DINING

<<< [dining] TURTLE bay COMES TO COVENTRY

Coventry is all set to get a taste of the Caribbean when Turtle Bay launches its 5,140 sq. ft restaurant in the city’s Cathedral Lanes, this August.

This is the first site in Coventry for Turtle Bay, which is renowned for its social, warm atmosphere and vibrant design, serving delicious Caribbean inspired dishes and signature cocktails throughout the day and into the evening. From jerk chicken to fiery goat curry, vegan dishes packed with punchy Caribbean flavour, delicious desserts and one of the best bottomless brunch offers out there - you’ll find something for everyone at Turtle Bay.

Carl Jones, Operations Manager at Turtle Bay Coventry, said: “We are very much looking forward to opening Turtle Bay in the heart of Coventry. It’s always exciting to launch somewhere new, but the fact that we’re coming into the city in the midst of its UK City of Culture year definitely adds to the excitement!”

Charmain Wright, Centre Manager at Cathedral Lanes, added: “Myself and the team at Cathedral Lanes are thrilled to be adding Turtle Bay to our little part of the city. It’s wonderful to see so many big-name restaurants sitting alongside our amazing independent businesses and helping to bring the city back to life again.”

Turtle Bay Coventry will open to the public on Saturday 14th August and will be situated at Unit 9, Cathedral Lanes, Coventry CV1.

WOT NO MEAT?

BBQ season is upon us and as swathes of sausages and burgers make their way to the grill, Vegetarian and Vegans can feel left out when offered nothing more than a limp tofu burger. So why not pimp up your veggies and add some truly delicious greens to your grill to keep everyone happy this summer?

Here’s how to make veggies the star of the show this BBQ season:

Be Considerate with Kebabs

Any vegetable that can be cut into big chunks and skewered is a firm candidate to a kebab. Be creative and combine different colours, textures and flavours in each skewer. There’s just one golden rule: “Sturdies with sturdies and softies with softies”. You don’t want to bite a raw potato next to a totally dehydrated courgette.

Cook at the right tempo Controlling timing of a barbeque has never been easy. Especially when it comes to having everyone together at the table on time. But at least we can make sure all our vegetables are cooked to perfection and served at the right temperature.

METROPOLIS

openS WITH OPPORTUNITIES

A glamorous and groundbreaking new restaurant in Coventry will be serving careers as well as meals with the aim of changing the lives of young people.

Metropolis is set to be launched just as we go to print in the heart of the city centre with an all-inclusive menu that is filled with feel-good food.

Taking over the former Drapers Bar and giving it a 1920s Art Deco makeover, Metropolis will function as a training ground for young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).

The aim is in this year alone is to have 100 young people begin their journeys and turn their lives around and move into the hospitality industry.

The restaurant is being set up by Fleur Sexton and Dave Lewis of UK leading training company PET-Xi. Fleur said: “We are extremely excited to be announcing Metropolis and everything that is represents for the city.”

“Metropolis will provide a life-affirming opportunity for unqualified young people not in education, employment or training to gain qualifications, experience and turn their lives around.”

To book a table, visit metropolis-restaurant.co.uk or call 024 7622 1100

<<< [dining] EAT WITH ELLEN

Welcome to DLUXE’s guide to the best food and drink on offer in Coventry, produced by food writer and blogger

Eat with Ellen in conjunction with Visit Coventry. This month’s focus is on outdoor dining, giving you all the al fresco options in and around the city

Summer is here, and with it the promise of sunshine, al fresco lunches, warm evenings, long cocktails and crisp, cold beers. While the past year has brought many negatives, one positive is the addition of so many bars, restaurants and cafes with great outdoor space, giving more options than ever when it comes to drinks or dining outside, even if the sun fails to shine.

Whether it’s a long, lazy lunch outside, or a quick coffee in the sunshine, Coventry really does have something for everyone. Whether it’s a breakfast or burgers, cocktails or a Caribbean feast, you can find something to suit any taste or budget and still enjoy it in the open air. while Bella Italia and Pizza Express will give you an al fresco fix of your favourite Italian flavours.

The Slug & Lettuce is offering a special outdoor menu complete with small plates, as well as a bottomless brunch. If you’re after a bit of a celebration, and The GD on Medieval Spon Street offers everything from brilliant burgers to stunning Sunday roasts.

For flavours from around the world, get a taste of the Caribbean courtesy of Leave it to Esmie at FarGo Village or tuck into authentic Korean barbecue food outside at Jinseon Korean BBQ Restaurant & Bar. And don’t forget Turtle Bay, which launches this August. For drinks on the terrace, Cathedral Lanes in the heart of the city centre is home to The Botanist and the Cosy Club, both with outdoor terraces to enjoy a tipple or two.

Also in the city centre, Wetherspoon pub, The Spon Gate has plenty of outdoor seating to accommodate drinkers, while brand new bar Dhillon’s Spire Bar - the creation of popular local brewery Dhillons - is already proving a hit at its home in the Christchurch Spire on New Union Street, offering great beers in a historical landmark with the option to enjoy drinks in its courtyard. Another new open air spot is the rooftop terrace, Generators Bar, at the recently-opened Telegraph Hotel, where you can enjoy cocktails and drinks teamed with tapas overlooking the cityscape.

