Gary Marshall

i finally saw this on saturday and thought it was much better than i expected. For some reason i thought it was a GR presented chat show rather than a general food show. Certainly done a better job than 'full on food' to reinvent 'food & drink' for the noughties.

what new features do they have?

interesting list star at harome - michelin star yorke arms - michelin star and isn't the 3 fishes owned by nigel howarth of northcote manor/michelin fame? much as i like the yorke arms it is a country house hotel/restaurant that happens to be in a pub. the star remains a pubby atmosphere though. so not quite 'rural bistros' certainly the star & the yorke arms are very serious restaurants in their own right.

i heard the star at harome got voted pub of the year, no suprise there!

not much, but a friend of mine had lunch with pierre not so long ago and from what i remember he is still looking for a place, and is planning to do the cooking.

only to chefs

platts-martin certainly has the pedigree so i'm sure they'll get one eventually. i think tony's happy enough with two full restaurants, a star would be icing on the cake. it would be good to see a few new rising stars honoured rather than an established generation in new venues receiving the gongs.

from what i've read, this is a quirk of their franchising agreement, usually you would get a dedicated area with your franchise but not with subway so if you take out one franchise you end up having to take out more to protect your patch! i think york has gone from none to 3-4 in just over a year

i'd be suprised if the ledbury got one straight away, given michelin's general desire to see restaurants settle down for a year or so, despite their quality. as it was birmingham's year last year it would be nice to see Leeds officially recognised with a star apiece for Anthony's and No3 York Place, though both seem to be getting along quite nicely without them at the moment! results are usually officially announced feb time aren't they?

often on the menu at no3 york place, anything in pastry gets my vote !

well he did pay his fair share despite not drinking, and it really is cruelty to leave a southern reviewer to his own devices up north ! it was a very good lunch, everybody apart from Jay got home much later and drunker than expected!

yes, that rings a bell.

i think this was quite opportunistic, they were approached to do it, it was pretty much ready to go bar a bit of decorating so a bit of a no-brainer for them versus the hassle of starting from scratch with a lease, kitchen to build etc.

tony's got a team and is showing them a few of his tricks by the sound of it and staff are swapping between the two, but i assume it will have it's own full time team as it settles down.

Future looks very bright for anthony's new venture, the space hasn't altered from the original cafe if you liked that, very bright, airy with exposed beams, it's essentially a huge loft. there's an art exhibition at the front which is flannels controlled but adds to the overall experience. you can have anything from a coffee upwards is the essence of the concept. menu is split into a page of breakfast goodies, from croissants to eggs benedict and beyond served until 11.30, then there's a lunch menu from club sandwiches to caesar salads and steak and chips. Then there's the anthony's lunch which is £12 for 2 £16 -i think for 3 courses of anthony's style cooking which will be familiar to those who've been to the main restaurant. if that's not enough then you can settle into afternoon tea (must be Olga's influence she's a bit obsessed by afternoon tea at Betty's!) . open 7 days a week until 6pm i think. i had a quick lunch of nicoise salad which came as two seared chunks of tuna, with a well dressed salad with french beans, boiled eggs and a little stack of sauteed potatoes. It was just what i need as i'm a little jaded at the minute, nicely piquant dressing and well seasoned. it is not yet being marketed and so there's no mention of it in the shop itself but i can assure you it's there, and open on the top floor!

the leeds cafe was opened by simon gueller, with the fixtures and fittings from the late teatro leeds, i believe.

i do, it's near millenium square, in a basement on the corner. 6 millenium square, great george street, leeds, ls1 3dw. 0113 242 9688

don't forget no3 ! hard to believe but i actually go there more than anthony's

the trick is to let them think they wear the trousers ......

you see being foodies you'll be lured into tucking into those lungs as being 'the right thing to do' whilst i shall be tucking into my chicken satay and actually enjoying it

Which is why, after nearly 20 years in journalism, I have literally written for every section of newspapers for which it is possible to write - except sport. ← you see, i thought that was a joke on jay's non sporting nature, though to look at him you'd never think he wasn't sporty

err, the answer is yes and no. it is open but not publicised as yet, whilst they iron out the problems of which there have been many, officially opens next week. It will be called Anthony's at Flannels. i was speaking to tony snr earlier and i'm heading up for lunch tomorrow but it is doing everything breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and functions in the evening. not sure what's on the menu but they are using anthony's restaurant standard ingredients, including the bread.

hey, they were spicy noodles !

i know i let the side down (Ladyboys FC), i did warn you i know nothing about chinese food i'm so distracted at the moment i've just walked back from leeds town centre and forgot to buy lunch so constructing a banquet is out of my range at the moment anyway, anthony's at flannels opens officially next week so that's my lunchtimes taken care of

A colleague gave me a menu for a new leeds chinese the other day and then over lunch on friday jay and thom were raving about the sister branch in manchester......... http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/st...1591529,00.html so i headed over today, being a complete novice to chinese food and not having the time or inclination for a big blow out we passed the undoubted delights of stir fried pig intestine and had the wimpy set lunch, a veritable bargain at £8 for 3 courses. I had a very good beijing hot and sour soup, some excellently garlic salt and pepper spare ribs followed by singapore style vermicelli (spicy). Everything was definitely a step above the usual chinese standard and it looks well worth returning to for a more adventurous banquet.