Showing posts with label Turtle Bay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turtle Bay. Show all posts
Monday, 5 September 2016
Going To Some Of The Best Bars In Leeds With Michelle
Hey!
I'm in Leeds a lot and being a blogger means that you go to quite a few bars and restaurants so I thought that I would drag Michelle along to a few of the best bars within Leeds (as you always need a friend to have a good natter to when it comes to bars) and write about it as I want to share the best bars with you just in case you haven't been to them so get some food, get a drink and be prepared to learn about Leeds' finest bars!
The first bar that I think is one of the best bars in Leeds is Turtle Bay. Why? I love the Caribbean vibe of the whole restaurant which is shown in ways such as the paintings on the walls, the music that is played within the restaurant, the food and drinks that are on offer and much more. The Caribbean vibe means that you feel like you can be relaxed instead of feeling stuffy and awkward like you would in a quite expensive eating establishment. I also love how they have a two for one offer which is 12-7 and 10pm until close which means that you can go in any day and get two drinks for the price of one during the day for a casual lunch or a good evening out.
We arrived and perused the menu which included things such as Run Down (v), Street Burger, Jamacian Browned Chicken and Rum Cake for several minutes until we both decided on what we wanted. Myself and Michelle decided to just stick to cocktails. We decided to take part in the 2 for 1 offer and ordered Beachcombers Zombie (4 Rums, Absinthe, Bitters and Tropical Fruits) and Vanilla and Passion Fruit Mojito (Cockspur Gold Rum, Vanilla, Fresh Passion Fruit, Lime and Mint.) The Zombie was fresh, fruity and naughty due to not being able to taste the alcohol so you could definitely have more than one and the Mojito tasted like the epitome of Summer due to all of the freshness thar was within the glass.
The next stop on the best bar train after Turtle Bay was Cabana. I honestly think Cabana is one of the best bars/restaurants ever for several reasons. There's the friendly staff who make you feel welcome in the establishment, the great street food inspired cuisine thats on offer, the crisp drinks that they serve, the quirky furniture... I could go on! Just like Turtle Bay, they offer 2 for one on certain drinks but they also have many other offers such as a lunch deal where you can get your own Latin inspired lunchbox for £6.95, a 2 course set meal on weekdays for £9.95 which is on until 5pm and theres an early bird special meal which involves a main course, two sides and a drink for £9.95 which is on everyday from 5-6:30pm.
We arrived at Cabana, sat down and ordered two drinks just like before as they were on 2 for one. We decided to get an original Caipirihna and a Blueberry & Acai Caipirihna. Myself and Michelle also decided to get some Cheesy Baked Dough Balls and Chocolate Rainbow Doughnuts to share between ourselves. I love a good Caipirihna and I instantly think of warm nights in tropical Brazil when I sip one. The Blueberry and Acai one was really nice. Sweet but slightly tart. It reminded me of Blueberry Jam somehow! Myself and Michelle were somewhat hesitant of getting it as we both thought that it would flush us out but it didnt. The dough balls were so nice. Golden on the outside but melting and gooey on the inside but slightly salty. The Nutella Doughnuts were great. Bitesized but chocolatey. The crispy sugary exterior worked so well with the dark gooey interior and there was more Nutella on the side so great for Nutella lovers!
The last stop on the best bar adventure was Be At One. Be At One is a cocktail bar that is based within Millenium Square with the likes of Epernay and Revolution that are within Electric Press. BAO also have a Happy Hour on that is on every night which is around 4:30/5-8pm. We went on a Tuesday and the hours for Happy Hour were 4:30-8 which means Be At One is a great place for a student date!
We started off by having a Reese's Pieces cocktail but sadly it's not on the site so I can't remember the name but it had Bourbon, Reese's Pieces and Vanilla ice cream in. We got it because I like Bourbon and Michelle loves Peanut Butter. I liked it but the Bourbon was quite strong and when mixed with ice cream it made it quite rich. I was expecting it to be heavily peanut butter but it wasn't. We then had a Maple Margarita and oh my god it was so good. I had never had a Margarita before but this was a good one to represent the whole Margarita clan with. Sweet but slightly tart. Myself and Michelle then finished off the best bar train by drinking our last drink at Be At One. This cocktail was called Stormier Seas and the salty seas never tasted any better. This contained Kraken Rum, Lime and Ginger Beer. It tasted like something that you would want to warm you up when youre on a cold English beach. (The only problem that we had here was that Michelle did see a bartender put a phone number into someone who looked like a customers phone but I was guessing that he was on his break or something?)
I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post. Don't forget to check out Michelle's photography! I have also linked the restaurants in case you actually want to go and check them out as I really think that they are some of the best bars within Leeds. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog post.
Have you ever been to any of these bars? Have you tried any of these drinks? Let me know down below!
