Nawaab, Leeds

Occasion:                      Works night

Party Size:                    11

Overall Rating:              *** Average

Date Visited:                 October 2012
Price Per Person:           £10.95 Early bird deal x3 dishes

Nawaab claim to be the “Home of the Finest Asian Cuisine” situated on Wellington Street this Indian restaurant is close to the train station and the financial quarter of Leeds City Centre. Due to the location you are close by to numerous bars such as Toast and Lazy Lounge so this is an ideal restaurant to follow on to after work.

The venue itself is quite big, modern and light. Not the finest setting compared to Akbars and Aagrah but it is nice and the tables are well spread out. The staff were very attentive and to say we were a large group the service was good. There were no wrong orders and everything came out in good time.

As a group the majority took up the Early bird offer whereby you get 3 dishes for £10.95 (starter, main course, side) before 7pm. The menu choice for this deal was surprisingly good, with a selection that pretty much covered 90% of their main menu and was more varied than some of the other competitors.

I went for the Tandoori Chicken Tikka Starter wanting something grilled and light. The portion was big and the chicken was nicely flavoured. Others at the table ordered, Samosas, Onion Bhajis, Vegetable Pakora and Chilli Pakora. All the starters were tasty and

generous - worth the price if buying off this deal (price range from £3.20-£5.50). Special note to the Chilli Pakora - these were Hot! A real treat for those who like things spicy but I think it would be a challenge to finish them all without getting heartburn.

The main courses at Nawaab cover pretty much everything Balti, Biriyani, Korma, Masala, Karahi, Madras etc with an impressive selection of 9 Vegetarian main courses. I ordered the Balti Chilli Chicken, with boiled rice and a chapatti. The curry was a lovely thick and rich consistency, not swimming in oil/ghee. The flavours were good and there was plenty of chicken. This dish came with a hot rating and it delivered, nice and spicy but not too hot to handle. I didn’t think the chicken was as tender as I have had before but I am not sure whether this is down to the way it was cooked or the quality of the meat. The rice was well cooked, very fluffy and a decent portion (enough to share) the chapatti was fresh but I felt mine was a bit doughy. A friend had the chicken Biriyani which came as a huge portion with a separate sauce on the side. Others had the Lamb Madras, Nirali Special and the Achari to name a few. Everyone was pleasantly surprised with the standard of the dishes and everyone enjoyed their meals. Having starters as well and given the big portions there were a few “doggy bags” going home!

However, I must now go on to the bits that didn’t meet our expectations. There was only a single toilet for ladies – given the size of the restaurant that was surprising and the toilet didn’t seem to be as clean/nice as the restaurant area. 2 of the diners at our table found a hair in their curries. They were both sat at opposite ends of the table and let’s just say they didn’t match their hair colouring! Then at the end of the meal when we came to settle the bill it all got a bit awkward when we came to pay on card. As a restaurant they clearly prefer people to settle in cash. But in this modern world if diners choose to pay on card then it should be accepted. We unfortunately experienced the waiter pushing us to settle by cash which was rather embarrassing. He then insisted the card machine was broken. When we said we did not have enough cash to cover the bill they then reluctantly said they would get the machine which turned out to not be broken but slow. It was all a little disappointing and unprofessional and this was pointed out to the manager who was very apologetic and gave the table a more than acceptable discount.

Overall this restaurant is very affordable for the city centre with starters under a fiver and mains approx £7-£10. They also do a Set Menu along with the early bird deal we had at £10.95. We booked a table for the evening but given the size of the restaurant I think you could probably just turn up and be seated. This place is nothing special it certainly is not the “Home of the finest Asian Cuisine” as they claim. However, the curries were tasty, the portions good and the service generally good. Ideal place to go with friends and colleagues but if you are looking for something a little more special then there are better competitors in Leeds.

http://www.nawaabsheffield.co.uk/restaurants_leeds.html

Brasserie 44, Leeds

Occasion:                      Birthday

Party Size:                    2

Overall Rating:              **** Very Good

Date Visited:                 September 2012
Price Per Person:           £30 Group-On deal, RRP £70 Main Course only

Brasserie 44 is located on The Calls and set in a converted grain warehouse alongside the river Aire. This restaurant is family run and this is evident in their attentive welcome and excellent service throughout. Brasserie 44 is renowned for its ambience and quality, featuring in the Good Food Guide 2012 and has been nominated for several awards.

 

When you see a Groupon deal advertised for this high end restaurant you can be sure it will sell out quickly, especially when the meal on offer is the Chateaubriand for 2. This dish alone has a RRP just shy of £70 so for this price you expect a fine dining experience that is near perfect in everyway.

