Trough with Gough

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Trough with Gough

👋 - Darren
🔎 - Food reviews with a dusting of comedy
🍔 - Troughing my way through Yorkshire
📩 - Enquires & invites via DM
🗺️ - TroughMap now live!

shr.pn/TroughMap

28/08/2026

BIG BUNS - The Northern Market, Leeds📍

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I nipped down to Big Buns with a few pals to give their burgers a proper troughing!

Loads of choice too, whether you’re after beef, chicken, veggie or vegan grub.

The wings and Chicken Kiev fries were also absolutely delightful, although I’m fairly sure I’ve still got enough garlic in me to ward off vampires until Christmas.

If you’re in Leeds and fancy a burger, a pint and breath that could strip wallpaper, get yourself down to Big Buns!

*invite

12/08/2026

VAULT BISTRO & SPEAKEASY - Pen*stone📍

🔎 Vault Bistro & Speakeasy - TYD

Vault Bistro in Pen*stone is a cracking little spot serving up some seriously good small plates, all in a converted old bank complete with the original vault door!

I tucked into ’nduja-infused scotch eggs, Korean buttermilk chicken, hot honey halloumi, black tiger king prawns swimming in ’nduja butter, burrata and some absolutely filthy triple-cooked chips.

The food is packed with flavour, made using local suppliers, and there’s even a speakeasy bar downstairs if you fancy turning dinner into a full-blown sesh!

One of the best small plate spreads I’ve had in yonks, and I’ll definitely be back for that Sunday roast.

Give this spot a try, it’s banging!

*Invite

05/08/2026

LA VELVETTA BRASSERIE & STEAKHOUSE - Armthorpe, Doncaster📍

🔎 La Velvetta

La Velvetta invited me down for an exclusive first look at their brand-new brasserie and steakhouse before they officially open on 12th August and they absolutely smashed it.

From a stunning marinated mozzarella and giant chicken croquettes to one of the best fillet steaks I’ve had in a long time (bring a straw for that bone marrow gravy!), every single dish was spot on. Even the sticky toffee pudding finished things off perfectly.

If you’re anywhere near Doncaster, this one’s well worth adding to the list. I reckon it’s going to be a busy one once the doors open!

*invite

28/07/2026

BLAKES 2.0 - Fulham Lane, Whitley📍

🔎 .0

Cowboy vibes, cracking brunch and possibly the most memorable latte art in Yorkshire… 👀

Blakes is a dog-friendly brunch spot serving up everything from loaded hash browns and Eggs Royale to Yorkshire pudding wraps, pancakes and quality coffee. The Eggs Royale was spot on, and those loaded hash browns with halloumi, bacon, smashed avo and hot honey were an absolute winner.

Definitely one I’d recommend if you’re after a proper brunch in the area.

21/07/2026

THE BLACKWELL OX INN - Carlton-in-Cleveland📍

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I’ve been coming to the Blackwell Ox for years and to be honest, I’m not sure how I’ve never actually reviewed it.

It’s tucked away in the little village of Carlton-in-Cleveland and from the outside it just looks like your typical country pub. Then you open the menu and it’s absolutely rammed with Thai food. Proper random… but it somehow just works.

Usually I don’t even look at the menu because I’m ordering either the Chicken Massaman or the Chicken Panang. Both are absolutely superb and genuinely some of the best Thai curries I’ve had. Mad really, considering it’s a pub in the middle of nowhere.

This time though I thought I’d branch out and went for the Pad Kee Mow (Drunken Noodles) with duck. Stir-fried flat noodles with onions, peppers, mushrooms, basil and a sauce that doesn’t mess about. This dish has got a proper kick to it, so if you’re not into spice, proceed with caution. If you are… get it ordered. I reckon it’s just overtaken the Panang as my favourite.

Now… let’s address the elephant in the room. It’s not cheap. You’re looking at around £19 for most mains, which isn’t exactly pocket change. But I’d much rather pay a bit more for food that’s consistently good than save a few quid and be disappointed. Every time I’ve been here, it’s delivered.

And when the sun’s out, the beer garden is a cracking spot to spend an afternoon with a pint while pretending you’re definitely not about to order dessert.

They’ve even got lodges if you fancy making a little weekend of it… starting from around £450. Or, if you’re anything like me, that’s roughly 24 Pad Thai’s!

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. It’s not somewhere I’d be nipping every week because of the prices, but if you’re after proper Thai food in a place you’d never expect to find it, this one’s well worth the trip.

