Akbar's, Bradford, West Yorks

Occasion:                      Dinner

Party Size:                    2

Overall Rating:              *** Average/Good

Date Visited:                 November 2012
Price Per Person:           £10 Main Course

Akbar’s is a chain specialising in South Asian and Classic Indian cuisine, with eateries located throughout the UK from Sheffield to Scotland. In West Yorkshire there are 4 Akbar’s and we visited the Bradford venue located on Leeds Road, which was the very first restaurant they opened back in 1995.

This venue is easy to find on the main street and has the advantage of a private car park directly opposite the restaurant for customers. Obviously Akbar’s is well known in the area so tends to get busy, I would therefore recommend you book a table.

We didn’t book on this occasion but they managed to seat us quickly as we were on a tight schedule to dine before going to the theatre. With this in mind they rallied round, located us in a pleasant booth towards the back of the restaurant and we were immediately served. The staff were accommodating, pleasant and very helpful. The waiters are assigned approx 4 tables each so you get a personable service which is prompt and exceeded our expectations.

The restaurant itself has a good ambience it is modern with dark fixtures and fittings and glass chandeliers and mirrors. Akbar’s is classy yet comfortable with leather seated booths situated across the back and dining tables in the centre. As it’s a busy restaurant there is lots of chatter from the other diners which is good as it means you can relax and natter away with your companion without being self conscious.

Between us we ordered some poppadoms and pickles a beer and a sparkling water. The poppadoms were fresh and as you would expect these were priced at a reasonable £0.65 each and served with a pickle tray at £1.00 that included a mint & yoghurt dip, tomato and onion salsa, a spicier lime chutney and the classic mango chutney. The drink choices were good with the usual selection of beers, spirits and soft drinks available. A small beer cost £3 and a sparkling water £2.

Although we did not order starters there was a good selection and they were reasonably priced between £3-5 and included the usual Pakoras, Onion Bhajis and Tikka through to Shami Kebabs and Calamari. For vegetarians there were 7 choices of vegetarian starters from Pakora’s to Pori and for main courses you would be happy with the 19 vegetarian dishes on offer – pretty impressive.

For our main courses we both ordered a main dish and a side of Pilau rice priced at £1.95, there was a good selection of other sides available ranging from Nan through to Pratta all sides were within the price of £1.50-3.00.

For my main course I had the Chicken & Chilli Balti priced at £7.45 and denoted on the menu as hot & fiery. The curry came in a traditional Balti dish and was well presented and garnished with fresh coriander, chillies and lemon. The consistency was nice and rich and it contained plenty of chicken although I was disappointed in the quality of the meat. The chicken appeared to be off the bone with the majority of the chicken pieces being the dark meat. If I had known (it wasn’t stated on the menu) I would have picked another dish as I prefer chicken breast. I always find it off putting when you order a chicken dish and the meat is brown. As for the sauce I was also disappointed as it was very tangy and acidic. There seemed to lack a depth of flavour and given the consistency I expected it to deliver a better flavour. However, it was hot and nicely spiced as stated.

My partner chose the Rogan Josh priced at £6.95 and this was definitely the better dish of the two. The lamb was plentiful and tender, the consistency was saucy and rich and the depth of flavour was tasty, no complaints on this dish.

Overall my thoughts on the quality and taste of the meal is split 50:50 the Balti wasn’t the best but the Rogan Josh was good, so given the excellent service and relaxed ambience I think it’s only fair to rate Akbar's as "good" as there are more positives than negatives and hopefully the Balti was a one off disappointment!

Akbar’s is an ideal place for a curry if you are in the Bradford area and you want a nice venue with efficient and excellent service. I’d need to revisit again though to be convinced on the standard/quality of food though.

http://www.akbars.co.uk/bradford

The White Swan, Leeds

Occasion:                      Lunch

Party Size:                    3

Overall Rating:              *** Very Good

Date Visited:                 October 2012
Price Per Person:           £6-£10 lunch

The White Swan is a Leeds Brewery pub adjoining the world famous Leeds City Varieties and tucked up an alley off Briggate in the city centre. This place is ideal for those looking for somewhere to relax and enjoy a spot of lunch. If you are shopping in Leeds this would be a great place to take a break. It’s ideal to meet up here with friends as the atmosphere is traditional, relaxed and yet contemporary at the same time.