So what did we think? Firstly we have been here before and had this meal and we loved it and highly recommended it to friends. When we saw this deal repeated at £30 we were both happy to return to celebrate my partner’s birthday as we knew what to expect.

On arrival we were warmly welcomed by the staff that attended to our coats and gave us the option of a drink at the bar or at our table. We opted to start at the bar and ordered a small beer whilst perusing the extensive wine list. We opted for a bottle of John X Merriman 2009 - Rustenberg, Stellenbosch, South Africa priced at £31.50. Not the cheapest on the wine list but there were other wines ranging from £16-£165 suiting all palates.

Once at our table we were situated against the far wall. The restaurant is fairly small and cosy with a relaxed ambience, certainly a venue worthy of a celebration and ideal for a romantic meal for two. The lighting is low, with candlelight at the tables and simple decor. Each place is set as you would expect with sparkling silverware and crisp linen napkins. However, we were disappointed with the wine glasses, they were rather standard - thick glass, we expected better quality to compliment the fine selection of wines they had on offer.

The deal we purchased was for the main meal only so starters, desserts, sides and drinks were payable on top. As we looked at the menu we were served complimentary fresh warm bread with an olive tapenade and a chive cream buerre which was excellent. The bread was moreish and the small ramekins of tapenade were very tasty.

We decided to share a starter from the Specials menu to leave room for dessert. We picked a platter of Italian Meats, Mozzarella and rocket which was definitely big enough to share and the waiter brought us more fresh bread which worked perfectly. The meat selection was ample and very flavoursome and the quality of the mozzarella was superb.  Starters were priced from £6-£10.

To follow came our Chateaubriand which was served medium rare and accompanied with homemade chunky chips. The portion of the fillet beef was ample for 2 and cooked beautifully. The meat was tender, no steak knife required and the flavour was as you would expect for this cut. The chips were a bigger portion than our last visit and on our last dining experience here my partner thought they were the best chips he had ever tasted. This time they didn’t quite live up to his expectations but for me they were good, although the steak was so filling we didn’t manage to finish them all.

The steak was served with a pepper sauce which was creamy and full of flavour. The menu price for this is supposed to be £67.50 and the quality of the beef was very good however, if I had paid £70 I would be disappointed that the meal was not served with any vegetables. A small selection of greens would have rounded off the meal nicely or at least in hindsight it would have been nice to have been offered a side at the time of ordering. If I were to have this again then I would ask for the Chateaubriand to be cooked rare as the quality of the beef is good enough to take it. We found having it medium rare that the ends of the fillet were medium to well done and only the centre as rare as we would like. Overall this main meal was plenty and left us both more than satisfied and we did really enjoy it.

As we were dining out to celebrate my partners birthday we had already decided that we would treat ourselves to dessert but unfortunately we had to leave our table and head to the bar as the dining area was so hot it was uncomfortable. There seemed to be no air circulating and the room was stifling making us both feel queasy. So we skipped dessert and headed to the bar to cool down, finish our wine and settle the bill. It was a shame to end a lovely meal feeling that you had to escape before you fainted!

Overall Brasserie 44 is a lovely restaurant; the service is faultless, the quality of produce used is excellent and the ambience is romantic. However, to be honest if I had paid the full menu price of £67.50 for the Chateaubriand I would have been disappointed that no side vegetables were included and was it really worth paying £70? – I’m not convinced. Coupled with the room being too hot and the glasses being a bit cheap I think overall it is a very good restaurant experience but not near perfect enough to warrant an excellent rating given the price.

However, I do recommend for those looking for somewhere relaxed yet special. I would love to go back and try something else off the A La Carte menu to see if the standard is consistent throughout. For those who are looking for something a little cheaper but not compromising on quality then Brasserie 44 offer a 3 course set menu with a bottle of wine for £23.95 per person served Mon-Fri 5pm-7pm with a good selection of dishes available.

Please note this restaurant is very popular so make sure you book a table in advance.

http://www.brasserie44.com/

Thai Edge, Leeds

Occasion:                      Celebration

Party Size:                    2

Overall Rating:              ***** Excellent

Date Visited:                 September 2012
Price Per Person:           £22 approx = 2 courses excluding drinks ppn

Sa-wa-dee!

“Arguably the best Thai restaurant chain in the UK, Thai Edge is a world class restaurant in a unique setting which compliments Thai culture with modern oriental design”. Bold claims from the Thai Edge menu, and with a good selection of Thai restaurants in the Leeds area, claims that can be pretty easily tested.

