Bean Loved - Skipton

Another small Yorkshire town that Dan and I enjoy is Skipton. It's a short train ride from Leeds, being only 25 miles northwest of here. There's a wonderful castle that is over 900 years old and one of the best preserved in Britain. They also have a fun street market that goes up and down the high street. We just happened upon this lovely little cafe called Bean Loved the first time we were there and have gone back every time. Visiting the castle and lunching at Bean Loved is just about as close to a perfect day as you will have.

They serve up really good cups of coffee and hot tea, amazing home made soups and the world's best Cheese and Cheese Toastie that you'll ever eat. That sandwich makes me want to hop a train right now. It's just an ooey, gooey, cheesy bit of heaven on some tasty toasted bread. The place is small with tables on 2 floors. You order at the counter and they bring the food when it's ready. The staff is friendly and very willing to answer all you questions with a smile. They are located just off of High Street at 17 Otley St, Skipton BD23 1DY.

Lilypep - Barcelona

  

On Friday morning we decided to go to the Picasso Museum in the La Ribera area. One small problem, the line was extremely long and we did not purchase tickets ahead of time. That's not like us, usually we plan way in advance for these things but for some reason we did not on this trip. We decided to come back around three to see if the line was any shorter. In the meantime, we walked around the area, checked out the Born Market and toured another museum. As we headed back to the Picasso Museum, we decided to stop and have lunch. We wound around the small alleys and streets and came across this quaint little cafe called Lilipep and decided to check it out.
Their menu was filled with interesting bocadillos or sandwiches and we both decided we would have one. The server told us the sandwiches were large so we each ordered a half. Dan went with Chorizo Paste and Cheese and I chose Chorizo Paste and Onion Marmalade. They were perfect in size and flavor and at 2.20 Euros, not a bad price. Dan had a pot of Hot Green Tea (infusio) for 2.60 and I had an ice cold Coke for 2.00. We ordered a side of chips for 1.50 and were presented with a large bowl full. I had an Espresso for 1.20 to drink after my meal and it was the perfect meal ender.
They offer free Wi-Fi, which in this day and age is ideal for travelers. Good food and service, with a wide array of food options in a tiny, little, cozy café is just the ticket. Plus, after the meal we arrived at the Picasso Museum and had only a short wait. While in line we met a wonderful family from Miami that love to travel together and we had a great time talking with them. Just don't take pictures in the museum, it's forbidden!

 

 

The restaurant is located at Carrer Pou de la Cadera 8, 08003 Barcelona, just a short distance from the museum.

 

I never knew that Picasso painted like this.



Cuthbert's Bakehouse - Liverpool

 

 

 

 

On our Saturday afternoon in Liverpool, we had just toured the magnificent Liverpool Cathedral and were ready for lunch. I was in the mood for Mexican, something we still have not eaten because Leeds does not seem to have any Mexican places, but the place close by did not open for lunch until 1 PM. We were walking towards the Metropolitan Cathedral, when we came upon  Cuthbert's Bakehouse. We looked at the menu and decided to eat here. It's a quaint, little place with mismatched tables and chairs and it looked perfect.
The server came to us immediately and took our orders. Dan wanted some hot, green tea (2.15) and I wanted one of the unusual sodas on the menu. After being told the first 2 I requested were no longer available, I decided on the Dandelion and Burdock (1.85). It had an interesting flavor that was sweet and unusual, a flavor that would take some getting used, but drinkable. Dan ordered the Turkey and Cranberry Sandwich (4.00) and requested brie cheese, which was not a problem. I ordered the Roast Beef and Horseradish (4.00). Both sandwiches came topped with a salad of lettuce, tomato and cucumber and were on amazing rustic rolls. These were very good sandwiches and we had no problems devouring every bite. They were served with a side of crisps.