The venue successfully mixes old and new features with a piano in the corner and origami birds hanging across the bar. It certainly has a relaxed vibe with wood flooring, cream and green walls and the furniture is traditional so expect dark wooden tables and chairs and high stools propped against the walls. The White Swan retains the charm of a local pub whilst at the same time appealing to all with its modern twist.

When I visited here on a weekend it as very busy so expect to have to wait for a table or try to avoid peak times unless you book a table in advance.

The White Swan’s menu is varied but definitely traditional, selling great pub food classics such as Fish and Chips, Burgers, Chilli and Steaks. The starter’s selection is quite limited with 4 or 5 to choose from - expect to pay an average of £4-6 for this course. Main meals are pretty standard in terms of pricing £8-10 and side dishes £3.50. They do a set menu here which would be ideal for those wanting to dine before visiting the variety club next door this is priced at 2 courses for £10.95 or 3 courses for £12.95 (note this is only served between 5pm-8pm)

For those looking for lunch then I recommend the doorstep sandwiches served between 12pm-5pm and priced at £5-6 with various options from a Fish Butty, Roast Beef, Crayfish tails and Hummus to name a few. The portions were generous and the bread was delicious, soft and fresh, sourced locally from an Otley bakery. You get to choose from white or granary bloomer or a soft tortilla wrap and each sandwich is accompanied by a generous helping of hand cut chips and a side salad all of which was cooked perfectly and well presented so no complaints at our table. The menu does change here but it always tends to lean towards the classics which suit most people’s preferences so a good crowd pleaser.

Obviously this is not a restaurant so expect to find a seat and then place your order at the bar. The staff here are friendly and accommodating, efficiently taking our order. The wait on food was reasonable and surprisingly good to say that every table was taken, so very well organised. If you like your traditional beers then you’ll find plenty on offer here with a wide selection of drinks available.

I think this a charming pub that would be a safe place to go with anyone as the menu is varied yet traditional. It’s not pretentious and has a relaxed ambience meaning it’s a great venue to meet up with friends or family where you can actually talk without being drowned out by music.

http://www.whiteswanleeds.co.uk/

REDS True Barbeque, Leeds

Occasion:                      Night out

Party Size:                    5

Overall Rating:              ***** Excellent

Date Visited:                 October 2012
Price Per Person:           £8-£25+ ppn 1 course plus Drinks

Reds True Barbeque is located on Cloth Hall Street opposite the Corn Exchange in Leeds city centre. This place is going down a storm in Leeds with a strong reputation for outstanding food being cast on Facebook and Twitter.

I have been trying to get in here for several weeks since it opened in September 2012. At present the restaurant is proving so popular (even amongst celebrities, with Jimmy Carr being spotted dining here on the 13^th October) Reds are only taking bookings for large groups. So if you turn up at 7pm the chances are you will have to go back at 9.00pm when a table becomes free. The staff however, are coping with the demand well, we dropped in added our name to the waiting list and they gave us a call the minute a table became available. This worked well for us on a Friday night as we took advantage of having a few drinks on Call Lane.

So if you don’t know anything about Reds then their home page pretty much sums it up:

 “Like a lightning bolt from the heavens it dawned on Red. The people of this island knew nothing of True Barbecue….

Of prime cuts, smoked low n’ slow, infused with flavour, dripping with taste. The people were ignorant of glazes and rubs so mouth-wateringly glorious that they made angels weep with joy. They had been cursed with a plague of bad sausage, bog-standard burger and rodent-sized ribs.

Red knew that the people must be saved. He swore that no rib, sausage, breast nor burger would be cremated in his name. The people of Britain must be led to the light by a true saviour. Let there be Meat. Let there be flavour. Let there be Red’s. Feast and be thankful. Red will save you from the evils inflicted on your gentle souls. True Barbecue is here.

At Red’s we don’t commit the sins of less holy eateries. Red prepares your meat way in advance of it reaching your plate, giving it time to soak up the rich flavours of our trademark blend of rubs and marinades for no less than 24 hours. Then, it’s cooked low n’ slow – for up to 18 hours – over Hickory and fruit woods inside our custom Oklahoman smokers. Then we’ll add the best sauces and sides your tongue will touch and serve them to you, our faithful flock.

