The Pryordurkins

Posts Tagged ‘leeds’

With two colleagues, I dined in the Brasserie of the new Malmaison Hotel on Station Road, Reading.  I arrived in the main entrance hall around 8pm and the reception desk was busy with guests checking in.  Mailmaison is a luxury boutique hotel brand and they seemed to have done a good job in transforming the Great Western House opposite Reading Railway station.  As with their hotel in Newcastle and Leeds, this hotel is stylish but in my opinion anything but contemporary.  It is in fact very dark and although there were lots of lights both in the ceilings and on tables, it is actually quite difficult to see what you are doing.  Your eyes do adjust after a while, but you never lose that urge to shout “turn the lights up”.

I met my colleagues in the bar and we sat at a small table for a while hoping to get table service.  It didn’t arrive, so we made our way to the bar itself where we were ignored for about five minutes albeit in a very stylish way, by the manager.  A young girl did eventually acknowledge our existence and served us a round of drinks.  Unlike our fellow guests sat at tables and along the other side of the bar, we were not offered up any nibbles until we asked for some five minutes later.

It was soon time to take our table in the Brasserie.  Unfortunately we entered to find it had not been laid out and we were asked to wait another 15 minutes while they dressed it.  I was getting a little grumpy by this point.  Especially given I hadn’t eaten all day, had one glass of wine down in my tummy it was fast approaching my bed time ( not a great combination, Paul will tell you!).

When we did eventually get shown to our table it was, like the rest of the hotel, dimly lit, making it almost impossible to read the menus.  I was also disappointed that I had to hang my own coat up on the nearby stand.  I was beginning to wonder what luxury stood for on this hotel’s website.

After sitting a while we ordered up our food and then waited.  We waited a little more and then eventually were offered up some warm breads before our starters arrived.

My starter of Mutton Barley Broth (£4.50) was however excellent.  It was just like my mum used to make during the cold winters in the North East and a very welcome treat.  In my mind Malmaison was now clawing its way back up the old pryordurkin scale.  However my main course of Steak Frites (£15.95 – essentially frying steak with fries) was not as good.  The steak was a little tough and I had expected it, in a hotel like this, to be served with home cooked chips, not the type of fries you get in Macdonalds.

Anyway, the company was good and by 10.30pm I needed to get back to my hotel so I left without paying (although I did agree to settle up with my colleague the next day as he was putting it on his room bill).

In summary, I will probably be back given this hotel is on my company’s preferred list, but next time, I will take a very big torch and not wait as long to be acknowledged at the bar.

Pryordurkin rating.  3 stars.    Tel: 0118 956 2300

This was a return trip for Sunday Lunch to Hazlewood Castle which lies just off the A64 in between York and Leeds.  This time we were joined by my brother and sister in-law and the kids.  The first time we dined here was great.  With good service, good food and good surroundings we were looking forward to another treat.

One of the measures we look for when reviewing places is consistency.  Unfortunately on this occasion, the food and service were not quite as good as before.  We had telephoned ahead to book a table for 12noon and on arrival were shown straight to our table.  No option of an aperitif in the bar beforehand.  The restaurant manager did not even offer to take our coats, so we found ourselves hanging them over the back of the chairs and I had to put my hat on the FLOOR!.

We ordered up our food and having seen bar menus in use last time, I mentioned there may be a simpler option for the kids to enjoy.  However this time, the waiter never gave any option for the kids to order from the bar menu and they had to make do with a kids tailored version of Sunday Lunch. Our drinks soon arrived and after a little wait were closely followed by starters which were nicely presented and very good.  After the plates were cleared we then had what seemed like a long wait for the mains to come out.  When they did, my beef was tuff and on the small size, as compared to last time.  The Yorkshire pudding, which was so good last time, was hard and brittle this time around.  The kids, who love Yorkshire puddings both seemed disappointed.  The vegetables were cooked to perfection though. Desserts followed and these were very good indeed.