23/06/2026

MIKEY’S JAMAICAN - South Elmsall, Pontefract📍

🔎 Mikey’s Jamaican

A little trip down to Mikey’s Jamaican Café in South Elmsall saw us swapping Yorkshire puddings for jerk chicken

The jerk chicken was smoky, juicy and packed with flavour, especially when drowned in their honey jerk sauce. The oxtail was rich, tender and falling off the bone, while the plantain, festivals and saltfish fritters made for some proper tasty sides. But the surprise star of the show for me was the mac and cheese. Absolutely loaded with cheese, chunks of jerk chicken and just the right amount of spice.

If you’re after authentic Jamaican food without booking a flight to Kingston, this one’s well worth a look!

22/06/2026

FRACT - Ropergate, Pontefract📍

🔎 Fract

Pontefract’s got itself a proper modern coffee and brunch spot!

FRACT opens this Friday on Ropergate and honestly, it’s exactly the sort of place the town has been crying out for. Great coffee, quality brunch dishes, fresh pastries, sandwiches, iced drinks and enough orange décor to make a traffic cone feel underdressed.

The picanha steak and eggs were the standout for me. Beautifully cooked steak, perfectly fried eggs with yolks wobbling about all over the place, finished with chimichurri and hot honey chilli sauce. The fried chicken and waffles weren’t hanging about either!

They’ve even got a reformer Pilates studio tucked away at the back, so you can stuff your face and then immediately go and work it all off.

A cracking addition to Pontefract and one I reckon is going to be absolutely rammed once the doors officially open!

04/06/2026

‼️ TROUGHMAP NOW LIVE ‼️

Now then, troughers... I’ve finally stopped making you scroll through six months of burgers, steaks and questionable life choices just to find that place I banged on about in Leeds.

The TroughMap is a colour-coded map packed with every restaurant that’s made the cut and earned a spot on the page.

Tap a pin and you’ll find:
⭐ My score 🍽️ Best dish 💰 Price guide 🎥 Direct link to the full review

So whether you’re after a Sunday roast, a filthy burger, date night inspiration or just a proper feed after work, it’s all there in one place.

And the best bit? Every time I review somewhere new, it’ll get added to the map. (If it’s made the cut!)

No drama. No endless scrolling. Just good food.

🔗 Link in bio

Give it a whirl and let me know what you think in the comments.

Sithi

02/06/2026

MEAT:STACK - Leeds📍

🔎

I’ve been back down to Meat Stack to try out there new limited edition SPICE BAG series.

I walked in expecting some hint of a Chinese salt and pepper chips scenario but what I actually got was waaaay better than I thought it would be!

Now the thing with spice bags is (well, for me anyway) you’ve got to have a curry that’s ludicrously thick, I’m talking wet concrete viscosity here. And guess what… it was thick as f**k. And let’s be honest, it needed to be. This curry was smooth, full of flavour flowed slower than lava. Poor that over anything and you’ve got yourself one hell of a meal.

Anyway, nuff curry talk, let’s get into the details.

Irish cheese burger - double smashed patties, curried mayo (there’s a strong theme appearing here) pepper & onions, S&P seasoning. A pretty well put together burger and I’ll be honest, it worked really well. The chicken version was also a winner and as you’d expect, the chicken with the curry sauce was a match made in heaven

Spice bag fries done in beef dripping (if you know, you know) chunks of chicken tenders, S&P seasoning and again, curry sauce 🫶🏻

Salt and pepper tenders were actually mega crunchy, no sogginess to be seen (until it’s arse ended up on the curry sauce) and chicken was juicy and tender.

Then onto the milkshake. Lucky charm; this tasted exactly like a bowl of lucky charm cereal, with a hint of mint which was very subtle (and worked) and little pellets of marshmallows floating around in there eventually getting sucked up the straw.

I really enjoyed this menu, it’s everything I’d wanted it to be honest, but I am a sucker for a S&P with a thick curry sauce. Go give it a bash, you’ll like it I promise!

01/06/2026

BAGAARI UTSAV - Roundhay Road, Leeds📍

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I got a sneak peek at Bagaara Utsav before they open their doors, and blimey, they’ve not messed about!

From crispy palak patta chaat and ridiculously good malai broccoli, to juicy lamb seekh kebabs, flavour-packed Bagaara chicken and some absolutely sensational lamb chops, the starters were firing on all cylinders.

The mains kept coming too - biryani, rogan josh, mango dal, aubergine curry - but the standout for me was the sea bass moilee. Crispy skin, flaky fish and a silky mango coconut sauce that had me scraping the plate.

Finished things off with a warm carrot pudding and ice cream despite already being approximately 94% naan bread.

This isn’t your standard curry house. It’s modern Indian food done properly, with a bit of flair and some seriously impressive dishes

It’s opening this week so keep your eyes peeled, it’s not to be missed!

*PR Invite

Address

Millennium Square
Leeds
LS2 3AD

Website

http://shr.pn/TroughMap

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