Tag Archives: uk

Killer Jerk Chicken with Rice & been

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I always try to make some good quality food at the weekend. Followed Jamie Oliver’s 30 minutes meal’s book, I tried to make ‘Killer Jerk Chicken‘ with kidney bean rice, salad, lime coriander yogurt sauce, and BBQ sweet corn this time. I like Jamaica or Caribbean food – all about spice and different flavours.

It was not really difficult to make, and it was really delicious. I am sure if I can make it, anyone can as well. I think the kidney been or black been rice was so delicious. I always know about normal rice, but with little bit herb and spice, the rice was so full of flavour and alive – absolutely delicious.

Served with my favourite Hoegaarden cold beer, happy day ever!

Gok Wan Makeover Live

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Karolina asked me to join her to see Gok Wan‘s new TV shooting in Corn Exchange Leeds, and will release on TV in January. I am not Gok Wan’s fan, but it’s fun to experience the shooting and have some fun time with Karolina.

It said it will be started on 4:30pm, but when we were there, and waited an hour and a half to actually start the show. After starting 10 minutes, we already fed up with waiting and rehearsals all the time. When you think of it, all the TV shows take so much time and effort to produce it, then show you the best of it on TV within half an hour.

I both agreed that we are too old for standing hours and hours to watch celebrities shooting, or basically we don’t really care I guess. However, it was fun experience and I did enjoy it because it’s something we normal didn’t do and see Gok Wan in real life once.

First Snow In Leeds

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Snow is always special for me, and it always makes me dream that I am living in a fair tale world. Like the snow princess is waiting for her prince to rescue her. I like the white and pureness of snow, and you know it’s so cold outside, and luckily you just sit at your cozy home with fireplace and a cup of tea or hot chocolate. Mmm…it’s the perfect winter for me.

John woke me up this morning and whispered to me: I think we got some snow, Carmen! I immediately woke up and could see the snow flakes from my bedroom window gently falling down from the sky, and I sunk into my Carmen imagination world and dreamed again. What’s your dream world like?

Miwa Visiting Me

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Miwa was so kindly to come to Leeds to keep me accompanied because she knew that John will be away to Florida for a week, and she was afraid that I will be lonely. Miwa arrived Saturday afternoon, then we went to town to have a walk with Melanie, and done some shopping. I took her to the restaurant called Thai Edge. It was absolutely delicious, authentic with reasonable price. I got my favourite curry crab. I missed it so much. It was 4.5 out of 5 definitely.

We decided to go to Manchester on Sunday, and just chilled out and ate food. Miwa and I didn’t do much research, and just booked the ticket to Manchester. Two little girls were in the big strange city, but we managed well. We went to Tai Hu Dimsum restaurant we went before with John, and we ordered 10 dishes dimsum and finished them all. The time when we finished lunch, all the shops were almost closed.

It’s nice of Miwa spending time with me because she will be back to Japan permanently and I won’t see her easily like she is in London now. I am so glad that I got Eileen, Miwa and Vicky as good friends in London.

Friends forever, no matter where they are!

Ho’s Best Dimsum in Leeds

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I love Ho’s Chinese Restaurant in Leeds city centre. We have been there many times, and feel like that it is our regular dimsum place. I took all my friends there and they all said Ho’s dimsum is one of the best, even better in Guangzhou. Ho’s dimsum is certainly home-made Chinese with fresh ingredients and big portions as well. Most importantly, it is cheap and you will be satisfied when you walk out the restaurant.

My colleagues and I went there for dinner as well. The quality of the normal Chinese food was really authentic and I felt like I was in Guangzhou or Hong Kong. I will never feel home sick if we have good dimsum in Leeds. I gave 4.5 out of 5. If you like good quality of Chinese food in Leeds, go and try some.

My home-cooked Asparagus with Cod Fish

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Normally we eat a lot of home-made good food at home. In the past few weekends, we bought fish and cooked them with simple recipes. Last night, I pan-fried cod fish with garlic asparagus, and mash sweet potato, add one roast big mushroom. It was so simple, but extremely tasty. Do you like it when you see the picture? It was so delicious.

Haworth – The Brontë Sisters Home

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It’s a beautiful sunny weekend, so we both decided to travel somewhere. Haworth is one of the famous pretty town in the Yorkshire because of the The Brontës Sisters. After 30 minutes driving, we arrived the town. It was small, but pretty and peaceful. The sisters, Charlotte (born 21 April 1816), Emily (born 30 July 1818), and Anne (born 17 January 1820), are well known as a trio of sibling poets and novelists. I remembered that when we were in the University, we used to read Bronte sister’s book in our literature classes.

It was nice to visit Haworth and we certainly will go back for hiking there. We picked a cafe where was home-baked bread and produced local meat for lunch. John ordered a really big roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, and I ordered a big breakfast with tea. It was reasonable price with big portion and quality tasty food. I do wish all the tourist places should be like that, not over-priced horrible normal food.