Set just off Millennium Square Thai Edge occupies a prominent city centre location, and as soon as you enter it’s apparent that they take the modern oriental design bit pretty seriously. Thai Edge has a bright and airy feel to it, it contrasts to the rich dark colours of some of its Leeds competitors, and it stands apart in this regard. The tables in the restaurant are well spaced out so you’ll never feel like you’re sat on top of other diners, and the oriental touches, in terms of décor and music, are enough to provide a great ambience without being over the top. This visit was on a Monday evening at 7pm and there were plenty of diners to create an atmosphere even at this time of the week – Thai Edge is clearly popular.

There are a range of set menus to choose from priced at £19.90 to £38.50, but we were visiting on a Living Social voucher which meant a starter and a main each off the A La Carte menu. Starters are priced from about £6 to £11, mains from about £8 to £30, but with only lobster at the top end. Some seafood dishes were around the £15 mark, while most of the stir fries and curries are in the £8 to £11 bracket. Prices that make you hope the food is going to be great quality, and on the whole we found that to be true.

We chose Nuae Yang – Thai style char grilled tenderloin of beef with a special Thai chilli dipping sauce (£10.50) and Hoi Shell Noung – steamed scallops with spring onion, soy sauce and a touch of Thai whisky, served with spicy dipping sauce (£7.95).

Given the price we expected a premium piece of beef, and whilst the flavour of the meat and sauce was excellent the beef was a tiny bit tough. The scallops were amazing: large, cooked to perfection and perfectly matched with the  soy sauce and dipping sauce, and an optional big chunk of fresh red chilli per scallop to add some spice. I could have eaten the whole thing again and thought this was a really good value starter. Swapping the price of the 2 starters would probably reflect their quality for this visit, but they were both very enjoyable.

Mains were a curry, Gaeng Pa Gai – chicken jungle curry (£10.80) and Mou Pad Bai Kra Praw – stir fried minced pork with snake beans, holy basil, garlic and fresh chilli (£8), with portions of steamed rice at £2.20. Both dishes tasted fantastic, the jungle curry was loaded with fresh Thai herbs and spices and hot as you’d expect, and the pork mince stir fry held loads of flavour, it may have been salty for some but I loved it, the soy-like saltiness giving a rich flavour to the dish.

All this was washed down with Singha lager which wasn’t cheap at £6.50 for a large bottle.

  

The best Thai meal I’ve eaten in a restaurant in a long time – a winner for Thai Edge as I eat a good deal of Thai food.

The service throughout the meal was as you’d expect from a higher end Thai restaurant, fairly formal but still friendly and attentive to just the right degree. This may have had something to do with the fact that we spent some time photographing the restaurant and our dishes, and engaged in detailed conversation about the food they put in front of us – we found ourselves being served a bit quicker than other tables, maybe playing at being a critic does have its advantages!

Overall I think this would appeal to those who are looking for a restaurant with style and have an occasion to celebrate, a real treat.

http://www.thaiedgeleeds.co.uk/

Bangla Lounge, Birstall, West Yorks

Occasion:                      Reunion

Party Size:                    4

Overall Rating:              ***** Excellent

Date Visited:                 September 2012
Price Per Person:           £14 =  2 Courses + Sides + Soft drinks + tip per person

The Bangla Lounge is located on Low Lane in Birstall, Bradford. Not far from the Junction 27 retail park this small local Indian restaurant can easily be found on the main road. They don’t have private parking but you will find street parking directly outside and along the side streets. There is also a pay and display car park nearby.

The Bangla Lounge came highly recommended by a friend and was supported by 5 star reviews on Trip Advisor so I was looking forward to putting this venue to the test with 3 friends who love curry.

The restaurant itself is small and modern but as I understand this location is only temporary until they move a couple of doors down, to a bigger space.

The staff were very welcoming, taking the time to talk to us on where we came from, if we had been before etc. The tables were well presented and had a touch of class with crisp table cloths and coordinating napkins.

Bangla Lounge is a BYO so you cannot purchase alcohol however they do serve a good selection of soft drinks and there is a Co-Op nearby.

The menu was very reasonable. Starters ranged from £1.95 to £3.50. The main dishes were priced from £5.50 to £7.95 and side dishes were very cheap with Chapattis at 50p and Rice and Naan priced at £1.95. The menu included all the usual traditional Indian courses from Tandoori and Bhuna to the Balti. For those who like something different they had contemporary dishes such as Venison and Duck. The chef will also make any of your favourite dishes that are not on the menu, just ask the waiter.

As a taster we ordered some Poppadoms for the table which were fresh and came with a selection of dips including– lime pickle, mango chutney and mint yoghurt. The starters were well presented and I was really surprised to find that they were not oily as you can sometimes find. I had the Chicken Chat to start and this was a really big starter, in fact all the starters were more than ample.

