Stepping into Chow Down's Winter Village, you could be forgiven for thinking you've landed in Shoreditch.
As you head towards the industrial setting on Globe Road, in Leeds it feels as though you're walking into the middle of nowhere.
But the Chow Down team have pulled out all the stops once again. A visit to Temple Arches is about far more than just the food, with the desolate venue transformed into a winter wonderland complete with tipis, live music - and even a curling rink.
For the latest food, drink and what's on news in Leeds, click here
It's reminiscent of the many ubercool London food markets - and it's just as popular.
Unfortunately, the comparisons with the capital don't end there.
The miserable London customer service appears to have made its way up north too.
When we arrived at our allotted time, we were left waiting at the reception desk for at least 10 minutes. None of the three staff members seemed to quite know what was going on. Nor were they interested in telling us why we had to wait.
Even when I asked what was causing the hold up, I was rudely brushed aside and left none the wiser.
It certainly wasn't the most friendly start to the evening, but the kerfuffle was quickly forgotten once we got inside.
Chow Down has had a magical makeover for December, with winter gardens, ski huts and tipis dotted around Temple Arches.
What makes it so special is the revolving array of food vendors and live music on offer, which means no two weeks at Chow Down are the same.
There were four food stalls when we arrived, but in the end we opted for the XXL cheese frankfurter and the festive fries from Jimmy Macks.
The frankfurter was nothing to write home about. £8.50 for a pretty standard sausage in a bun with a bit of ketchup seemed incredibly steep.
The festive fries, on the other hand, were worth every penny.
The big tray of crispy fries was slathered in pretty much everything imaginable - cheese, pulled roast chicken, crispy onions, stuffing, chicken gravy, cranberry sauce....
... and pigs in blankets!
It's a well-known fact that pigs in blankets make every dish taste better and this was no exception. It was £10 well spent.
Enter your postcode to see what's happening where you live
Everything here is table service, which means you can sit back and relax.
You might be tempted to book tickets in the tipi, but for me the bare-looking tents aren't worth it. Instead, make sure you bag a seat in either the ski lodge or the winter gardens for the full Chow Down experience, where you'll be in the thick of the action near the live music. The outdoor heaters (and your beer jacket) will keep you warm.
And if you really need to warm up, then head upstairs and try your hand at curling.
Yep, you read that right. There's now a curling rink in the heart of Leeds.
Just a word of warning though. If, like me, you've slacked off at the gym over the past couple of months, be prepared to get out of breath VERY quickly. It's not as easy as the professionals make it seem.
While the food and drinks are reasonably priced, an evening out at Chow Down doesn't come cheap.
The £8.80 entry ticket includes a drink, but it only permits a two-and-a-half-hour timeslot and by the time you've bought food, extra drinks and played a game of curling, you'll end up forking out around £35.
That being said, the atmosphere inside Chow Down's Winter Winter village is amazing and it is a spectacular venue for Christmas drinks.
For an altogether different Christmas experience in a brilliant outdoor venue with live music and a real party vibe, there's nowhere else like it.
Just be prepared to wait around for a while before you're let in.
Temple Arches, Holbeck, Leeds, LS11 5QG
Book online by visiting the Chow Down website.
To get the latest email updates from LeedsLive, click here.
