This month: Pansies, truffled idiazabal and balls of buttery Bolognese
While we lament the disappearing summer, we can take comfort (quite literally) in the fact that September is one of the best months for food. Here are a few things our team of writers suggest you might enjoy eating over the coming month.
Wing Rib of Beef – Ox Club (£28)
If there was a way to wood-smoke your water, Ox Club would have found a way to do it and make it delicious. But while beverages that taste of meat aren’t yet on their menu, actual meat meat very much is. This 400-gram monster comes pink, juicy and sliced up straight off the grill before being presented to you with confit chilli and garlic. I’ve read the dictionary from cover to cover, but there aren’t any words that really do it justice, unless “mnnnnaaarrrruuurgrguhhhh” is a word and I’ve missed it. I’m dribbling all over my keyboard just thinking about it, even though I ate it five days ago. Anyway, one of these bad boys, with a side of chips and grilled cauliflower is basically my food heaven – and I can’t say I’ve had better anywhere in the world. Simon Richardson
Ox Club, 19a The Headrow, Leeds LS1 6PU
Crab Tartine - Feed (£7)
As well as your hangover, Pudsey’s latest opening will feed your eyes, your belly and your soul. Their mantra is simple; if someone is making a quality ingredient locally, use it. And that’s exactly what they’ve done with my best dish this month. The crab tartine showcases Bluebird Bakery’s super sourdough in an open sandwich that says seaside and gardens in one bite. Yellow and lilac pansies, soft herbs and juicy crab meat, top toast slathered in unctuous bisque butter. You could eat this any time of day, which is handy as Feed serves 8 till late. Sarah Cotterill
Feed, 163 Richardshaw Ln, Pudsey, LS28 6AA
Risotto Vasca – Pintura (£7.25)
With EatLeeds as an excuse to indulge in a purse-friendly three courses for £15 offer, I finally made my low-awaited visit to Pintura in August. Whilst entrees of signature chorizo sausage and aoli-topped squid were expertly cooked, the real standout was the risotto vasca – tiny orzo pasta pieces with truffled idiazabal cheese and a ham crumb. All the creamy unctuousness of a microwave meal, but delivered with a light touch and subtleness of flavour that made it near impossible to push the bowl away. Offset your carb-loading with a glass of their excellent white wine – a very good deal indeed. Jenessa Williams
Pintura, Unit 3.26, 1 Trinity St, Leeds LS1 6AP
Meat Arancini – POCO Sicilian Street Food (£4)
Buttery, bold and oozing with melt-in-the-mouth Bolognese, POCO’s soft spheres of risotto strike a perfect balance of a creamy flavour and starchy softness. Available stuffed with meat, vegetables or Nutella, this street food joint’s arancini guarantee several bites of bliss (just resist diving straight in to avoid unleashing a torrent of piping hot steam on your tongue). I sampled this beauty at Chow Down festival in Halifax, but you can get it for a quid less at their permanent home on Kirkstall Road. Not to be missed. Kate Ryrie
POCO Sicilian Street Food, 360 Kirkstall Road, LS4 2HQ
Sweetcorn, Smoked Sage Butter and Shallot Ketchup - The Swine That Dines (lunch menu £6)
The Swine That Dines is a favourite for an intimate evening meal, and I've been looking forward to trying their new lunch menu. I shared a couple of small dishes with a friend, and this corn on the cob was a definite highlight. It's cooked on their new Japanese Konro Grill BBQ. Konro Grills allow for very methodical and precise cooking, allowing you to impart a gentle smokiness without acrid burnt flavours. This dish is beautifully balanced; charred, succulent, juicy corn is drizzled in a sweet and smoky butter. The shallot ketchup is delicate and savoury, a nice umami undertone. A garnish of spring onions finishes off this colourful plate, a little remnant of summer to take into the cooler months. I'm probably not meant to mention more than one dish, but while I'm at it, the rarebit croquettes should also be ordered... and also chicken wings…. Anja Madhvani
The Swine That Dines, 58 North St, Leeds LS2 7PN