Thanks!
Jamie x
This post was in collaboration with Cabana and Be At One. I chose the bars that I wanted to feature within this post therefore all views and ramblings are my own. Myself and Michelle got 14 drinks for £14 in total due to 2 for one etc but do check the places out if you want to know more details of them.
Monday, 21 December 2015
Bringing The Islands To Leeds | Turtle Bay Leeds Pre-Launch Event
Meow!
I got invited to the preview launch of a new restaurant in Leeds and I thought that I would tell you about it today. If you like spicy food and cocktails then you will love this post that is all about Turtle Bay Leeds.
Turtle Bay is a Caribbean restaurant business that have been going for a few years. The restaurant captures the mind and soul of The Caribbean via serving Caribbean food such as Jerk Chicken, Curried Goat and Rice & Peas, serving cocktails that sum up the exotic and lively atmosphere of The Caribbean and many other things. There is quite a few Turtle Bay's around England ranging from down South in Ealing all the way up to the North with restaurants in York, Huddersfield and now Leeds.
We started by arriving at the restaurant. As we were invited to a pre-launch event this meant that anyone that was walking past the restaurant probably thought that we were some secret cult setting up shop in Leeds to create a plan and to wreak havoc or something like that whereas the staff at the restaurant awkwardly had to tell passerbys that they could not enter as the establishment was not open yet. We stated that we were bloggers/members of a secret elite cult (I'm joking of course but wouldn't it be fascinating if I was?) and we were allowed into the premises.
A man called Adam and a woman called Bronwyn greeted us and then asked us what we would like to drink. I instantly thought that this could get messy. I mean, free cocktails to drink after 'one of those days' meant I can drink the bar dry in my opinion but anyways back to some relevant information. Adam said there was three to choose from. Tobago Tea. This contains Rum, Tequila, Vodka, Gin, Triple Sec with the addition of fresh Lemon, Mango and Lemonade. Beachcombers Zombie. This contains 4 different Rums, Absinthe, Bitters with the addition of Tropical Juices. Mai Tai. This contains Appleton Special Rum, Orange Rum Liqueur, Apricot Brandy with the addition of Fresh Lime and Pineapple.
Myself and Luke ordered a Tobago Tea. I was tempted to go for the Beachcombers Zombie but I know that I like alcohol and I like mango as I had a phase a few Summers ago where I drank a lot of Mango Juice so it sounded like a good cocktail to go for, You could taste the exotic Mango with a hint of acidity from the Lemon and Lemonade. Myself and Luke slowly made our way around the restaurant and found Kellie who we talked to about many things. We tried a bit of each others drinks. Kellie didn't enjoy the Tobago Tea that much but I loved the Beachcombers Zombie which she was drinking. I loved how you got a hint of the alcohol but it wasn't too overwhelming as the addition of Tropical Juices gave it a sweet edge. (Look at the picture at the top of the post.)
I slowly wandered around the establishment taking pictures and then I found a good spot for Luke to sit down as I felt like it would be better to sit him somewhere and if needed to I could either drag him somewhere or I could bring it over to him. As soon as I sat him down, Adam and Bronwyn asked all of us to come over so I left to him and his own devices whilst I listened and embraced everything that Adam and Bronwyn were saying. Adam is the companies Bar Manager and Trainer from what I remember and Bronwyn does the same but swap the bar for the food. Adam then went on to talk about the Rum's that Turtle Bay served which was very interesting and made me learn a bit more about Rum which is a good thing in my eyes as I can appreciate it a bit more when I'm drinking it.
We were then escorted to a grand elongated table where we told that Colin would be talking to us about the food at Turtlebay and then we would get the chance to try out the delicious food that is on offer at Turtle Bay. We sat down and was offered some Reggae Rum Punch which consists of 126 proof Wray and Nephew Rum, Strawberry Liqueur, Fresh Orange, Lime and Pineapple. I think this was to cleanse the palate per se but was an awesome drink to drink whilst Colin was telling us everything.
He told us about how Turtle Bay made their Curried Goat, what spices were in the dish and then we got to try the dish. It was succulent and delicious and something that I have never tried before. It reminded me of a hearty dish that you would eat at this time of the year.
He also told us about Scotch Bonnets and Plantain. He told us about the Heat Intensity of a Scotch Bonnet and also told us that to make sure the heat intensity is level within the Restaurant, the chefs at Turtle Bay blend up Scotch Bonnets and then use a small amount to ensure that it is the right heat for the dish which is pretty genius in my opinion as it doesn't mean that you have that risk of chopping up and then burning your skin by touching it after touching a Chilli when cooking a dish. He also told us about the Plantain which is similar to a Banana but isn't at the same time. It comes from the same family and whereas Bananas are sweet, Plantains aren't. We got told many things about Plantain including the best tips to cooking them which including making sure the exterior of it is brown before cooking as it makes sure it is ripe enough to cook, I tried it in its cooked version and the best way to describe is a cross between a Banana and a Roast Potato making it savoury but slightly sweet and moreish at the same time.
