Red's True Barbeque, Leeds

Cloth Hall Street (nr Corn Exchange), Leeds LS1 2HD | 0113 834 5834 | truebarbecue.com | @redsTrueBBQ


Type of Food: American BBQ

Price:  £45 - 3 mains + 3 alcoholic drinks

Occasion: Catch Up with friends
Date Visited: May 2015

Overall Rating: **** and a half - Very Very Good

This is the place EVERYONE is talking about in Leeds and was definitely missing from the city centre which is dominated by mediocre chain restaurants and few good quality independent restaurants. I've been trying to come here a few times but there booking policy doesn't half make it difficult. Either way I finally made it (but not until 9:30 mind!).

Atmosphere:
Red's is busy. Like ALWAYS busy. They seem to have got the hype just about right but not fallen into the trap of trying to pile too many people into a small space at the expense of atmosphere and quality.
The first thing I notice about Red's is the neon signs outside advertising 'Free Smells' or the one above. When you walk inside it's very understated but looks good. 

Service:
Service is good. Scrap that, excellent. They have obviously tried to replicate the American approach to service to go with the food. You are always greeted by someone (once you've got passed the queue) and they are very attentive when your waiting for your food.
Now to bring up my gripe with Red's - the booking policy. Frankly it's ridiculous and in my opinion not very efficient. You can't book a table - unless your a party of 8 or more in which case you can book during the week. So instead of having people queuing outside they add your name to a list and call you when your times next. Doesn't sound too bad but the last time I've been there have been a couple of empty tables presumably because they are waiting for people to turn up (if they do). On the night we turned up, we arrived at 6:30 and were added to the list for an estimated time of 9:30. There isn't much to do in Leeds at that time except drink and by around 8 I was ready to go somewhere else. In fact last time I put my name on the list I did give up and went to the Cattle Grid around the corner but I had the decency to call and tell them so they weren't waiting around for me and could give the table to someone else. I can imagine that many don't or dawdle. What effectively they have in place is a type of reservation so I don't get why they don't just put a proper reservation system in place! Rant over and unfortunately it's taken a bigger chunk than I intended. 

Food:
The menu is simple - there isn't loads to choose from but it's just right! There aren't any starters - just 'little plates' to share or wolf down before or at the same time as your main. There signature dish (well I assume it's their signature dish because it's what people talk about the most) is their Donut Burger. Yes. Two burgers with onions, cheese and bacon served between two glazed donuts. Then there's everything you would expect. Hot Links, Brisket, Ribs, Pulled Pork and BBQ Chicken. After the wait, I was ready to be very critical but I had nothing to be critical about. It's all cooked beautifully and the homemade fries are delicious. Red's is definitely not somewhere to go if your on a diet. If you can stomach it after there are a couple of desserts. 

Overall:
Red's had a lot to live up to. But the hype was deserved. Red's is a unique experience in Leeds and if you can handle the wait, or you can turn up early enough to avoid the wait is a great place to eat if not one of the best!

Shimla Spice, Shipley

69 Otley Rd., Shipley, BD18 2BJ | 01274599800 | shimlaspice.co.uk | @shimlaspice

Type of Food: Indian

Price:  Platter Starter + Another Dish + 4 x main courses + sundries = Less than £60
Occasion: Catch up with my parents
Date Visited: April 2014

Overall Rating: ***** Amazing

I must apologise for not blogging recently. I've just moved house so eating out is a bit of an extravagance at the moment. My parents came up from Merseyside to visit this weekend and to help out with some odd jobs so I thought there was no better opportunity to treat them to THE BEST CURRY HOUSE IN BRADFORD. No other restaurant I've ever been to has ever been so keen to show off the awards it's won like Shimla. And why not? There are a lot and each one is deserved.

Atmosphere:

When you walk in, the first thing you notice is that the decor at Shimla is something else. Opulent to the point of gawdy and yet it works. Above the purple wallpaper with velvet pattern and the silver mirror frames there is a sunken ceiling lit with hundreds of LEDs.

Shimla is nearly always busy. Not too busy mind, always just right. There is a large waiting area where you can either wait for your party to arrive, wait for a table (I've never waited more than 10 mins) or even wait for a take-away. 