I really enjoy little trip like this.

Piccolino Restaurant

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Piccolino Restaurant is a Italian chain restaurant, and you can see them everywhere. We hadn’t tried it in London, but there is one in Leeds city centre and they have highly reviews. I have been there twice. One was with John’s family and we ordered some pizza, and pasta. I ordered the spicy sausage risotto, and they were all really tasty.

My colleagues decided to have the dinner party in there last few weeks ago. We ordered starters, main courts and desserts – they were all so lovely and tasty. Personally I ordered a king prawn starter like the cover picture, seafood grill and chocolate trifle, and they were absolutely gorgeous. I wish the portion could be a little bit bigger, but it was acceptable. Piccolino is a high-end posh restaurant, so the price is quite pricy too. However, the food did deserve the price. John told me that their pizza was one of the best he had tried. He is a pizza expert and food critic too.

Who doesn’t love good simple and tasty Italian food, and Piccolino is one of them – simple, elegant, and most importantly very tasty. The red passionate interior and a fancy lavatory room with good food and service. 4.5 of 5 for sure. Cover pictures from their office website.

Kendell’s Bistro French Restaurant

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As a food lover, discovering good food is always my favourite part of a week. We saw Kendell’s Bistro French restaurant in Leeds city centre through the Internet, and it always has the best reviews. John’s Mum’s birthday is coming, so we took her there for special occasion.

We love French food and the best one we tried was my 27th birthday and our wedding day called Savoir Faire in Holborn London. It was really delicious, good service, and home-made French food. So I can’t wait to try another home-made French food in Leeds.

When we arrived, I was expected that it would be a tiny cozy restaurant, but it wasn’t. It was a big and open restaurant with many artistic pictures on the wall. It was fairly dark with candles everywhere. The interior decoration style was really French – elegant and romantic with French Jazz music. The atmosphere was just perfect and so my taste.

All the menu was written on the blackboard because it changes all the time, depends on the Seasons. You can see the main Chef Steve Kendell was so busy cooking through an open kitchen. We all ordered a three-courses-meal and some red wine: I ordered a French Onion Soup, Roast Pork Belly along with some roast potato and vegetables, and Lemon Tart. It was beautiful and gorgeous with right amount portion. The starter was right amount and tasty. The pork was tender, juicy and the cracker was perfect. The tart was fresh. The service was excellent and friendly. We did enjoy the food so much and felt like we instantly fell into the heaven.

The owner knew it was John’s Mum’s birthday, and gave her a rose champagne to treat her special. It was very thoughtful. All the little details made the restaurant different and we did have a good time. I certainly will return in the future. Price is very reasonable, good quality food, excellent service and good atmosphere. It deserves a 4.5 stars of 5. Highly recommended.

The cover picture was from I Know Yorkshire. It will be so perfect to read this article and listening Editch Piaf. I felt like I am already in France.


Manchester Shopping + Dimsum

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After John went to Manchester for his conference meeting, he said I would love to go shopping and experience Manchester. We decided to drive to Manchester at this weekend and see whether I like it or not.

It was very easy road to drive from Leeds to Manchester. After 40 minutes, we parked in central of Manchester and started to explore the area. It got Selfridges and a lot of big departments, high street, and a lot more choices than Leeds. I always think Leeds city centre is too small. I did enjoy to go shopping in London, but could be quite tired, because it is huge. I could easily spend one day only walking in Oxford Street. However, Manchester is the perfect size for going shopping. You don’t need to take tubes to go to different area, but it got so many designers shops and brands everywhere.

Manchester is famous for a huge number of Chinese population, and it means there is a lot of Chinese restaurants in town, so we went to Tai Wu restaurant, which we had been to the same one in Guangzhou and it is a big Chain dimsum restaurant in China. It was great dimsum – very cheap. Price was from £1.7-£3 per dish. However, like in China, Tai Wu didn’t have much of vegetarian choices because John likes vegetarian dimsum. I think we ordered 8-10 dishes and came out only £16 for the bill.

Interestingly there was Jazz Festival promoting in Manchester city centre, and pity that we didn’t stay long to attend the event. I can feel more music cultural happening in Manchester than Leeds.

Manchester always has the reputation that it is a rough and scary city and I felt it when I was there, not because I followed the stereotype, but it was true.  Even though living in London for 2 years, I didn’t feel London is particular a rough or dangerous city. It has some rough area for sure, but I never felt uncomfortable living there. I think I might feel quite dangerous living in Manchester, but it was my personal opinion and it is properly not fully true if you are living there rather than as a visitor.

I do like Manchester, and bigger than Leeds and  love about the shopping and many choices of food. I will definitely go shopping there again and return often. It makes me miss London a lot.