'Sake Sensations' is a brand new, unique collaborative menu between Akashi-Tai and The Ivy Asia.
If you're a fan of the Japanese rice wine Sake, then this elegant and refined pairing menu is the one for you.
An exciting new collaboration between The Ivy Asia and Akashi Tai, the UK's leading sake brand, the menu will showcase the best flavours from the continent paired perfectly with a range of sakes.
Brewed by hand in small batches, three of Akashi-Tai’s delicious sakes will feature in 'Sake Sensations' alongside cocktails inspired by sake crafted by the expert mixologists at The Ivy Asia Leeds.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
This is the ideal introduction to sake for those who are wanting to try it, but also a great celebration of the wine for those who are familiar - as there's no better way to enjoy a wine then when perfectly paired with food, right?
Two different Sake Sensations pairing menus will be available, one featuring meats and seafoods and the other showcasing an entire veggie offering.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The whole table will be presented with three rounds of dishes, starting with small plates before moving to mains and desserts. These will each be served with a glass of sake that will pair perfectly and uniquely with one another.
Mouthwatering flavour profiles will include gochujang-glazed fried chicken in lettuce wraps, Shiitake & Eryngii Gunkan Maki with Black Truffle & Gold, and the classically moreish crunch of tempura - either prawn tempura with chilli, lime & coriander dip, or veggie tempura, with ponzu dip & shiso.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
As well as the sake, there is an unmissable sake-inspired cocktail menu on offer featuring the Dragon Gimlet with dragonfruit and sparkling sake, the Coco and Peach Sour with whiskey and coconut foam and the Akashi Tea with ice tea and eucalyptus syrup.
This menu is available from Wednesday 13 September to Sunday 5 November 2023. The experience costs £85 per persona and you can book your table here.
A much-loved independent restaurant in Leeds has announced it will be closing its doors.
Kuala Lumpur Cafe opened its doors in Headingley in 2019 by Bart and Hirman, who wanted to bring authentic Malaysian cooking to the city of Leeds.
Throughout the years, they'd built up a reputation for their beautiful curries and vibrant street food dishes, all of which were made using Hirman's family recipes.
So much so, that in 2024 they opened a kitchen inside White Cloth Hall in the city centre when the Grade II listed food hall first opened.
Their kitchen sadly closed a year later, but their Headingley restaurant remained open serving the students and locals with their famous beef rendang, nasi lemak and more.
Sadly, Kuala Lumpur Cafe have taken to social media to announce that they will be closing their doors for good as of this Saturday 17 October.
Their statement reads: "Thank you to all our customers and team that made Kuala Lumpur Cafe possible across the last few years. After a long consideration, we have decided that our last trading day will be Saturday 17 October.
"If you have a booking after this date, we'll be calling you over the next few days to try to move it to an earlier date before we close.
"It's been our pleasure to serve Malaysian food to the community. Best regards, KL Cafe."
Of course, in true Leeds fashion, local businesses and customers flocked to the comments to express their sadness and show their support.
One comment reads: "Such a shame. This was genuinely the best Malay food I had outside of Malaysia. Will be missed greatly", whilst another thanks the cafe for "all the delicious food over the years".
If you want to visit Kuala Lumpur Cafe one last time, then you have until this Saturday to do so. Go and wish them a proper farewell.
A Miami-inspired deli serving Cuban sandwiches, stacked subs and cigars has opened in a Leeds suburb
Clementine Hall
After making a name for itself over in Leeds city centre, Alfonso's Deli 2.0 has touched down in Horsforth.
Famed for it’s toasted Cuban sandwiches, stacked subs and loaded breakfast bagels - Alfonso's Deli in Leeds' beautiful Grand Arcade serve up some of the best sandwiches in the city.
They've built up such a good reputation in fact, that they have now opened a second deli in the up-and-coming suburb of Horsforth.
Located in a prime location on New Side Road, this deli has a slightly different look to their original space, complete with a beautiful red awning and stuffed to the brim with American memorabilia.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Here you can find fresh Cuban coffee which goes wonderfully with their authentic toasted Cubano sandwiches, perfectly crafted with their house-made bread which are then pressed made-to-order.
New for Horsforth, they're now serving New York deli sandwiches on brand-new house schiacciata bread.
And the bread is as fresh as it gets, made in their own bakery downstairs alongside a selection of New York deli bakes.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Stuffed with toppings such as smoked deli meats, cold cuts, fresh cheese and whatever else you fancy.
Oh and it doesn't stop there, you can also buy a cigar if you fancy it alongside a selection of merch, hot sauces and provisions like tinned fish.
So whether you're stopping by on your way to work for a morning coffee or treating yourself to a stellar sandwich for your lunch, Alfonso's Deli is here to whisk you away to Miami for the afternoon.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
They're officially opening their doors to the public this Thursday 15 October, and we just know it's going to go down and absolute storm.
Make sure to pop down and give them a big warm welcome to the neighbourhood.
Clementine Hall -
7th September 2023 