Service:
Service in Indian Restaurants can always be touch and go. Especially in Bradford. Shimla really stands apart from the others here with it's excellent service. You are always greeted by a waiter when you walk in and while you're waiting for your seat the manager always acknowledges you. Working in the service industry, I know this is a big deal now apparently but in a restaurant I am still taken aback by it (especially given how busy they are). On this visit the wait was a bit longer than normal and he came over to apologise (not only to us but the party before us as well). Once seated, our order was taken quickly and the starters were out within 10 min or so. 
While eating our starter, I noticed that the lady at the table next to us was having issue with her food (not sure what but I've never seen that before at Shimla) and the manager and the waiters really went above and beyond fussing over her

Food:
When I first moved to Yorkshire I used to exclusively order Korma when I went for a curry. I like creamy mild currys and Korma largely seems like a safe bet. The menu at Shimla is exhaustive and there are about 4 or 5 different currys that fall into the category I would usually be drawn to and in the time I've been going I've had them all. I have two favourites; Mirpuri and Jaipuri. Luckily for me, my dad likes similar currys so I was able to get both tonight and share with him. 
To start however we had a grill platter and I ordered a dish of Chana Chaat (a spicy chick dish) to accompany it. The platter had everything you would expect, Lamb Chops, Chicken Tikka, Kebabs, Lamb Tikka and Fish Masala and all cooked and spiced perfectly. I'd never had the Chaat before so was quite looking forward to it and it was lovely. Not too spicy and not too much yoghurt. 
The currys are always the star of the show though. My Chicken Tikka Jaipuri was delicious. The Jaipuri is a tangy but creamy curry and one of their many 'award winning dishes'. My dad had the Chicken Mirpuri. The two currys are fairly similar with the Mirpuri being less tangy and less spicy than the Jaipuri. There is also more of a taste of cardamom and cloves in the Jaipuri, two flavours which I usually avoid but they compliment the creamy tangy sauce excellently. My mum went for something a bit different "Lamb Dansak" - a curry shop favourite albeit one I had avoided in the past due to the presence of pineapple, I did sneak a quick bite though and the lamb was cooked beautifully and the sauce with the lentils was not overpowered by the strong taste of pineapple. My partner had Lamb Garlic which I also had a bite of and again the lamb was cooked beautifully.

Overall:
There is a reason Shimla has it's reputation. It is consistently amazing and it is just one of those places that everyone who loves curry should go. After an amazing night of food, I usually dread the bill but for all of that, the bill came out at less than £60.

I would go as far to say that Shimla is the definitive Bradford Curry House. 

Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream Parlour

Calm Slate Farm, Off A59, Halton East, Nr Skipton, BD23 6EU | www.yorkshiredalesicecream.co.uk | @YorksDalesIceCr

Type of Food: American Style Diner / Ice Cream Parlor

Occasion: Just because
Date Visited: March 2013
Overall Rating: ***** Amazing

When you say it out loud it doesn't really make sense. An American Diner selling homemade Ice Cream in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales. But when your driving along the A59 from Skipton to Bolton Abbey the sign is right there. This way to the Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream Parlor. 

I've been coming here for years. Even before the diner was finished. When ever I have friends come visit, this is where we end up, and not just for the ice cream. 
The food here is just as big a draw than the ice cream if not bigger. I don't think there is a thing on the menu I couldn't eat and yet I always find myself taking the easy option. A Coney Island Hot Dog. Not your run of the mill hot dog, a bread bun and a sausage - not a cheap hot dog sausage - a real sausage, topped with chilli - home made chilli - with cheese, and jalapeños. This may be one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life.

The drinks menu is just as exciting. This was my first Coke float since I was a child and it's great. They even have a special machine for them - not entirely sure what it does though. There's also a wide array of milkshakes, smoothies and sodas. 

And then there't the ice cream. I love ice cream and the range here is outstanding. I have only been let down by one flavor and that was Cappuccino - it tasted too much like coffee so god knows what I was expecting ... If you get hooked which is very easy to do, there's even freezers full of tubs of the stuff which you can take home.

