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Restaurant Review: Haley & Clifford, Street Lane, Leeds
Cafes are something Roundhay is not in short supply of.
Seats on the other hand are at a premium in some of the more popular – and/or cosier – places to meet while satiating your hunger.
Take Haley & Clifford’s deli-caff on Street Lane, where Little Oliver ventured out for a late lunch.
It has many more chairs than it comfortably seats inside – which in my opinion is 10.
And to achieve this optimum number will probably involve a spot of table sharing as there are only two.
Otherwise you might have to negotiate a bar stool, or a seat outside. During the chilly season, hot water bottles and blankets keep ‘fresh air’ customers warm and snug.
We, however, grabbed a rare opportunity to claim one of the inside tables to ourselves. We were joined by another couple within minutes, which took us to a full table capacity of four.
Our orders were already placed at the deli counter – two soups of the day.
The hearty portions of homemade sweet potato, chilli and lime soup – irresistibly hot and tangy – with a portion of French bread, warmed the cockles perfectly.
However, it also filled us up more than we had anticipated, instantly turning what could have been a three course lunch into two.
Not that this really mattered. We took a breather over herbal tea and newspapers, and browsed the deli’s shelves.
The vertically stacked shelves of brightly packaged jams and chutneys, fine chocolates and cold pressed oils – most of which you will not find in your local supermarket – are impossible to resist.
Locally produced salads, a well stocked cheese and meat counter, and the all important clearance shelf are also worth investigating.
Main courses can be as simple as a sandwich, panini, pork pie or scotch egg – served with a green salad, topped with the deli’s moreish house dressing.
But we each went for a platter – a choice of main dish served with three salad options.
Mine was a homemade spinach and goats cheese filo pastry pie with sweet potato, Mediterranean vegetables and beetroot and apple salad (£8).
My lunching partner ate a Moroccan beef filo parcel with yellow pepper and passion fruit burghal wheat, curried chickpeas, and the apple beetroot (£7.45).
Again, both were generous portions and I struggled to finish – which is rare.
In hindsight I should have stuck to a green salad and foregone all the extra veg which was a little flavourless. But then I chose badly as my partner’s combo was delicious.
Haley & Clifford’s is a sociable spot, as much about the place as the food. And if you choose wisely, great value for money.
We finished our feast at home sharing a stollen and packet of Botham’s tea biscuits – both purchased from the deli’s clearance shelf – with friends over many cups of tea.
Rating 4/5
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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