Leeds' Youtuber Danny Malin is an internet sensation - rocking up to spots all over the north with his camera and his little one-man fold-out table.
Full of banter, he's absolutely hilarious and says it how it is - so you know when he says he's found the best fish and chip shop in Leeds he's not messing about.
Recently the Youtube star visited chip shop The Skyliner in Cross Gates, and was blown away with the quality - dubbing their massive fish portions "Wally the Whale."
Ordering what the family-run fish and chip shop terms 'The Special’ - a mammoth combo of haddock and chips, scampi in breadcrumbs, salt and pepper shrimp bombs and prawn twisters - he sat down at his table to tuck in.
A portion of fish and chips at The Skyliner / image: The Skyliner
Commenting on the food, he said: “Sometimes when you go to a fish and chip shop, one of the worries of mine is when it’s all cooked in fryer [sic], it can taste the same but the flavours coming out of these are distinctive.
“They’re really good, spot on.”
“The chips are absolutely beautiful, the potatoes, the fish itself is a massive piece of fish. Beautiful crispy batter.”
For those who've been wondering, he also revealed why he always brings his own table and chair out to his reviews.
Inside The Skyliner, which Danny Malin has named "the best fish nd chip shop in Leeds" / Image: The Skyliner
“The reason for bringing my own table and chair, I just like being home from home," said the Rate My Takeaway star, who has racked up over 300,000 followers since starting his channel.
“1, because I know I’ve always got a seat.
“2, I just love it. Why not take your own table and chair? Nobody has ever said I can’t.”
The Skyline has been trading in Leeds since 1962 and has also been highly rated for its fish and chips on TripAdvisor.
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.
Sheffield amongst nine areas to be long listed for UK City of Culture 2029
Clementine Hall
It's big news for Sheffield as the city has officially been long listed to become the UK City of Culture in 2029.
It’s one of just nine places across the country to make the cut, alongside the likes of Blackpool, Portsmouth and Wrexham.
Winning the title could bring huge investment to Sheffield, thousands of visitors, and a massive spotlight on everything that makes our city special - and let’s be honest, Sheffield’s got plenty to shout about.
From music and film to art and grassroots creativity, culture runs right through this city, and it would be a huge achievement to receive this title.
So, what happens now? Each arena will now receive £60,000 to develop a full application with the aim to build a vibrant cultural programme by 2028.
The nine confirmed long listed locations are: Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "For far too long, opportunity has not been shared equally across the country. The UK City of Culture and new UK Town of Culture competitions recognise the enormous contributions made by communities all over the UK who are all part of the story of who we are as a nation.
"I look forward to seeing what the nine long listed places have in store as they progress in the competition. I also urge any towns thinking about entering the UK Town of Culture competition to seize this opportunity and get involved. It’s a chance to show the country what makes them unique and shine a spotlight on their cultural offer, enriching the lives of local people."
Go on Sheffield, we're rooting for you big time. We can't think of a city more worthy.
Georgina Pellant -
18th July 2021 