All in all, this is one of my favourite places in Yorkshire. Amazing food; Amazing ice cream; and Amazing atmosphere. 

The Cross Keys, East Marton (near Skipton)

Off A59, East Marton, Skipton, BD23 7LP | 01282 822 326 | www.thecrosskeys.uk.com

Type of Food: Pub

This will just be a quick blog post. This weekend I went to visit my parents in Merseyside and we decided to go the scenic way, up to Skipton and down  through Lancashire. Setting off around 1pm we decided to grab lunch at a pub on the way, hence the impromptu stop off at The Cross Keys. 

We weren't wanting much, something quick and not from a microwave. The Cross Keys delivered. Situated about 15/20 minutes along the road to Clitheroe from Skipton it was perfectly located. The atmosphere was just what you'd expect to and had a great local feel without being too intimidating. 

All the food claimed top be local and fresh which is a massive plus in my books plus the menu looked great. I had a roast chicken and chorizo sandwich which came with homemade chips, the big proper kind. Filled the gap. The chicken was a bit dry and possibly a bit overcooked, but we did arrive three minutes before they stop serving so I expect it had been cooked for a while! It also came with one of my pet hates, a random side salad. I don't see the point in them if there isn't going to be any care and attention made. The chips however were delicious. 

Overall it wasn't bad and it's always great to see a pub serving lunch without the use of microwaves! The menu looked great and I would definitely stop off there again but I wouldn't make a special journey. 

Viva, Leeds

9-11 Bridge End, Leeds LS1 7HG | 0113 242 0185 | www.cafeitalialeeds.co.uk

Type of Food: Italian

Price:  2 starters, 2 mains, 2 alcoholic drinks = £40

Occasion: Date Night
Date Visited: February 2013
Overall Rating: **** Very Very Good

I always avoid Italians. In Leeds City Centre there must be more Italian restaurants than any other kind but the quality is always usually so patchy. Also when you search Italian you are bombarded by chain after chain after chain. Don't get me wrong, just because it's a chain doesn't make it bad. I just would rather try somewhere different and get something I cant get in any other large city. After a good 20 minutes searching the internet we decided on Viva on Bridge End (just at the end of Briggate past Nandos). God knows I've walked passed this place so many times and I've never really noticed it.

Atmosphere:
Saturday night was busy. Viva is lively but not boisterous. The decor was almost perfect. Not to over the top but still authentic. 

Service:
My one issue with Viva stems from when we arrived. We called in advance to check if a reservation was required and was told just to pop down. When we arrived there were four other couples all perched around the tiny bar waiting for a seat. The owner (I assume) greeted us with a warm handshake and said the wait would only be ten minutes  Ten minutes came and went and in that time only one of the four couples had been seated despite the nearest two tables to the door remaining empty for the duration of the time we had been waiting. All of a sudden the four couples got seated within about 5 minutes  Not sure what was happening but it  didn't look great that we were waiting for so long. 
Once seated the service was efficient but not so quick you felt rushed to leave. 

Food:
Italian food can be very standard sometimes. Some menus just list off a variety of pasta dishes you can get in any frozen food aisle. Viva's menu was reasonably concise especially on the pasta dishes but it was varied. I'd had my heart set on pasta all afternoon and that only changed once I had seen the table next to me and what looked like the most delicious Calzone I had ever seen. By this point the waiter had brought over a complimentary bruschetta which was beautiful. Having just watched a celebrity Masterchef episode where John Torode was talking about the perfect bruschetta I was quite keen to try a 'proper bruschetta' and this didn't disappoint. For starter I had deep fried mozzarella which came with a decent portion. Rich and gooey it was just right. Not to hard not to flaky. And then the Calzone...
The standard restaurant calzone tends to shove as much as possible into it and essentially make it to be just a pizza that's folded over but Calzone can be so much more! Viva's take on it is much more simple focusing on a light pizza bread and inside just the cheese and garlic with a tomato sauce around the outside. Complimenting it all with a light small rocket salad.

Overall:
Food wise, Viva was spot on. I don't think I have had such a good Italian meal out (but then again I don't really chose to go to an Italian and then again it's usually a chain like Pizza Express or something similar). My only gripe was the first 15 minutes waiting. Bar this I think it would have been a five star review!