For my main course I went for a Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi but as I like it spicy I opted to have this cooked hot like a Madras. This dish came out and again I was pleasantly surprised that it was not swimming ghee, the chicken cubes were big and the depth of the sauce was great. I asked for it hot and it was definitely spot on.

                    

The steamed rice again was a good portion and cooked perfectly and the Chapatti was great. A friend had the Fish Fry followed by a Vindaloo that was really hot which left him pleased. Other dishes ordered included Samosas, Chicken Shashlik and a Balti.

All of us were really impressed with the quality, the presentation and service, the only criticism we could find was that the Shaslik didn’t come with its own sauce, but in fairness this dish tends to be served differently from restaurant to restaurant. The total bill for our party for Poppadoms, Starters, Mains, and Sides plus soft drinks and a tip came in at a very reasonable £14 ppn (Included 10% discount for booking online).

This would suit anyone who is local to the area, or those that are looking to go somewhere out of town. For a good curry at a fraction of the price you would pay for dining in Leeds it is definitely worth trying. The quality was superb, the portions were good and well presented. The staff were welcoming and the venue clean and contemporary. Highly recommend - I still can’t get over how much of a bargain this was!

http://www.banglaloungebirstall.co.uk/

   

The Marvellous Tearoom, Leeds

Occasion:                      Catch up

Party Size:                    3

Overall Rating:              ***** Excellent

Date Visited:                 August 2012
Price Per Person:           £3.50 for Drink and Cake per person

The Marvellous Tearoom is situated on the ground floor of Birds Yard on Kirkgate in Leeds city centre. Ok this place is not technically a restaurant, nor do they serve main meals, however, I think it deserves a review as it lives up to the claim “marvellous”. The perfect place to stop and rest those weary legs after a days shopping. This place is ideal for those who love a good cuppa and are partial to a piece of cake.

Not far from the bus station this vintage tea room is located on a quiet street away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds.

On arrival you will immediately feel welcome. This tearoom oozes character and charm appealing to all ages and particularly ladies. The staff are really welcoming and friendly, they took the time to chat with us at our table. The décor is full of vintage treasures that take you down memory lane.

They serve a selection of tea room treats from crumpets and toast to cakes and pies - all of which are home made. They sell freshly squeezed juices, traditional lemonades and thick milkshakes not to mention an array of teas from Yorkshire to Earl Grey. They also serve fresh sandwiches ideal if you want a light lunch.

The teas are served in traditional tea pots with mis-matched china teacups and saucers. The menus are cleverly crafted from old Penguin books.

The lighting is unusual, chandeliers made from cups and saucers suspended upside down. You’ll find a relaxed atmosphere here with a 1950’s radio in the corner playing tracks from years ago, you may not remember them but your mum or Gran would.

You will also find a stack of old retro board games on the back wall and a tuck shop selling traditional candy and souvenirs. On the opposite wall you will see some vintage pieces of jewellery, accessories and clothing all of which are available to buy.

I highly recommend you visit the website where you can buy key vintage pieces from teacups and saucers to candles and tea cosy’s. The lovely ladies are also available for events/parties and are often seen at festivals gracing the public with their charm. The Marvellous Tearoom is good value and completely different to anywhere else in Leeds so a great venue to meet with friends, to take your mum or to show someone new to Leeds somewhere a little quirky.

http://www.themarvellousteadancecompany.co.uk/tearoom.html    

Hansa's, Leeds

Occasion: Dining with friends
Party Size: 3
Overall Rating: **** Average/Good
Date Visited: July 2012
Price Per Person: £13.50 including drinks for x1 course

Hansa's is a Vegetarian Indian Restaurant specialising in Gujarati cuisine. Located on North Street in Leeds, this place is just outside of the city centre but walkable. The surrounding area to be honest is not very impressive as there is not much else around and it is sitting right on a main road. However this should not put you off as Hansa's has been highly acclaimed and won many awards over the years, the latest being voted, ’Curry Chef of the Year 2010’, and being recognised for ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Leeds Restaurant Industry’ by the Leeds Restaurant Association. Hansa's successful cookery books have been voted the number 1 Vegetarian cookbook by The Independent and these are available to buy from the restaurant.

Upon arrival this place did not look as I expected. The website shows a modern, light restaurant yet in reality this place is small, cosy and quite dark. This definitely has the traditional vibe of a local Indian restaurant. The staff are all women, who wear traditional sari’s and were very welcoming. The restaurant itself has a dining area on the ground floor and then a seating area above. When we visited on a Saturday night it was full so I would recommend booking a table in advance. The atmosphere was to be truthful slightly lacking in ambience, the décor and furniture was quite dark, complete with wobbly chairs but it does feel special to sit and admire the recipe books on display and the press reviews. Straight away it makes you expect big things from this restaurant.

