We were invited to a party—and for the first time in three years, we were both able to go.
I know, it sounds lame as, but between having a baby during lockdown and then parenting a toddler and teenagers, there hasn’t been much chance to get out without at least one of the kids tagging along. But here we were: a real date night. Together.
When we arrived, the place was buzzing—a cool crowd of all ages and cultures, with a DJ who was nailing it. I even thought I was cool for a brief second until I was handed a goody bag and, I won’t lie, I got way too excited about the contents – car air freshener, sticker, party hats and Northern Monk‘s very own illustrated playing cards inside. The artwork was very Northern Monk-style, and I probably geeked out over them way longer than any adult should.
We were both starving, having just survived the after-school chaos, a flurry of outfit changes,and dropping our son off with the babysitter, within a very short space of time. So we headed straight for the food vendors. First stop was a Japanese place called Yuzu. We ordered a couple of dishes to share and also grabbed a pizza-naan hybrid from Not So Classic.
While my boyfriend queued at the bar to try the free Faith beer they were handing out, I found myself a cozy seat in their tiny cinema—apparently, it’s one of the smallest in Leeds, and it’s adorable (says the ex-film student in me).
The Faith beer was clearly a hit—he enjoyed it so much that he had two more after that. According to him, it had the perfect fruity balance. I passed on the beer and opted for a mojito instead. It was a coconutty, refreshing dream, and it definitely didn’t disappoint.
Now, we had agreed to share the food, but the second the Szechuan crispy dumpling noodles hit the table, all bets were off. I was too busy having a moment with those spicy, nutty noodles to notice my boyfriend’s pleading eyes. Tasty slippery noodles were sliding their way into my tummy and when I finally looked up, he just raised an eyebrow and said, “Am I getting any of that?” I’d only managed to leave him the scraps. Meanwhile, he was blissfully devouring his shredded bulgogi beef brisket bao bun. And he kindly saved me half. Gulp. The bao was lovely like a soft, beefy kiss. Romantic music playing.
We also got the “Go Figure” pizza with brie, jam and fig toppings. I felt incredibly sophisticated choosing something other than pepperoni—and actually enjoying it. He wasn’t that impressed with the figs, but I was sold on the combo. Brie and jam? I’m a real grown-up.
There’s a cozy little snug around the corner, complete with comfy sofas and a stunning Christmas tree. That Christmas feeling is creeping in officially. Best bit is they’re showing Christmas films on loop in that mini cinema all December long, with kid-friendly screenings on Sundays.
Looks like we’ll have to squeeze in another date night—or maybe even a family outing. Any excuse for more of those noodles!
Thank you, Northern Market, and Happy Birthday!
https://www.northernmonk.com/pages/great-northern-market
Photography by Robyn Wilson.
Main image taken earlier this year, provided by Northern Market.