Damn Yankee, Harrogate

4 Station Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1UE | damnyankee.co.uk | @DYharrogate

Type of Food: American

Price:  Main and 2 soft drinks = £15

Occasion: Meal out after a day out in the dales
Date Visited: February 2013
Overall Rating: Very Very Good **** and a half

Harrogate isn't really convenient to get to from Shipley especially by public transport on the off-chance I would like something to drink. However I had seen Damn Yankee on the internet and was desperate to give it a go. So looking for any old excuse (this time that we had been for a drive through the Dales and 'conveniently' came back through Harrogate) we went. Good American restaurants are generally hard to come by in Yorkshire. The only other place that springs to mind is the Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream Farm just outside of Skipton but that's more of a lunch time stop than an evening meal. I went with high expectations [n.b. see the review of Reds in Leeds]

Atmosphere:
One thing I cant fault this place on is atmosphere! It's spot on. The decor is flawless making it styled like an 'all-American' dinner. It's not authentic but then again it doesn't need to be. It's an American themed family restaurant not a museum. There was so much attention to detail right down to the brick walls and 'broken' plaster.

Service:
The staff were very friendly and efficient. The table next to ours had a kids party and the waitresses really went over board not only singing Happy Birthday but also chatting with him which I thought was nice.
For us they came over a couple a minutes after were eating to ask if everything was OK which was appreciated and they always checked to see if we needed any more to drink. 

Food:
I would have been very happy with a starter but the group I came with didn't want starters. American food is all about starters whether it be Nachos, Potato Skins or Mozzarella Sticks all of which featured on the menu here. Ho hum! Another excuse to go back.
For mains there were a wide array of burgers, Tex Mex, a grill and some lighter bites. I decide to go for the house chilli seeing as thought it claimed to be served in a tortilla basket and I do like myself a good chilli! It was as expected - top class. My only complaint would be a shortage kidney beans. The presentation was spot on and the tortilla basket was a great idea and complimented it nicely. 
The portion size was also spot on and would have gone nicely with a starter (sad face). To fill the gap however I grabbed some fries from my co-dinners. Very very nice!

Overall:
Great food, great atmosphere and great value. Win Win Win!

Nawaab, Leeds

25 Wellington St, Leeds, LS1 4WG | 0113 244 2979 | nawaabsheffield.co.uk


Type of Food: Curry

Price:  Starter + Main + an alcoholic drink = £20 each

Occasion: Catch up with former colleagues
Date Visited: Feburary 2013
Overall Rating: **** Very Good

I am always begrudged coming to Leeds for a curry. I live in Bradford (well Shipley) and to me its like getting a Eurostar from Paris to London for French food. Bradford has arguably the best curry houses in Yorkshire (if not the country). There is even a Nawaab in Bradford (2 if you include the one at Tong). The menus are the same where ever you go although I must say I prefer the atmosphere in the Leeds restaurant. Plus I was with a group of friends I would never convince to go into Bradford. 

Atmosphere:
It's a curry house. The standard tacky modern decor although to a high standard. It was quite busy and there was a stag do to boot. Although it didn't feel too much. Just right. 

Service:
Food was quick. Starters came before the poppadoms were done with. Given I was hungry I was delighted with that. Mains came quickly after that. There was a bit of a delay getting served at first but I think they were a bit short staffed.  

Food:
The range of starters at Nawaab is above average. In fact I don't think I've seen a longer list. Despite that, I had Tandoori Chicken Tikka. I know it's safe but it was saturday night, I was hungry and it was DELICIOUS. 
My favourite thing about coming to Nawaab is one of their specials: the Nirali Special. It's creamy and nutty but not sweet like a Korma. It's always delicious  I never have it with rice, always Roti or Naan
I ate it all. It was a challenge but it was to good to waste.

Overall:
I love the Nirali Special. It's my favorite curry special in all the restaurants I've been to. Nawaab is a very good curry house. Above average but not the best. It's a pretty safe bet to be honest. I would definitely go just to try the Nirali Special. It's pretty unique.