All the dishes are made for the 'gram and beautifully decorated.
Your Girl Can Bake is the UK's first dine-in-car dessert shop, a hybrid between a drive-thru and a dine-in experience, where you never have to leave your car.
The idea is, you pull up your car and experience desserts like pancakes and waffles laden in thick sauce, washed down with giant freakshakes, mocktails and a whole host of fizzy drinks.
Image: Your Girl Can Bake
Set up in the height of the pandemic, owner of Your Girl Can Bake, Ikraa Riaz, started by selling homemade desserts on Instagram.
Like all the best lockdown success stories, Ikraa found success selling online and decided to pursue her dream of opening a dessert store and now operates from Ardwick in Manchester, which is a one hour drive from Leeds city centre.
Reimagining the dining experience in a world scarred by the pandemic, the concept keeps ahold of the intimacy of gathering and eating in small groups, but still provides the same service and food quality as a dine-in restaurant. It's certainly a far cry from the tight curbs and echoey tannoys of McDonalds drive-thru.
Image: Your Girl Can Bake
Whilst lockdown restrictions may have been the instigator for the dine-in-car idea, it's a concept that's continued to prove popular ever since.
The concept has drawn in influencers, who have taken to Instagram and TikTok to share their experiences, and there's plenty of positive reviews to choose from.
Reaching over a million views on a single TikTok video is the type of viral content any small business only dreams of: but it appears that the visual appeal of these tasty treats has kept customers continuing to visit Your Girl Can Bake long after its five minutes of fame on the social media channel.
And for good reason too. The menu includes mouthwatering Nutella-filled French toast sticks, cookie dough, fudge cakes and fondues in takeaway trays- just incase you can't finish it all in one sitting.
If that's not enough, there's those old school funfetti cakes (the ones you loved at school), giant bags of fizzy sweets, loaded brownies, mini dutch pancakes and cakesicles to try out.
Image: Your Girl Can Bake
There's even savoury dishes to balance the dining experience with loaded nachos, samosa chaat, samosas and kebabs all on offer.
To quench your thirst, there's berry-flavoured Fanta amongst other familiar and exotic soft drinks or mocktails that include a rainbow disco light ice cube for a late-night party experience.
If we're honest, it's the Easter collection that we're most excited about, even if it is only February. The Easter Madness Cookie Dough is half an easter egg loaded with cookie dough, melted chocolate and loaded with your favourite springtime treats like mini eggs and malteaster bunnies.
You wouldn't believe there's a team of three behind this incredible concept.
For more information, or to book yourself a place at the UK's first dine-in-car dessert experience, you can find Your Girl Can Bake on Instagram. Please note bookings need to be made in advance to give time for preparation.
Feature Image- Your Girl Can Bake
Eats
Everything we ate and drank at Dishoom Leeds – one of the city’s hottest new openings
From Bombay to Leeds, Dishoom has opened in the city to resounding success.
Look, if you've been in town over the past week then you will have seen the snaking queues forming outside the city's hottest new restaurant - Dishoom.
This is one that's been in the pipeline for quite some time now, known amongst the UK for their all-day Bombay-inspired food and it seems the people of Leeds couldn't wait to tuck in.
But before we delve into the food, let's talk about the space.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Taking over the old Flannels site on Vicar Lane, Dishoom Leeds is nothing short of beautiful.
Dusty pink exteriors welcome you into a huge dining room complete with gold picture frames, baby blue walls and huge arched windows.
They've really thought of every little detail, eve down to the relaxing incense burning on the windowsill.
The menu is large and can seem overwhelming, featuring everything from breakfast naan rolls and small plates and to big sharing curries, but the staff are keen to lend you a helping hand.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Kicking off with a few Dishoom staples like the crunchy, salty okra fries and peppery chilli cheese toast was the perfect start to our meal.
But an absolute must order is the lamb chops, marinated overnight in raw papaya, yoghurt and spices before being blackened on the grill and finished with a thrilling Kashmiri chilli sauce. These will be on our order list every single time.
Elsewhere the charred masala prawns were juicy and perfectly aromatic, whilst smokey gunpowder potatoes served with a yoghurt dip were a perfect respite from the building spices.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
A really special dish which you can only get in Leeds is Malvani Lamb Curry, made using tender lamb leg nestled in a silken gravy of roasted coconut, cardamom, chillies, turmeric and pippali pepper. Served with a heap of golden laccha paratha for dipping and a sharp onion salad alongside, this is as perfect as it gets.
Drinks wise we got their special Dishoom Margarita which is shaken with a tamarind spice as well as the New Permit Room Old Fashioned that uses date liqueur. Both a twist on a classic, and just as delicious as the next.
If the queue doesn't make you want to try out Dishoom then let this be your sign. A fantastic addition to the city, and we'll certainly be back for more.
Five of the best new openings in Leeds recently – from Japanese sando cafes to tiramisu pop-ups
Clementine Hall
It's been a brilliant couple of months for new openings in Leeds.
We don't know about you, but we think our city is really thriving with all it has to offer at the moment.
There's been a flurry of new spots opening up this summer, and if you haven't visited them then we urge you to check them out.
But first, allow us to tell you all about them...
Misu
Trinity Shopping Centre
Image: The Hoot Leeds
It really does feel like the traditional Italian dessert has taken the world by storm as of late.
Everything from tiramisu cups and tiramisu coffees have been popping up all over our feed, and now tiramisu in drawer form is popping up in the city centre.
Misu Tiramisu is an independent business that began at Manchester's Christmas Markets and quickly became one of the most popular operators, all thanks to its miniature tiramisu ‘drawers’. They've now opened inside Trinity shopping centre for the summer, and we couldn't be happier.
Shokupan recently moved from their original site on Wellington Place to an even bigger spot on Central Road and my word, they’re serving up sandwiches and rice bowls like the absolute pros they’ve always been.
Whether it’s their new specials like the ‘Spamago’ sando (arguably the best new breakfast bite on the block), or katsu chori that combines South American-style chorizo with Japanese favourites all in one incredible package, they don’t miss.
One of Leeds city centre’s most historic buildings has been just transformed into one of the coolest new spaces we’ve come across.
Introducing Moods, a brand-new all-day cafe, bar and events space that combines laid-back midday vibes and chilled evenings with food from Michelin-trained chefs.Â
We know you've been waiting for this one, and finally Dishoom has opened its doors in the city centre.
Serving up Bombay recipes made with love in a beautiful interior complete with blush pink walls, huge arched windows and gold picture frames - this one is already a huge hit.
North Star Coffee
59 Great George Street, LS1 3BB
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Just like their name, North Star Coffee has become a shining star in the Leeds coffee shop circle, and now they’re bringing the brand over to a bustling road of independents on Great George Street.
Expect your tried and trusted iced coffee, matcha and cold foam selections alongside their bakes, new hot brekkie sandwiches and their signature stardust hash browns.
Sophie Smith -
16th February 2022 
