LongBlogs

Viva is by far my favourite Italian restaurant in Leeds. The restaurant itself is easy to miss, hidden away on Lower Briggate, just south of the city centre, the frontage of the restaurant reflects the whole experience, it's simple, warm and authentic. http://www.vivaitalianrestaurant.co.uk/ I've been here three times now, and so on arrival, Neil (the boyf) and I are greeted with a handshake. We hadn't reserved, so the waiter looked anxiously around for a table for us at peak time on a Friday. Luckily there was a table in the window (perfect for people-watching). The decor is traditional, the kind you might expect to find in a restaurant in a side-street in Rome or Venice. With a mismatch of paintings and photographs scattered carelessly across the walls. As soon as we were seated, we were given bruschetta with green and black olives, complimentary. I had duck pate to start, followed by a calzone (my dish of choice at any Italian restaurant), and had a lighter-t...

My boyf's favourite cookies, Speculoos. Originally from Denmark and traditionally eaten at Christmas, these popular biscuits have been popularised by hotels all over the continent. They're the kind that you'll find in little packets with your tea and coffee in any self-respecting hotel room. They're delicious and super-easy to make: 100g plain flour 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 50g soft muscovado sugar 1 tbsp milk 75g butter 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees 2. Bring all ingredients together and use hands to form a dough 3. Roll to .5cm thick 4. Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden brown.

This week I've been brunching at Roots and Fruits in Leeds. This vegetarian cafe is located in The Grand Arcade in Leeds city centre, and has been operating for over twenty years. The menu is plant-based, and is now predominantly vegan. With organic fair trade coffee and cruelty-free food, Roots and Fruits is definitely worth a visit. https://twitter.com/RootsandFruitss/status/960604182330953728 The decor, admittedly, is a little tired (it could do with a lick of paint), but the staff were friendly, the place was packed, and the food was delicious (you can check out their menu here ). I had the homemade humous on ciabatta, which, although quite garlic-heavy, tasted lovely. Because it's so popular, the café seems to have squeezed in as many tables as is physically possible, so be prepared to tuck your chair in every couple of minutes to let people pass, and try not to get upset if your foot / backpack / significant other is trodden on as people enter or leave.

This week I've been hanging out at Leeds' new Kitty Cafe, home to twenty rescue cats, funky decor and good food. We booked months ago, and it's booked up now over weekends for the foreseeable future, but worth the wait. Entry fee is £6 per person, which covers the welfare of the resident felines, and you're given an hour's time slot to relax and explore the cafe, which has been converted into a feline paradise with toys and climbing frames to keep them engaged. The staff were professional and super-friendly. Only a couple of negatives. Firstly, the coffee wasn't great. I like a strong and flavourful coffee, and Kitty Cafe's coffee was weak and tepid, a bit like coffee-flavoured water, I'd be surprised if it wasn't instant. Secondly, and I sort of get this one as a marketing concept, but with the cafe's big open-fronted windows, the place becomes a bit of a fish-bowl, with people glaring in while you're eating your lunch, which is a lit...