Dan got up and looked at the dessert case and saw the wonders that were on display. He called me up there and said that we had to order something because they all looked amazing. We decided on Sticky Toffee Pudding (4.50) which we had to wait on. The warm cake arrived topped in a toffee sauce and surrounded by a lake of hot custard. This was truly a great dessert and the perfect ending to a very good meal.
103 Mt Pleasant Liverpool L3 5TB  0844-245-8612
www.cuthbertsbakehouse.co.uk

The Elephant House - Edinburgh

 

After a beautiful , but strange train ride, Dan and I arrived in in Edinburgh, Scotland just before noon. The countryside and ocean views from our window were amazing, as was the family of 8 adults that sat right in front of us. They boarded the train at 9 AM in York, with 2 bags of beer and what I can only assume was more in their bellies. They were loud and obnoxious and after a couple of hours we were finally able to move seats and enjoy the scenery.
We checked into our hotel, a Marriott Residence Inn, which was new and modern with an amazing view. Dan did not even consider changing rooms! We journeyed out into the blustery, cold to see the sites and get a bite to eat before our tour of the underground city of Mary King's Close. We came across The Elephant House and liked the vibe and the menu, so we decided to eat here. The staff was friendly, young  and efficient and helped you to find a seat and brought the food out when it was ready. Both of us ordered a Chorizo, Pesto and Mozzarella Panini that came with a side salad, Dan had a pot of tea and I enjoyed the wonderful Mallow Delight. The Mallow Delight turned out to be a wonderful hot chocolate covered in a mound of whipped cream and marshmallows. The food was good and just what we needed to get started. In fact, we liked it so much that we returned on Monday afternoon for a late lunch before our train ride back to Leeds. This time Dan ordered the same thing, but I ordered the Bacon and Brie Baked Potato. The potato was very good, with that brie gently melting into the warm potato and the English version of bacon.

When I used the restroom on the first visit, I noticed the walls were covered in Harry Potter graffiti. I thought it odd, but they were all nice and a lot of them were thanking J.K Rowling for writing the books. I did not think much about it after that, but last night Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire came on the telly and I remembered the graffiti. I went over to the computer to look it up and found out that J.K Rowling spent some time here writing her books. That explained all of the graffiti and young people taking pictures out front! Harry Potter or no, it was a very nice place to eat and warm up from the cold.
They are located at 21 George IV Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1EN  www.elephanthouse.biz .

Koffiehuis de Hoek - Amsterdam

 

 

On Sunday morning in Amsterdam, Dan wanted to go to a little place we saw the day before. He noticed they had pancakes and he was craving them. The Koffiehuis de Hoek is a small place with about 10 tables and we just happened to walk in when they had one open. We sat and looked at the menu, Dan asked the waitress about the pancakes and she told him they were not as thin as crepes and not as fluffy as American. He ordered the Pannekoeken Natural for 5.75 euros and I chose the Ham and Cheese Omelet for 6.75 euros. We both had orange juice, me a large for 4.30 euros and Dan had a small at 2.40 euros. The oranges were freshly juiced at the counter and the juice was very good. The pancake was another story. It was like a cross between a custard and a pancake. It was served with powdered sugar and maple syrup and neither of us cared for it. The omelet was good, it was full of sliced tomatoes, which cooled it down and they weren't ripe so I just pulled them out. Not a bad place, just not the greatest.

 

They are located at Prinsengracht 341 1016 HK Amsterdam  020-6253872

 



Ralph's Cafe Bar - Leeds

Ralph's Cafe Bar is this tiny little place across the street from our flat that has recently opened. They serve breakfast and lunch as well as alcoholic beverages. I stopped in the other day to see what they offered and for such a small place they have an extensive menu. You can order hot and cold sandwiches, ciabattas, panninnis and toasties. All of the fillings can also be made into wraps or salads. They also have beef, kangaroo and camel burgers! On my trip I ordered a bacon, brie and onion chutney toastie for 2.90 pounds. The sandwich was very good and I look forward to trying some of the other things they serve. Maybe I'll get the courage to try a camel burger!

 They are located at the bridge end 9 Hunslet Rd Leeds LS10 1JQ. You can also call them for catering at 0113 245 5592. Their web address is www.ralphscafebarleeds.co.uk .