When exploring what Leeds city centre has to offer, it's easy to forget about the many businesses that thrive just outside of the main shopping district. Based in Holbeck and about a 10-to-15 minute walk from the shops is Northern Monk Refectory, that opened its doors in 2014. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength; not only with creating fantastic and unusual beers within the brewery, but showcasing the best that the north has to offer in their Refectory Tap Room. It has been one of my favourite places to visit in Leeds since its inception, and I'm always itching to get my hands on their latest beers if I'm not able to pay them a visit at the refectory. However, they not only serve up some of the best beers that Leeds has to offer; their food is something special as well, and from today, it's starting an exciting new chapter in the history of Northern Monk.




In the past, Northern Monk's food has been provided by the excellent Grub & Grog Shop; they have now taken residency at Sheaf St Cafeteria, leaving a spot open for some exciting new potential. Enter Northern Monk's new head chef, Gavin Jackson; who has created an entirely new menu, focusing on seasonal food and local produce. I was invited down to the refectory on Monday night to try their food before opening the kitchens to the public today; which I have to say, I felt very privileged to be doing so. I wholeheartedly support Northern Monk on whatever venture they come up with next, and so to be trying their new menu - a big step for the company when the food was already very popular - was a wonderful opportunity and very exciting indeed.




After trying one of their new beers that is due to launch within the next couple of weeks (The 822 Double IPA if you're wondering - will be available in cans as well as draft, and you simply must try it when it launches!), we headed upstairs to the refectory tap room and kitchens, which had been decorated beautifully especially for us. This menu is focusing on small plates, paired or brewed with Northern Monk's own beers, and will be changing frequently to reflect on the current season's best produce. It's so refreshing to see a company that is passionate about pairing beer with food, much like you would traditionally with wine. It is slowly becoming more and more popular, and I can tell that by Northern Monk doing this, it will not only create a wave through the craft beer industry, but through the food and restaurant industry as well. After seeing for myself how well it can be done, I wouldn't be surprised if other businesses catch on and start doing this for themselves. So, after settling down and being told about the menu and how it came about, it was time to try the food; all six courses of it!



First up was the Slow Baked Trout and Pickled Cucumber, dressed with Sea Herbs. Believe it or not, this was my first time trying trout, as I had been brought up as a vegetarian and had yet come across the opportunity to do so. The trout was absolutely delicious, soft and falling apart with barely any persuasion needed; if all trout tastes this good, I would not hesitate in having it again. The pickled cucumbers sharp and crunchy, contrasting wonderfully with the fish and complimenting the sea herbs beautifully. These were unlike anything I had ever tasted before, and helped to bring the whole dish together without becoming overwhelming. This was paired with the 'Banh Mi' Thai Gose, a collaboration between Northern Monk and Banh Mi Booth for Leeds Indie Food 2016. I had desperately wanted to try this beer and never found it, so I was very happy indeed to be presented it with such beautiful food. Flavoured with basil and lime, it was zesty and sour, with a hint of saltiness that I have not come across in any other beer. When paired with the trout, it brought out the 'seafood' element of the dish, and makes you sit up and take notice; I doubt that you will find a more unusual combination!




Up next was the Venison Tartare with Dijon Mustard and Shallots, served with Quail Egg Yolk, Parsley, Chard Leek and Rye Bread Crisps. I've never had venison in tartare form before - in fact, I don't think anyone at the event had - so this was a new experience. I'm used to venison tasting very 'gamey' and it has taken me some getting used to, but this wasn't the case with this dish. Still big on the flavour, this venison - sourced from a Yorkshire National Park - has been softened by the addition of the leek and egg yolk (which passed the runny yolk test with flying colours), and for me was really quite unusual. However, when paired with the mustard and crisps, a little taste of familiarity crept back in and some of that peppery flavour from the mustard brought it back up a notch. The contrast in textures was also pleasing, and helped to bring this dish up to outstanding quality. The flavours are quite complex, but right on point and it paired beautifully with the New World IPA, with its intense notes of pine and grapefruit, as well as a bitter aftertaste. Also worthy of an honourable mention was the Beer Bread from Edward Street Bakery and Home Smoked Salted Butter, which had everyone in awe for such a simple accompaniment. As bread and butter goes, it really couldn't be beaten.



The third course out of six was the Broad Bean Waffles with Oak Smoked Goat's Cheese, Pea Purée and Nasturtiums. This was I think the smallest dish out of them all, but what it lacked in size, it more than made up in flavour. I have never known broad beans to carry such an intense flavour; every mouthful needs to be savoured in order to appreciate the uniqueness of this dish. The texture of the waffles was surprisingly light, which was completely unexpected. The goat's cheese was creamy and suitably smoky, bringing out the earthy notes of the broad bean waffles and sweetness of the pea puree. The nasturtiums were also a surprise, being quite peppery and adding an unusual twist to the dish; not only in the flavour but in the presentation as well. The beer that was paired with this was the 'Northern Star' Mocha Porter; created with ground coffee beans from North Star Coffee Micro Coffee Roasters, it is rich and full bodied with hints of hazelnut and dark chocolate. Now, if you know me, then you know that I don't like coffee in any way shape or form - and unfortunately that includes beer. However, being a good sport I had a couple of sips with my food and you know what? I liked it. For me, the food toned down the bitterness from the coffee, and brought out those sweeter notes. As I remarked at the time, it must be a true testament to how good the food was to make me like a beer that I didn't otherwise - and therefore this dish took pride of place as my favourite course from the evening.