This place has certain pockets of charm, as you go down the stairs you pass the kitchen and there you will see the chef complete in her sari cooking away and it’s quite amazing she was able to cook so many dishes so quickly, which may explain why the dishes were smaller than you’d normally expect. The toilet was beautifully decorated and had all the extra touches you don't often see.

The menus are like small narrow books with a wide selection of dishes and not the usual dishes you would see in a regular curry house which instantly gets you excited to be trying something new. We decided to just have main courses on our visit and whilst we ordered we were given a small dish of battered thin nibbles. These were hot and spicy and certainly geared you up for the meal to come - although I have no idea what they actually were but they resembled a softer version of Bombay mix. I ordered the Bhaji Paneer which was a spinach and paneer curry with a side of rice and a chappati. The dish was nicely spiced and fairly hot for a medium curry but could do with being saucier. The chapatti was very small (size of a saucer) so if you are ordering this side alone then you may want to order several.  The portions overall were small but surprisingly enough - you were not left feeling over full. If you don’t like spicy food then ask the staff what level of spice the dishes are as this is not denoted on the menu. I would go for mild options if you prefer flavour over spice as the level of heat was quite high. My friends enjoyed Bhagat Muthiya (Potato and chickpea curry) and  Ful Cobi (Cauliflower, Carrot and Peas) they both highly recommend the Batura which are deep fried breads as shown below.

What was interesting about this place was the delightful and colourful palate cleanser that was served with the bill. This was small dish of various, herbs and spices that truly lifted the palate. It was very odd but refreshing and you could pick out the levels of flavour from the aniseed to the perfume – quite indescribable but definitely worth sampling to finish off your meal.

Starters were priced from approx £4 and main courses from £6.50 with sides on top (rice alone being £2.25). To be honest these prices are higher than the competitors to say they are meat free and the portions are small so this doesn’t make Hansa's the best value for money. But it is tasty and different and a real gem of a place for those who are vegetarians due to the selection of dishes available. The service wasn’t brilliant we had to ask twice for water and the bill was quite slow but it was a Saturday night and they were busy. Didn’t quite live up to the hype for me but the food was tasty and nice.


http://www.hansasrestaurant.com

Normans Bar, Leeds

Occasion: Dining with friends
Party Size: 5
Overall Rating: **** Good
Date Visited: July 2012
Price Per Person: £5

Normans is situated on Call Lane in Leeds city centre a street that is renowned for its many independent bars. Normans predominantly falls in to the category of a bar but does have a large area set aside for dining throughout the week with many offers on through Monday to Thursday at £5 per person. 5 of us visited Normans on a Wednesday night when the offer is a Thai curry plus a drink (bottle of beer, glass of wine or soft drink) for £5.

On first impressions this place has a nice informal and relaxed ambience; it’s modern with soft lighting and plenty of tables along the edges to cater for couples and groups. The deal is a fantastic offer so it is always pretty full. You can book a table in advance but usually you can get a table if you are prepared to wait a short while.

The staff are young, quirky and most importantly very welcoming. We had no problems with the service. The deal is very well run with the turn around on food being very quick. This £5 menu is all about simplicity with a limited selection of green and red Thai curries with a choice of Chicken, Prawn, Beef or Tofu. However, you can order off their main menu where starters are priced at approx £4 and main courses at approx £8 which a selection varying from Asian inspired dishes to the good old burger.

So going back to our meal the food was very well presented and the portion size adequate. Even though you are paying less it’s not to say you get a smaller portion. However, this is not as big a portion as you would get in a restaurant where the curry and the rice are served separately – but it’s a fiver and if you want more then there is no excuses to not splash out on some prawn crackers, starter or a side!. The quality of the curry is good with a nice selection of vegetables used and lovely authentic flavour and consistency. The dishes are nicely spiced so if you like curries mild then check with the staff if you can have a taster, otherwise a friend highly recommends the Pad Thai for those that prefer no chillies. They take the time to present and garnish their dishes and the staff checked that everything was ok with our meal which is not commonplace in bars when dining. Just goes to show that good, tasty, fresh food doesn’t have to cost the earth.

This is the perfect venue to grab a bite to eat after work, to have a catch up with friends. It’s simple, you pick a curry from the meal deal menu, pick a drink and pay £5! Normans is definitely worth a visit.

http://www.normanbar.co.uk