Our cooking has its roots in the deep south, but our food and ingredients are sourced from Yorkshire, God’s country. World-class quality, locally sourced”

So the target audience is lovers of meat, if you are a vegetarian I’m not sure this place would appeal but it is worth checking the menu as they do some fabulous sides such as macaroni cheese, sweet potato fries, cornbread, BBQ rice, and deep fried prickles to name a few.

The venue itself is fairly big with a buzzing atmosphere, the low lighting and candles on each of the tables cast a subtle glow creating a relaxed and informal ambience. There is lots of charm to this place with rustic beams, solid wood features and exposed brick walls. Reds is ideal for groups as the tables are large solid wood benches but bear in mind if you are a small group then you could get other diners placed at the same table as yourself. However, the vibrant atmosphere detracts enough that your conversations will get lost in the buzz still creating privacy for your party.

The kitchen area is central to the restaurant so you see the hustle and bustle and the turnover at the pass. The smells surrounding this place are amazing and every time we saw the food being taken to tables we were literally drooling in anticipation. The staff were attentive and managed the tables well to say how busy Reds were. It was refreshing to see the chefs all smiling and bantering as they worked, adding to the informal vibe of the place. The background music was impressive and after speaking to the Manager we realised he had mixed the playlist himself to include a mix of old and new, with bands such as the Black Keys thrown in.

The menu had a wide choice so much so I just went with the first thing that sounded good! The range of options means I have to go back and work through the other dishes. The price range was very varied for the meals so literally it covers all budgets ranging from £8-£25+ per person.

As a group we just had main courses. A couple of us had the pulled pork priced at £8.95 which included skin on fries, fresh coleslaw and a side option e.g. rice, cornbread, macaroni cheese etc. The meat was so tender, juicy and flavoursome. The crackling complimented it perfectly and the amount of meat you got was very surprising.

If you get the Bucket of Bones at approx £20 then good luck! It is literally a dustbin loaded with ribs and as Reds claim on their home page these are definitely NOT rodent-sized ribs! Plus you get your sides as well so you could easily share this. All of our party tasted the ribs and we all agreed they were amazing.

The Pit Burger was another option a friend tried priced at around £15 and this was impressive and served with a giant onion ring and loaded with pulled pork. If you enjoy burgers you won’t be disappointed with this version it’s substantial so you may want to strip away the bread and just go for the meat. In fact the portions here are generous across the board and we left with a couple of takeout boxes. (Point to note though if you do a takeout box remove the paper lining – I found this went soggy and broke up amongst my left over’s!)

On the table Reds have a rack of sauces including Hot and Spicy, BBQ, South Carolina and classics such as Ketchup to compliment the dishes, the South Carolina was particularly good.

Reds do a great selection of beverages, and alongside each dish on the menu they pair the dishes with a suggested drink such as American beers. A friend had the Apple Martini priced at the usual prices you would expect to pay in Leeds £6/7 which tasted good and was well presented.

So with all reviews I have to be constructive so my only gripe with this place was that my meal only came with a fork and no knife so I had to get up and get my own. And the waitress gave my order to someone else within the group who had already started eating. When I pointed this out she said “just swap”. Even though we tried to reiterate that he had already started eating it - she looked perplexed like she couldn’t see the problem! Anyway as she was not going to replace the meal we agreed to just have each others order. So that was a little disappointing.

In summary, if you are a lover of food then I recommend this place. If you are a lover of pulled pork I recommend this place. If you are a lover of ribs then yep I recommend this place. They deliver in what they say – excellent quality meat, cooked perfectly and full of flavour. As my friends quoted:

Sadie Parker “I loved it, informal, delicious, honest food with a buzzing atmosphere!!”

Anthony Richardson “I have travelled around the world. And for the first time England has given me the best type of food I have ever eaten. Today, I make the following claim: Reds BBQ in Leeds makes the best ribs I have EVER had the privilege of eating. Period.”

One final word to sum this place up AWESOME!

http://truebarbecue.com/

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/