![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZzPViSsinIg/Uh0PkwXkXoI/AAAAAAAAKZI/ArackinBd-M/s800/9557444272_a8de33f2f8_o.jpg)
Last week I was sent to Leeds with my work. All the folk I needed to see are based in the same office & it made sense to pop down to them rather than try to get them up to Glasgow or try to hold blocks of 2hr+ conversations on the phone.
I stayed in the Jury's Inn which was delightfully situated in Brewery Wharf (see above). The view from the hotel was a delight & the area had a pleasant ’eatery’ vibe about it. I would take Olwyn there ... and plan to. It's that nice. Not boutique-nice but still very nice indeed.
Prior to going ... I put an appeal out on Twitter for places to go for coffee, food & drink, and music.
![](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--TLq7RghxTY/Uh0PU7tphhI/AAAAAAAAKYY/ChtKeJSwVv0/s640/2013-08-27%252021.20.06.jpg)
First on my list was Laynes ... a fab wee independent coffee shop near the station. They served Square Mile’s ’red brick’ seasonal espresso blend that I simply adored. It's a very tasty blend of 3 beans and was delicious hot and cold.
![](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wufNIXtA3co/Uh0PWM8yaSI/AAAAAAAAKYk/07GIdSdq-0s/s640/2013-08-27%252021.19.54.jpg)
Next on the list was Jumbo Records ... an institution in Leeds with ’leftfield’ and ’electronica’ sections that I had trouble leaving. I picked up Low’s latest album there.
![200813_ Ebi Gyoza](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7416/9555095197_97950f45ce_o.jpg)
![200813_ Wagamama Ramen](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7378/9555102501_1393191bdc_o.jpg)
After visiting Jumbo then heading back to Jury’s to get changed ... Scott, my colleague and companion for a couple of days, and I headed out for food. With Scott being a vegetarian and me having a thing for noodles, we headed to Wagamama. Yes, there were probably more indie places to visit but we were hungry & nothing beats ramen. The food & the service was so good there that we went back on the Wednesday night ... and I returned on my own on the Thursday too.
![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mt7_rmCtT0s/Uh0PX434x-I/AAAAAAAAKYw/b7oMIaDBNwA/s640/2013-08-27%252021.20.46.jpg)
From Wagamama, we headed to Friends of Ham ... a small indie pub & charcuterie that had some amazing craft beers on tap. Their selection of ginger beer was less amazing but I was able to have one while Scott tried something from the States (I think). It was a delightful venue ... small & intimate ... the kind of place I'd take Olly.
![](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GE_F1KxYvPw/Uh0PdiyWLNI/AAAAAAAAKY8/JWmvp810uRU/s640/2013-08-27%252021.21.13.jpg)
The following day - Wednesday - we headed to Crash Records for a browse. Crash is another fab indie recordstore ... possibly less diverse in selection than Jumbo but still offering up some goodies. I picked up Brad's latest album in there on sale ... which was both a surprise & a pleasure.
![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-awT5O6O3QWI/Uh0PVhYdM7I/AAAAAAAAKYg/aBzBCXxLwl0/s640/2013-08-27%252021.20.23.jpg)
After getting changed at Jury's ... we headed back into town and went to The Reliance. A pub / restaurant that sold some interesting craft / micro beer on tap. They did ’shabby chic’ very well. I found The Reliance a warm, welcoming place with a real buzz ... and would have stayed longer if it wasn't for the fact their menu wasn't as appealing as Wagamama's.
![210813_ Gyoza](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5448/9563316177_cdc718c8d8_o.jpg)
![210813_ Prawn Firecracker](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3725/9563319369_ac3c054a65_o.jpg)
Wednesday's dinner, above ... and Thursday's dinner, below ...
![220813_ Summer Rolls](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3819/9572424578_ac073f6f85_o.jpg)
![220813_ Prawn Tom Sum](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2873/9572426920_ff3d663874_o.jpg)
On Thursday, after another evening meal in Wagamama ... I met up with Ed Rotheram and grabbed a couple of ginger beers in an interesting place - 1871 - a place that wasn't on my list. It had a fab interior with a number of vintage film posters on display along with old toys and the like. I was shocked to find out this pub was part of the Marriott Hotel in Leeds. It wasn't branded as such & I did feel a bit cheated somehow ... albeit their ginger beer was nice enough & the conversation with Ed was inspiring.
I loved Leeds and hope to go back ... its a fab city with lots available to do. I will be back.
Tx
No comments:
Post a Comment