For special occasions Gourmet Food Kitchen offers an al fresco supper club in FarGo Village where you can enjoy a fine dining menu in the open air. Another fine dining option just outside the city centre is Earlsdon Supper Club, where you can enjoy tasting menus of unique dishes - many of which are made with ingredients grown or foraged by chef Tobias himself. For a sweet-toothed special occasion, Coombe Abbey just outside the city is the perfect place for afternoon tea or lunch on the terrace in its beautiful grounds.

If you’re after something more casual, Coventry has plenty of street food options, with more on the horizon for this summer. A brand new 340-seat space dubbed ‘Factory’ is set to open at FarGo Village, bringing together street food traders and offering a new roof terrace and covered canopy.

Also at FarGo Village, Twisted Barrel Brewery & Tap House offers open air tables to enjoy some of their own beer as well as wines, spirits, ciders, soft drinks and bar snacks. For street food in another great setting, Coventry Dining Club is back showcasing some of the Midlands’ best traders in the stunning setting of Cathedral Square. Slightly out of the city centre Good Food Cartel serves up authentic Mexican food at the Hearsall Inn to enjoy with drinks outside.

If it’s an open air party you’re after, head to Tiki bar Samoan Joes with its very own cocktail garden, while Coventry’s award winning LGBT+ venue The Yard also has outdoor seating and plenty of entertainment as well as drinks, karaoke, games nights and more.

All this is just the tip of the iceberg. Coventry’s dining scene has never been better, and that includes plenty of outdoor opportunities. So strap in and get ready for a summer of fun!

<<< [dining] RECIPE: Spaghetti alla puttanesca

Celebrity chef, Theo Randall, brings a taste of the mediterranean to Coventry with this flavoursome feast from his new book, The Italian Deli Cookbook, that’s perfect for any occasion. What’s more, we’ve got two copies of the book to give away. For your chance to win visit www.dluxe-magazine.co.uk

Spaghetti alla puttanesca

Pronounced poo-ta-neh-ska, the traditional spaghetti puttanesca recipe doesn’t include anchovies, but I think they make this simple dish even better. Because of that simplicity, it’s important not to compromise on the ingredients, so if you can get spaghetti di Gragnano from your local Italian deli, do so. Gragnano, in Campania on the Amalfi coast, is the birthplace of dried pasta and, as a result, the dried spaghetti from there is the best.

INGREDIENTS Serves 4

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve 6 salted anchovies in oil, drained 1 garlic clove, finely sliced 1 tbsp miniature capers in vinegar, drained pinch of good-quality dried oregano 10 Taggiasce or niçoise olives, pitted 300ml (10½fl oz) tomato passata 500g (1lb 2oz) spaghetti sea salt and freshly ground black pepper In a warm, non-stick frying pan, add the olive oil, anchovies, garlic, capers, oregano and olives. Cook gently on a low heat for about 2 minutes, so that the anchovies melt. Add the tomato passata and cook gently until reduced by half (about 5 minutes).

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 2 minutes less than the packet cooking time. Using tongs, remove the spaghetti from the water and place it in the frying pan with the sauce.

Add 2 ladlefuls of the pasta cooking water and cook on a medium heat, giving the pan a shake from time to time, for about 2 minutes, until the pasta and sauce come together. Swirl the pan to emulsify the pasta and sauce, then divide between 4 warmed bowls. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper and serve immediately.

’Nduja focaccia with tomatoes and rosemary

900g (2lb) strong white bread flour 100g (3½oz) semolina, plus extra for the tin 35g (1¼oz) fresh yeast, 15g (½oz) salt pinch of caster (superfine) sugar 30ml (1fl oz) good olive oil, plus extra to finish 500–550ml (17–19fl oz) lukewarm water 150g (5½oz) cherry tomatoes, halved and tossed in 3 tbsp good olive oil 100g (3½oz) ’nduja flaky sea salt roughly chopped rosemary leaves

Mix together the flour and semolina in a large bowl. In another bowl mix the yeast with the sugar. Add the salt, olive oil and 500ml (17fl oz) of lukewarm water to the yeast and sugar and mix together. Tip the yeast mixture into the flour and mix – by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook – to a soft but not sticky dough (you may need to add more water or flour). This will take about 5 minutes in a machine. Shape the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with cling film (plastic wrap) and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

During this time, oil a roasting tin and sprinkle it with semolina. Gently spread out the dough in the prepared tin to a rectangle or square.

Mix the halved cherry tomatoes and ’nduja together in a bowl, then scatter all over the dough, positioning the tomatoes cut-sides upwards and pushing them down level with the top of the dough. Sprinkle over the flaky salt and rosemary. Leave to prove in a warm place for 10–15 minutes, until risen.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Place a tray of water in the bottom of the oven at the same time.

Once proved, bake the focaccia for 10–15 minutes, until golden and it sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Drizzle more olive oil over the top as soon as the bread comes out of the oven, then leave to cool on a wire rack. Serve in slices with some burrata or mozzarella, or on its own.