Colin then told us about the Jerk Chicken, how to cook the Chicken, what spices went into the Jerk Chicken and many other details about Jerk Chicken. We were also served a Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie which contains Smooth Peanut Butter, Banana, Condensed Milk and Cream. I'm a bit of a weird one with Peanut Butter. I can only eat it if it is smooth. The smoothie was sweet but salty at the same time which made it quite delicious but also the addition of condensed milk and cream gave it a luxurious/slightly decadent feel. Colin explained that it was to cool down the heat of the Jerk Chicken as dairy helps a lot better than water when it comes to cooling down your mouth. We then went to go watch the Jerk Chicken being made which was an interesting experience.
I went to go sit back down and realised that there was a drink waiting for me. This one was a Bahama Mama. Koko Kanu Rum, Banana Liqueur with Pineapple and Grenadine. I couldn't really taste the Rum but I could taste the liqueur and the pineapple which made for a fresh Banana taste when drinking the cocktail. The Jerk Chicken arrived at our table. The dish comes with Caribbean Coleslaw and Sweet Potato Fries so we served ourselves them and then made sure that we had a good helping of Chicken each. The coleslaw was refreshing yet had a slight kick, the Sweet Potato fries were crispy and soft. They were just amazing in summary.
We were then told to answer a few questions to see if we had been listening on the night. We had and this resulted in us receiving some Caymana's Rum Cake which was with some Rum influenced caramel sauce. The sponge was light and delicious with Rum running all the way through it which made it that little bit more delicious. We said goodbye and left with a goodie bag which contained some sauces and other things which ended up smashed due to the bag ripping in Trinity Leeds on the way back to the train station. Things like that happen sometimes.
If you live in Leeds and love Caribbean food then wander up to The Light Leeds where you'll be able to find Turtle Bay as you can not miss it with its vibrant lights outside. Happy Hour is also on 90% of the time therefore all cocktails are 2 for 1 so if you were still hesitating whether to go or not then that should have twisted your arm to go as soon as you can.
I cannot thank Turtle Bay, their PR and the staff at the new Leeds branch for inviting me to the pre-launch of the restaurant. If you want to know anything more about Turtle Bay then you can click here. I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post and I hope to see you next time for another blog post. If you have checked out Turtle Bay then let me know down below.
Meow!
Jamie x
I got invited to the preview launch of a new restaurant in Leeds and I thought that I would tell you about it today. If you like spicy food and cocktails then you will love this post that is all about Turtle Bay Leeds.
Turtle Bay is a Caribbean restaurant business that have been going for a few years. The restaurant captures the mind and soul of The Caribbean via serving Caribbean food such as Jerk Chicken, Curried Goat and Rice & Peas, serving cocktails that sum up the exotic and lively atmosphere of The Caribbean and many other things. There is quite a few Turtle Bay's around England ranging from down South in Ealing all the way up to the North with restaurants in York, Huddersfield and now Leeds.
We started by arriving at the restaurant. As we were invited to a pre-launch event this meant that anyone that was walking past the restaurant probably thought that we were some secret cult setting up shop in Leeds to create a plan and to wreak havoc or something like that whereas the staff at the restaurant awkwardly had to tell passerbys that they could not enter as the establishment was not open yet. We stated that we were bloggers/members of a secret elite cult (I'm joking of course but wouldn't it be fascinating if I was?) and we were allowed into the premises.
A man called Adam and a woman called Bronwyn greeted us and then asked us what we would like to drink. I instantly thought that this could get messy. I mean, free cocktails to drink after 'one of those days' meant I can drink the bar dry in my opinion but anyways back to some relevant information. Adam said there was three to choose from. Tobago Tea. This contains Rum, Tequila, Vodka, Gin, Triple Sec with the addition of fresh Lemon, Mango and Lemonade. Beachcombers Zombie. This contains 4 different Rums, Absinthe, Bitters with the addition of Tropical Juices. Mai Tai. This contains Appleton Special Rum, Orange Rum Liqueur, Apricot Brandy with the addition of Fresh Lime and Pineapple.
Myself and Luke ordered a Tobago Tea. I was tempted to go for the Beachcombers Zombie but I know that I like alcohol and I like mango as I had a phase a few Summers ago where I drank a lot of Mango Juice so it sounded like a good cocktail to go for, You could taste the exotic Mango with a hint of acidity from the Lemon and Lemonade. Myself and Luke slowly made our way around the restaurant and found Kellie who we talked to about many things. We tried a bit of each others drinks. Kellie didn't enjoy the Tobago Tea that much but I loved the Beachcombers Zombie which she was drinking. I loved how you got a hint of the alcohol but it wasn't too overwhelming as the addition of Tropical Juices gave it a sweet edge. (Look at the picture at the top of the post.)
