The Tetley - Leeds

 

 The Tetley was right across the street from our flat in Leeds and I took many pictures of it from our balcony. When we first arrived in Leeds, the building was undergoing a renovation and it opened at the end of November as a museum, art space, bar and restaurant. We finally ate there just days before leaving Leeds, we decided we owed it to the wonderful staff working there. We had visited once before and had a beer at the bar, while the manager explained the menu and beers to us. We decided to go back one afternoon to share a sandwich for a light snack.

 We sat on the bar side, a large open space with plenty of tables, and ordered at the bar. We decided to share the Drunken Grilled Cheese and Roasted Artichoke w/Sage Sandwich (5.50 pounds) and a side of Proper Chips for 3 pounds. The food was amazing, that grilled cheese would be pretty hard to top and the chips were crispy and hot. The staff was very good and very accommodating. The Tetley beers were good too!

They are located on Hunslet Rd. Leeds. LS10 1JQ 0113-320-2323
www.thetetley.org

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

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 .

Kaashuis Tromp - Amsterdam

On Saturday, Dan and I ventured out to walk around the city of Amsterdam. We wanted to check out some of the local markets and shops away from the tourist areas. Dan really wanted to check out a cheese shop, the ones close to the hotel were over priced and clearly tourist traps. We were walking around the Jordaan, there were art galleries that were open, similar to First Fridays at home and we wanted to check them out. We came to a street with a park in the center and came across the most marvelous cheese shop, Kaashuis Tromp. Our eyes were filled with beautiful cheeses and breads and our noses were filled with the wonderful aromas of really good cheese. There were plenty of samples to try and we did! We also noticed people ordering sandwiches at a counter in back, so we headed that way.

 

There was a list of sandwiches with the prices but it was all in Dutch. Dan asked if they had an English menu and they turned the sign around for us. The young lady making the sandwiches suggested the White and Red (3.50 euros). It came on a white or wheat mini baguette with brie and the most amazing sun dried tomatoes and she added arugula for us. The sandwich was so good! We ordered a slice of caramel cheese cake to go along with it and headed over to the park to eat. This place is worth a visit if you make it to Amsterdam.

 

They are located at Utrechtsestraat 90 107 VS Amsterdam.