Overall as mentioned earlier, this visit was let down by the service and the quality of the main course.  The restaurant manager made you feel as though you were a bit of an annoyance really and certainly not warmly welcomed, which was a pity as the Castle itself, the grounds that surround it were all great.  She seemed to take particular umbridge at being called over to take an extra order of drinks!

Pryordurkin rating 3 Stars. (dropped 1 star since our last visit in January) Tel: 01937 535353

It was spring-like and after a short stroll through the grounds of RHS Harlow Carr we headed off into Harrogate to explore and find a little bistro for lunch. We eventually came across Van Zeller Restaurant on Montpellier Street, a little restaurant that we liked the look of, even though we could not clearly read the menu since the window was steamed up. As it turned out, this place had only officially been open since Fri 13th Feb 09. The owner and chef is Tom van Zeller and according to the advertising is the only chef in Harrogate to have been awarded 2AA rosettes, whilst head chef at the Hotel du Vin, Harrogate. With backing from David Moore (one of the inspectors from BBC2’s The Restaurant) Van Zeller’s is aiming to be the premier dining destination in and around Harrogate.

It had just gone 2.15pm  but the chef was still prepared to accept two more covers. The restaurant is on the small side, which makes listening to fellow diners extremely easy, but was smart and stylish. One table was screened off from the till, and when the couple seated at this table were being served one person was served and then the waiter would run around the screen and the till and then serve the other half of the table. They did make the comment that they felt hemmed in. This place is certainly bijou. We were readily seated, our coats taken, and were glad to note the linen napkins. Two menu options were available, the ‘Du Jour’ which consisted of two courses and a free glass of wine, for the bargain price of £14.95, and the A La Carte menu. We both opted for the A La Carte menu. Michael opted for the game terrine and then the lamb confit with leeks and potatoes, I opted for the salmon balotine to be followed by the lamb too.A little sliver of butter (that was sitting in a little puddle of water) was put on the table but we were half way through the starters before we eventually managed to ask whether we could have some bread to go with the butter. Additionally,  whilst we were told about the free wine, the front of house weren’t so keen in promoting the drinks that we had to pay for and we had to ask for a drinks menu. The drinks menus were given to Michael to browse and one menu promptly dropped one of the fastenings into his terrine. Instead of replacing the starter (or at least removing the fastening in the kitchen) Michael was asked to pick the fastening out of the terrine and hand it over! Michael chose a glass of Shiraz that he said was very nice but looking at the bill when we got home we were charged for 2 Erdinger beers instead (another loss in profit). Michael thought the terrine was ok but had tasted better recently, and the centre of my salmon balotine had ice crystals in it. Not the best of starts. The mains were acceptable but not overly outstanding. Being a cheesecake aficionado, Michael ordered the rhubarb and lime cheesecake but said the two flavours clashed, I opted for the apple tarte tatin but the caramel had been burnt and left a bitter aftertaste. Two double espressos were ordered but they did not come with any cantucci or the like and I could still taste the burnt caramel even after the coffee but I could not find any mint imperials.

Whilst Van Zeller’s is hoping to become the premier dining destination in and around Harrogate,  the front of house need to pull their socks up, they weren’t even half full, and more attention needs to be paid to the food being served ie not to send out frozen or burnt food. Whilst we wish a new business to succeed we don’t feel that Van Zeller’s has yet achieved the standards that they are clearly hoping to attain. The chef Tom Van Zeller did apologise for the frozen salmon though.

Pryordurkin rating: 3 stars.  (We will go back though to see if our experience was just early opening snags)

Telephone 01423 508762

The weekend winds down as I write.  We were joined by Steve and Russell on Friday and have enjoyed showing them the sites and sounds of Yorkshire until they left after Sunday Lunch today.  Saturday consisted of a late start (following a little too much vino the night before) with us heading into York and Leeds for a spot of shopping.  Harvey Nichols was on particularly good form with lots of eye candy and new clothing alike. A good few quid later, we stopped for Lunch at their Espresso Cafe Bar in the Victoria Quarter.

