5 dishes to try this October

Winter's on its way, you could probably do with a bit of extra insulation...

Runny Scotch Egg, Bear’s Pantry @ Northern Monk Refectory

The latest pop up to take over at Northern Monk offers up beer infused dishes and pairings, pies and slow cooked meat mains. The highlights are in their small plates, particularly the runny scotch egg.

This is not your regular scotch egg, this is a gourmet scotch egg, made from locally sourced sausage meat, drizzled with homemade beer HP ketchup, topped with ‘pork crunch’ and served with a celeriac and apple slaw, don’t get us started on that perfectly runny yolk. Pair with one of Northern Monk’s many great beers for a winning snack. Toni

Northern Monk Refectory, The Old Flax Store, Marshall Street, Leeds LS11 9YJ

Whitebait Tacos, Holy Mountain

To be completely honest I could populate this whole list with 5 different tacos from the new pop-up in Chida Bar’s kitchen, but I’ll exercise some restraint. The ones which stand out the most - for their sheer uniqueness - are the whitebait ones, a handful of crispy-fried, salty fish wrapped up in a corn tortilla, paired with an absolutely badass homemade hot sauce. Thom

Chida Bar & Cantina, 5 Cross Belgrave Street, Leeds LS2 8JP

Vanilla-glaze donut, Temple Coffee & Donuts

From Holy to holey: sure this is just bread covered in sugar, but - wait, what am I saying - this is bread, covered in sugar. What more could you ask for? Temple appreciate the fact that we eat with our eyes, and the galaxy-glaze on Temple’s signature vanilla glazed donut - baked by Leeds Bread Co-op and decorated in-house - is like an edible acid-trip. Thom

Temple Coffee & Donuts, Burley Wood Court, 462 Kirkstall Road, Leeds LS4 2AR.

Smoked Eel Rarebit, HOME

Ok so full disclosure: I actually tried this course in September at a preview evening for the new menu; but more than halfway through the month I’m yet to eat anything else that packs quite as much concentrated flavour into a couple of mouthfuls. A sliver of the fish replaces the bread in this “rarebit” - it’s topped with Lincolshire Poacher, a mature, smoked cheese which has had its flavour amplified by a toasting with a blowtorch. It makes you wonder what else might benefit from replacing bread with smoked eel - beans on eel? Eel & butter pudding?... Thom

HOME, 16/17 Kirkgate, LS1 6BY. Opens Friday 18 August. Bookings.

Manti, The Reliance

As discovered whilst researching world dumplings of Leeds, Turkish Manti are particularly hard to find in restaurants. Luckily, The Reliance seemed to be listening to my prayers, and answered in the form of one of their specials this month, a hearty small plate that epitomises Autumn.

The spiced pumpkin parcels are surrounded by delicate tomato oil and topped with chunks of rich tomato sauce and fresh mint. We’re hoping it will be available again soon, however the specials change daily depending on what fresh ingredients are available. Toni

76-78 North St, Leeds LS2 7PN