More fish was next, this time in the form of Poached Cod with Pistachio Nut Butter, Grilled Spring Onion, Roasted Pistachios and Lemon. Knowing how good the trout was, I had high hopes for the cod, and I'm pleased to say that I wasn't disappointed. Light in texture with soft, white flesh, it behaved near enough exactly the same as the trout, with falling apart to the touch. Usually I'm not a fan of nuts, but in this instance the nuttiness of the butter really enhanced the fish, and brought it out to its true potential. The flavours were very delicate overall, especially in comparison to some of the other dishes from the evening, but enjoying some of the roasted pistachios helped to add in little punches of flavour. The texture of the butter was smooth but with a defined grittiness, which I personally really enjoyed; so much so that I was mopping it up with some leftover bread when the dish was finished! The only part of this dish that I didn't like was the spring onion - and that's because I don't like spring onion at all, no matter what it is paired with. However, I was assured from fellow diners that it was truly excellent, so please don't let my distaste of the vegetable put you off. The beer of choice with this course was the well-known 'Eternal' Session IPA, a light blonde pale ale that is surprisingly hoppy for such lightness. As suggested by the name, this beer is very easy to drink and you won't get bored after a few pints of this - although your head might not thank you for it the next day! The abundance of hops in this beer worked really well with the pistachio, bringing out the bitterness of the nut; both in roasted and in butter form.



Last in the main courses was the Pan Fried Duck Breast with Carrot Purée, Sautéed Carrots, Fennel and Jus. This dish was quite a bit sweeter than I had imagined; the carrots had been cooked for only a short period of time, so they were crunchy and fragrant rather than savoury, which I wouldn't have ordinarily paired with duck. The purée only added to this, but was much more intense in flavour and somehow it just all seemed to work. The duck was beautifully cooked, blushing pink with the most pristine skin that I have ever seen. However, whilst the flavour of the duck worked for me, the texture didn't. I'm not keen at all on what I would call "fatty" meats; this and pork belly are the two instances of this for me. The chewy meat is something that I just cannot get on board with, which is a shame as the flavour really was outstanding. However, if you like duck, then I can guarantee that you will absolutely love this - even I can appreciate that it has been prepared and cooked by a chef with real talent and skill. I also had to leave the fennel, so overall this wasn't a dish that I would order for myself in the future; but considering how much I enjoyed all of the other courses, I can live with not liking one of them! The beer that was paired with this dish was truly special; the 'Heathen' IPA, which clocking in at 7.2%, was the strongest out of all of the ones that we tried. If you're familiar with the 'Faith' IPA, then this is Faith's big sister; brewed with my favourite hop, Citra, this packs a tropical fruit punch that almost knocks you for six. This is an absolutely incredible beer, and one to truly savour - I have two cans of it and I can't wait to enjoy it again! This was the winning beer for me from the event - and it was about to come up against some stiff competition.



To finish off with, we couldn't leave without squeezing in some dessert - even though I think we were all pretty full by this point! However, this menu was about to go out with a bang; Vanilla Yogurt topped with Strawberry and Black Pepper Ice Cream from Northern Bloc, Strawberry Compote, Macerated Strawberries and Elderflower Fritter. Where do I start with this dish? Obviously the strawberry was going to be the top flavour, and it was in abundance. Somehow, however, it wasn't overpowering and I think I know why this was the case; the ice cream from Northern Bloc. Amongst all the sweetness was this sudden kick of black pepper, and it was utterly mind blowing. I've heard of the combination of strawberry and black pepper before but never quite believed that it would work - but it really does. The other unique twist to this dish was the elderflower fritter, which was absolutely incredible. As strange as it felt to be eating what was essentially deep fried flowers, it was sweet but in a completely different way to the strawberry. I've never had anything like it, and something like this I would expect of a Michelin-starred restaurant; bringing a dish up to the next level by throwing something so unusual into the mix. I absolutely loved it, and it was the perfect end to the six course meal. The final beer of the night was one that I had been desperate to try since it was released; the 'Neopolitan' Ice Cream Pale. If you're thinking "That can't possibly work" - I can assure you, it absolutely can! Brewed in collaboration with Little Leeds Beer House, this is brewed with 30kg of strawberries and chocolate sauce from York Cocoa House, with lactose for a creamy vanilla base. Believe me when I say that somehow, incredibly, it really does taste of proper ice cream. As I said to Brian Dickson, the head brewer, I don't know how they have managed to brew a beer that has these sweet flavours but is still light and not sickly in the slightest. A really fantastic beer that everyone simply must try - even if it's just to say that that you've had a beer that tastes of ice cream!



I think it is safe to say that I am thoroughly impressed with Northern Monk's new refectory menu. Grub & Grog will undoubtedly be missed, but in its place is a fresh, exciting menu that I truly believe will only get even better over time. Their new head chef, Gavin Jackson seems very well suited to Northern Monk; creating a stunning menu, using local produce that is designed specifically to pair with the beers that are being brewed. It's a unique and exciting partnership, and I'm really excited to see what they come up with in the future - because if this first menu is anything to go by, it's going to blow everyone out of the water. This new menu launches today after being closed this week for refurbishment, so get down to Northern Monk Refectory and give this new food menu a try - with the perfectly matched beers, of course - I promise that you will not be disappointed.

Disclaimer: Our meal was complimentary, but this does not affect my opinion in any way.