I slowly wandered around the establishment taking pictures and then I found a good spot for Luke to sit down as I felt like it would be better to sit him somewhere and if needed to I could either drag him somewhere or I could bring it over to him. As soon as I sat him down, Adam and Bronwyn asked all of us to come over so I left to him and his own devices whilst I listened and embraced everything that Adam and Bronwyn were saying. Adam is the companies Bar Manager and Trainer from what I remember and Bronwyn does the same but swap the bar for the food. Adam then went on to talk about the Rum's that Turtle Bay served which was very interesting and made me learn a bit more about Rum which is a good thing in my eyes as I can appreciate it a bit more when I'm drinking it.
We were then escorted to a grand elongated table where we told that Colin would be talking to us about the food at Turtlebay and then we would get the chance to try out the delicious food that is on offer at Turtle Bay. We sat down and was offered some Reggae Rum Punch which consists of 126 proof Wray and Nephew Rum, Strawberry Liqueur, Fresh Orange, Lime and Pineapple. I think this was to cleanse the palate per se but was an awesome drink to drink whilst Colin was telling us everything.
He told us about how Turtle Bay made their Curried Goat, what spices were in the dish and then we got to try the dish. It was succulent and delicious and something that I have never tried before. It reminded me of a hearty dish that you would eat at this time of the year.
He also told us about Scotch Bonnets and Plantain. He told us about the Heat Intensity of a Scotch Bonnet and also told us that to make sure the heat intensity is level within the Restaurant, the chefs at Turtle Bay blend up Scotch Bonnets and then use a small amount to ensure that it is the right heat for the dish which is pretty genius in my opinion as it doesn't mean that you have that risk of chopping up and then burning your skin by touching it after touching a Chilli when cooking a dish. He also told us about the Plantain which is similar to a Banana but isn't at the same time. It comes from the same family and whereas Bananas are sweet, Plantains aren't. We got told many things about Plantain including the best tips to cooking them which including making sure the exterior of it is brown before cooking as it makes sure it is ripe enough to cook, I tried it in its cooked version and the best way to describe is a cross between a Banana and a Roast Potato making it savoury but slightly sweet and moreish at the same time.
Colin then told us about the Jerk Chicken, how to cook the Chicken, what spices went into the Jerk Chicken and many other details about Jerk Chicken. We were also served a Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie which contains Smooth Peanut Butter, Banana, Condensed Milk and Cream. I'm a bit of a weird one with Peanut Butter. I can only eat it if it is smooth. The smoothie was sweet but salty at the same time which made it quite delicious but also the addition of condensed milk and cream gave it a luxurious/slightly decadent feel. Colin explained that it was to cool down the heat of the Jerk Chicken as dairy helps a lot better than water when it comes to cooling down your mouth. We then went to go watch the Jerk Chicken being made which was an interesting experience.
I went to go sit back down and realised that there was a drink waiting for me. This one was a Bahama Mama. Koko Kanu Rum, Banana Liqueur with Pineapple and Grenadine. I couldn't really taste the Rum but I could taste the liqueur and the pineapple which made for a fresh Banana taste when drinking the cocktail. The Jerk Chicken arrived at our table. The dish comes with Caribbean Coleslaw and Sweet Potato Fries so we served ourselves them and then made sure that we had a good helping of Chicken each. The coleslaw was refreshing yet had a slight kick, the Sweet Potato fries were crispy and soft. They were just amazing in summary.
We were then told to answer a few questions to see if we had been listening on the night. We had and this resulted in us receiving some Caymana's Rum Cake which was with some Rum influenced caramel sauce. The sponge was light and delicious with Rum running all the way through it which made it that little bit more delicious. We said goodbye and left with a goodie bag which contained some sauces and other things which ended up smashed due to the bag ripping in Trinity Leeds on the way back to the train station. Things like that happen sometimes.
If you live in Leeds and love Caribbean food then wander up to The Light Leeds where you'll be able to find Turtle Bay as you can not miss it with its vibrant lights outside. Happy Hour is also on 90% of the time therefore all cocktails are 2 for 1 so if you were still hesitating whether to go or not then that should have twisted your arm to go as soon as you can.
I cannot thank Turtle Bay, their PR and the staff at the new Leeds branch for inviting me to the pre-launch of the restaurant. If you want to know anything more about Turtle Bay then you can click here. I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post and I hope to see you next time for another blog post. If you have checked out Turtle Bay then let me know down below.
Meow!
Jamie x
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