Saturday evening had us join the Ghost Hunt of York.  We arrived by taxi to join a crowd of tourists all eagerly waiting for the tour to start in the Shambles at 7.30.  Dressed as I was (see left), quite a few of them thought I was the act!  A little girl asking if I was going to be scary?  Me!

The hunt itself was really good fun and the near 100 people who followed the story and humour around the back alleys of York all seemed to have a good time.  We rounded the evening off with a late dinner at a favourite local Italian restaurant before grabbing a taxi back home.  Sunday has been all together more sedentary affair with me cooking a traditional Sunday Lunch with Yorkshire Puddings.  All in all, a very nice relaxing and fun weekend.  Check out the pictures in the Photo Gallery!

The moon, stars and planets must all be aligned at the moment, because the effects of combining a Pryor and a Durkin are truly kicking in today.  The morning started with me asking when I woke up; “Why does the clock say 5.40am?”, followed by, “Why didn’t the alarm go off?”.  We had set the alarm for 4.30am because Paul needed to catch the 6am train from York to get to Heathrow for his flight to Switzerland.  I won’t repeat what Paul said, when I repeated (and this time he heard me say) “Why does the clock say 5.40am?”

Having accepted the 6am train was no longer an option, we checked the train timetable and realised that with a bit of luck the 7am train would still get Paul to Heathrow in time for his flight.  So we got ready and headed to the station after a spot of breakfast.

Having bought the tickets at the station, the lady then kindly pointed out that there were service restrictions today and the train that normally takes two hours to get to London, would take three hours as it was going via Leeds.  She added for good measure that the 6am train was not affected and had run on time! I pointed out to her that she was not helping our mood.

Paul’s face sank. He would miss his flight.  We um-med and arr-ed a bit and then realised the only way was for me to drive him to Heathrow.  Thankfully the roads were quiet and I dropped Paul off at the new Terminal 5 just after 10am, turning round to drive straight back home again.

Paul caught his flight and had landed in Switzerland before I was anywhere near home.  The traffic coming back was horredous with holdups being caused by the repairs to the carriageway at the spot where we saw a car veer of the road and into the barriers, on our way down!  (the other side we might add!)

The lady at Peter Maturi in Leeds, certainly answered the questions we asked with confidence.  The Jura Impressa F70 after a little haggling was ours and we left the store happy.  Getting it home, the set up was fairly straight forward and having read the instructions to the letter, our first home made frothy coffee was a reality.  Sturdy, simple to use, yet capable of handling a variety of different settings to suit taste, this machine has certainly proved to be the best we have ever bought.  Time will tell of course, when the novelty wears off, but for the moment, we are really impressed with the results.  We especially like not having to fiddle about loading coffee granules; this one having its own built in grinder that delivers freshly ground coffee with each cup.  Lattes, Espressos, Cappuccino.  All simple to make at the press of a button.  It even comes with a built in timer, so you can set it to wake up, warm and be ready to serve before you get out of bed on a morning.  Not the cheapest on the market, but we think one of the best.

While pondering a major purchase, Dusty and I took a break in the Espresso Bar at Harvey Nichols in Leeds.  We had to wait about 5 minutes to get a table because it was so busy, but with lots of eye candy on show and walking by, this was not a problem.  The maitre’d showed us to our small square table where we would have a great view of the talent that are Leeds men strolling up and down the Victoria Quarter Arcade. For a moment we were nearly tempted by the afternoon tea for two.  At forty pounds though, this might have been a tad indulgent for what was otherwise a short break, so opted for the salt beef sandwiches with sweet mustard, along with a latte for my old self and a fresh orange juice for dusty.  The service is impeccable, the staff smartly dressed and efficient.  When you visit, make sure you look up at the ceiling in the arcade.  It is a beautiful thing and Leeds have certainly done themselves proud with the restoration of the whole Briggate area over the last few years.  Our food arrived and went down a treat.  Tasty, good quality and nicely presented with a side of crisps. The only problem we had, while discussing the potential major purchase, was the neck ache we were at risk of bringing on.  If you visit and like us, like a bit of people watching, you will see what we mean!

