A new street food-style supper club is bringing pina colada fried chicken (and actual Pina Coladas) to Leeds for the night.
The brainchild of Leeds chef Robert Hallas, the exciting new drinking and dining event at Temple Arches combines food and booze with some brilliant-sounding results.
Called crEATe, next week's event will showcase a playful four-course taster menu with Rob of Bastards Bistro cooking all his dishes in booze before pairing them with an alcoholic drink.
“My initial concept was ‘food cooked with booze’ so dishes would be cooked with some kind of alcohol and it would be paired with an alcoholic drink," he told Leeds List.
Bastards Bistro
“We’ve got Pina Colada fried chicken, that’ll be served with a Pina Colada cocktail - and a few more surprises.
Alongside the pina colada fried chicken, diners will also get to try Hallas's spin on the pot noodle and a unique take of a greasy spoon full English breakfast (which, spoiler alert, will look nothing like the real thing but promises to carry "all the flavours").
There'll also be live art from a graffiti artist with 3D mapping and music from local DJs.
“You’ll basically get a 360-degree view of the cooking, live art and watching the DJs play,” Hallas said.
Hallas has only been cheffing for three years, having previously worked in bars and nightclubs.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMRRzrLn4DK/
Bastards Bistro first launched in 2019 but things really kicked off for him in lockdown when he started his own takeaway business - hiring in furloughed friends to help and borrowing a cafe’s kitchen to sling kebabs, pizzas, scotch eggs and deep-fried lasagne balls.
Now his friends have gone back to work, he's hired two new members of staff to work alongside him at Bastards Bistro - which has just officially taken over the kitchen downstairs at The Hedonist Bar on a permanent basis.
Tickets for crEATe start at £50pp, with an additional £20 for a drinks flight. It will take place at Temple Arches from 5pm on Wednesday, 26th May. You can get yours here.
To keep up to date with more of Rob's projects, follow him on Instagram.
News
Female-founded independent jewellery brand to open in Leeds’ Victoria Gate
Norfolk-based jewellery brand Lisa Angel is opening their first Yorkshire site right here in Leeds.
Jewellery and trinket lovers, this one's for you.
Lisa Angel, a female-founded jewellery and gifting brand will open the doors to its new store in Victoria Gate next month.
Shoppers can expect a wonderful range of jewellery, gifts, and accessories that have established a loyal following during more than twenty years of business.
Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has only gone from strength to strength since.
Image: Supplied
The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.
After opening two stores last year and three stores in 2024, Lisa Angel’s founder and Creative Director, Lisa, said: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.
"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”
Managing Director James Moody explained the significance to the business of opening a new store in a city as influential as Leeds: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.
"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."
We'll keep you up to date when we know an opening date, but for now you can check out what to expect here.
Yorkshire residents are being invited to name two new bin lorries
Clementine Hall
Well...this is a new one.
Ever fancied naming a bin lorry? Well today is your lucky day, because now you can.
Yorkshire-based waste management experts Divert are celebrating the arrival of two swanky new tbin rucks by inviting the local community to help name them.
The iconic purple bins, vans and trucks can be seen across the Yorkshire area helping to clean up waste from Bradford to Harrogate.
Two new lorries are set to be joining the fleet in April and May, and of course they need a name.
And who better to ask than the general public? The winning names will be added to the cabs of each of the trucks for all to see, and announced via the Divert website and social media channels.
Absolutely anyone from across the UK is welcome to take part, but the company are especially keen for people from Yorkshire to enter.
You can be as creative as you like, but there are a couple of rules...
No swearing or offensive names. Aside from that, you can let your freak flag fly.
The Divert team are keen to hear the 'best celebrity puns, local namesakes, and downright silly names' the public have to offer.
John Verity, Managing Director of Divert, comments: “Naming our bin trucks is a great way to bring some joy to the local community. We hope to bring a smile to the faces of passing drivers and pedestrians as our fleet passes by.
“Not only that, naming our lorries can help our drivers to take pride and ownership in the vehicles they drive and be a key reminder of our engagement within the community. We’re always keen to employ any initiatives that help the public to engage with us and ensure we’re seen as a friendly face in the area.”
Winners will be voted for by the team internally, and the competition closes at 5 pm on 31 March 2026.
Georgina Pellant -
20th May 2021 
