Kino has only been open for a few short months, but the former cinema space has done nothing but fuse casual and fine dining in one a stunning setting.
The Grade II listed building has been home to charcuterie boards and pre-show cocktails for those catching a show at neighbouring Opera North, or acted as a laid back afternoon watering hole for those wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of city centre life in an intimate venue.
Now, local independent kitchen MorMor will be taking over as part of a foodie takeover for the remainder of the year- and you can catch a glimpse of their locally renowned Levantine cuisine from tonight.
The carefully-curated menu is made up of a range of delicious small plates inspired by spices from the crossroads of western Asia, the eastern Mediterranean and North-East Africa, each of which tells a story through flavour.
Chargrilled Onion, Orange and Fennel with Thyme. / Image: Chapter 81
We're talking sophisticated blends of roast aubergine with a date and almond crumb, dressed in a herb oil and honey tahini yoghurt, or the likes of butterfly cut king prawns barbecued over coals inside their shells and smothered in a warm harissa butter with chillies, Aleppo pepper and herbs.
The idea is that diners will be able to choose roughly two plates each, with options ranging from soft shell crab and sauteed green beans to tabbouleh, and can share the sensory experience with their diners.
MorMor has built a reputation across the North for its stunning Levantine dishes. / Image: MorMor, Instagram
There's also a large plate option, ideal for two people wanting to share, whilst includes inventive combinations like French cut lamb racks served pink with a za'atar crumb, spiced chermoula yoghurt, roast butternut squash purée and homemade flatbread.
Taking on a Palestinian staple, MorMor is also offering Guineafowl Musakhan, a Guineafowl roasted in sumac and pomegrate with toasted pine nuts and caramelised onions.
And if that's not enough, there's plenty of nibbly bits on the Mezze menu for starters of a light bite. Think Kurdish naan, hummus, roasted feta and cucumber, as well as patron peppers and mixed bread portions with za'atar and garlic oil.
MorMor launches at Kino from Wednesday 14 September 2022. / Image: Chapter 81
The new menu from MorMor, and the entire Kino dining space, is designed for bringing people together to anticipate, and embrace that joyous occasion of trying new flavours with like-minded company- and you're not going to be disappointed here.
To taste test the MorMor kitchen takeover at Kino Leeds and find out why this menu is anticipated to be a Leeds' favourite, visit Kino Wednesday - Saturday until the end of the year.
Feature Image- MorMor
Eats
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
The Swine That Dines announces the official opening date of its brand new restaurant
Clementine Hall
Much-loved Leeds Bistro The Swine Bistro, formerly known as The Swine That Dines, has moved to a bigger space in Headingley.
Although it’s gone through a few name changes over the years since launching as The Greedy Pig cafe in 2012, this independent spot has long been a firm favourite for Leeds locals for some time now.
Run by chef couple Jo and Stu Myers, they’ve been operating out of North Street where it’s all about cooking seasonal produce simply and with an added ‘little bit of sunshine’.
But now Swine Bistro has moved up over to Headingley, taking up a unit previously occupied by Jam hairdressers on Otley Road.
Image: Supplied
And the time has finally come for them to open their doors, as they announce their first service will take place on Friday 4 April with bookings open from today, Thursday 20 March.
The Myers will be welcoming head chef Kirsty Cheetham, who won Observer Food Monthly’s Best Sunday Lunch award in 2018 and 2022 when she ran The Queen o’t owd Thatch in South Milford, Leeds.
The expanded space in the restaurant has allowed the team to curate a bigger wine list which will include natural wines from Wayward Wines and Latitude Wines as well as local beers from Ilkley Brewery and Horsforth Brewery.
Image: Supplied
The team remains passionate about locally sourced ingredients and has partnered with a variety of Yorkshire suppliers including R&J Yorkshire for its fresh meat, Tarbetts fishmonger, cheese from George & Joseph cheesemongers and beans from micro roaster, Chipp Coffee Co.
Jo Myers, co-owner of the Swine Bistro said: “It’s taken a huge amount of time and effort to realise our dream to revamp what was previously a hairdresser into a fully functioning kitchen and restaurant. It’s been a wild ride but we’re excited, and slightly nervous, to finally open our doors.
“We love the vibe in Headingley and the time out has allowed us to have fun with our menu as well as take part in lots of essential taste testing of ingredients and drinks from our brilliant local suppliers. We can’t wait to welcome guests into our new restaurant!”
Sophie Smith -
14th September 2022 