Rating: 4 Stars.

Espresso Bar on Ground Floor
Tel: 0113 204 8000
Fax: 0113 204 8080

Opening times

Mon – Wed: 10am – 6pm
Thurs: 10am – 8pm
Fri: 10am – 7pm
Sat: 9am – 7pm
Sun: 11am – 5pm

The last couple of weeks had been quite busy so we were looking forward to a quiet weekend. Saturday had us venturing into Halifax in West Yorkshire, where Paul was on the hunt for a particular plant at Dove Cottage nursery. This time I was wise enough not to expect a decent cafe where I could sit sipping coffee and eating cheesecake while Paul did his thing with plants, but I was in accommodating mood so didn’t mind. Afterwards, because we were near Bradford, we called up Graham for tips on what to see. After leaving the car we explored Lumb Lane and Westgate in Bradford. To say we were scared was not an understatement. Especially given I was wearing slacks and carrying an umbrella; we stood out a mile. We called into Leeds on the way back to invest in a new coffee maker from Peter Maturi before returning home. Of course we took a little lunch at Harvey Nichols where a bit of people watching was in order.

Sunday was gardening day. Well it was for Paul. I hate gardening so came up with some excuse about heading into York where I had lunch and tried to buy some coffee beans. Feeling guilty when I got back (check the picture) I made him a sandwich for lunch and later on, prepared a sumptuous (read Marks and Spencer Chicken Pie) meal. I did do some laundry as well!

Unfortunately I’m off to London tomorow for the week.

A short drive from junction 27 on the M62 between Leeds and Manchester is the Dove Cottage Nursery and Garden on Shibden Hall Road, Halifax.  Specialising in hardy herbaceous perennials and grasses Dusty wanted to visit to pick up some particular plant that is only available here and in one other nursery in the UK.  They don’t sell candles, smelling paper or serve meals for the over 60’s.  They simply specialise in plants and seem to do it very well.  Run by Kim and Stephen Rogers they have a small family business on their hands which caters for the true gardener.  While I have no idea about plants, Dusty seemed very impressed with the variety and quality on offer and ended up spending a small fortune while I sat in the garden having a coffee from the automatic machine housed in the new wooden hut.  Not a doily in sight!

Rating: 4 Stars.  Worth a trip if you like decent plants sold at very reasonable prices with personal advice from the owner.    Telephone 01422 203553

It was getting close to 9.30pm when with a colleague I entered with some trepidation (not really a seafood lover), Loch Fyne on City Square, Leeds.  The place was warm, welcoming and quite busy with staff immediately acknowledging our presence and offering to seat us straight away.

The first thing you noticed though as you enter the main front door is the huge fresh sea food counter, with all manner of shell fish and seafood beautifully laid out across crushed ice.  Thinking I would be caught by the usual strong ‘fish’ smell you sometimes get, I was pleased to find this wasn’t the case at all.

The menu was not complicated or too lengthy.  It had a nice selection of starters, main and deserts and also catered for the meat lovers like myself.  However, when in Rome.  We both ordered a Peppered Scottish Mackerel Pate with Oatcakes (only £5)  and for mains, I went for Short Line Caught Yellow Fin Tuna with Oriental Noodles (£12) while my colleague when for Bradan Rost (kiln-roasted salmon), char grilled with a shellfish, mushroom and whiskey sauce (£13).  We chose a Backsberg Savignon Blanc 2007 wine from South Africa to accompany our meal (£22).

The starters were delicious and very good value indeed.  The mackerel pate was perfectly balanced and went down well.  The mains proved just as good and the two of us both enjoyed our meals without question.  Not being a seafood lover I am surprised to find myself saying, I will go back to Loch Fyne.

Score: 3 Stars. Visited February 08.

Tel: 0113 3917550
Fax: 0113 3917551