, the restaurant serves traditional Icelandic food and has earnt itself a sterling reputation. Crucially, unlike any other Icelandic restaurants I spotted, Laekjarbrekka does have a couple of vegetarian options.

I opted for the Icelandic Barley – a smokey dish with tomato concasse, haricot vert and dill snow. Both the presentation and the flavours were remarkable (the picture was quickly snapped and my camera hurried away as it is quite a formal restaurant!) It was a definite splurge, with my dish coming in at 3600ISK and non-veggie options largely between the mark.

I do have to admit that I had been hesitant about eating somewhere that served whale (even if neither of us were ordering it) but I also didn’t want to force us into avoiding Icelandic food altogether, so for a traditional Icelandic restaurant this did have great veg options. Laekjarbrekka BarleyLaekjarbrekka Wine

This is just the small selection of places I experienced in Reykjavik and I’m sure there are plenty more.

Have you eaten veggie in Reykjavik? Share your experiences below!

More in my Iceland Diary:

Iceland Diary

Ways to Explore Reykjavik

Reykjavik’s Street Art

The Golden Circle

The Blue Lagoon

Eating Out: Handmade Burger, White Rose Leeds

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Some days, every now and then, all you want is to be indulgent and wolf down a satisfying burger. Today was one of those days.Handmade Burger at White RoseI first visited Handmade Burger early last year in Wakefield – in fact my sister and I made the journey over especially to visit the restaurant there as she loved it and wanted me to try it. We were then delighted when one opened in Leeds, but I have to say I haven’t been as much as I thought I would because it can be such a hassle getting into the city centre just to eat (and there are so many amazing places out of town). Well, as if to answer my prayers, a brand new Handmade Burger opened up at the White Rose Centre, about fifteen minutes out of central Leeds, only a couple of days ago.

Handmade Burger is a small chain that began in Birmingham and has since grown to nineteen restaurants across the country. Priding themselves on only using traceable, fresh ingredients, they have an imaginative menu that regularly changes. Far from the token veggie burger you find on a lot of menus, the menu here boasts an impressive seven – including one vegan burger (the chickpea & quinoa – yum!). I always appreciate a restaurant where the veggie dishes have taken as much thought as the rest of the menu, and think this makes Handmade Burger a really good option for dining out with meat-eaters.Handmade Burger MenuHandmade Burger There were no queues when we arrived (there was as we left) so we were seated very quickly before ordering at the counter. The food took around twenty-five minutes to arrive but we figured it was only their first weekend since opening so I’m sure it will speed up a bit. On this particular visit I opted for the three cheese & baby leek burger with no mayo. The outside of the burger was very crisp (only an ear away from being burnt but still on the right side), perfectly complementing the moist slightly gooey inside. It is served with an apple and sultana chutney, adding a slight sweetness. The bun was soft with fresh tomato, lettuce and red onion to round things off. My boyfriend, the non-veggie around here, ordered the peppered burger. He said it was excellent but not really peppery enough to warrant its title.Handmade Burger - Three Cheese & Leek BurgerOn the side we went for peri peri chip with a chipotle dip to share. The portions of chips are pretty huge so I definitely recommend sharing. Thick-cut and almost like (less greasy) chip shop chips, they were covered in an amazing “fresh” peri peri seasoning – rather than a ground powder, this was chilli flakes, herbs and black pepper. The chipotle dip had that trademark smokey flavour but was very fresh tasting and balances out the spice perfectly. This was all rounded up nicely with bottomless drinks – I did say we were going for indulgence! Handmade Burger - Peri Peri ChipsHandmade Burger - Peri Peri Chips SeasoningThe food, sides and drinks came to just shy of £25 for the two of us, which isn’t too bad given the quality. I’ll definitely be back to try out the other new vegetarian options!

Where is your favourite place when you fancy a burger?