Eat Leeds is back with a bang in 2022 offering foodies the chance to dine in some of the city’s finest eateries for significantly less. And, with the cost of living spiralling out of control, their timing couldn’t be more perfect. Who can resist a deal these days?
This year’s Leeds Restaurant Week line-up is a stellar mash-up of old and new, spanning fine dining to casual and everything in between. For those not familiar with Eat Leeds, the concept is pretty simple. Simply head to their website, pick out your favourite restaurant, download the voucher, and head there between Monday 15th and Sunday 21st August.
I was lucky enough to attend a sneak preview, which showcased three of the incredible venues taking part. Our first stop was The Wardrobe, who served up a selection of appetisers from their eclectic menu.
Highlights here included the Masala King Prawns served with a refreshing mango salad, and the rich and salty Goats Cheese Bon Bons, which are paired with a honey dressing. The winning dish had to go to the Buttermilk Chicken Tacos, served in a soft tortilla with lashings of ranch slaw and chipotle mayo. I could have eaten a pile of these as a main.
There’s plenty of temptation elsewhere on the menu too, namely the Wardrobe Burger with Emmental, smoked bacon and pretzel bun, as well as the Chef’s Fried Chicken with grilled corn and blue cheese dressing.
The Wardrobe may be known mainly as a hip bar and live music venue, but it’s just as impressive when it comes to mouthwatering food.
Moving on to Ambiente for mains, we were treated to a pre-dinner mini masterclass in sherry, and how the different variants pair with Spanish tapas. Definitely a million miles away from grandma’s festive tipple, the sherry we sampled proved to be an excellent companion to the evening’s dishes.
Having dined here several times before, it was great to see Ambiente had really finessed their offering since my last visit many moons ago.
Classics like the Caramelised Chorizo were just as dreamy as they ever were, whilst the meatballs offered up a punchy explosion of flavours you simply won’t find in your average tapas venue.
An impressive selection of vegan tapas (ranging from faux calamari to faux chicken) wowed our table, which was primarily made up of carnivores. Don’t sleep on the Pata Negra Iberian Pork selection either. Absolutely delicious.
Our final stop for the night was the brand spanking new MEAT: STACK, which instantly became my go-to Deliveroo dirty burger joint when they launched a couple of months ago. This was my first visit to the restaurant itself, where we were supposed to be sampling dessert.
Instead, they whipped up a smorgasbord of burgers, loaded fries and shakes, and I wasn’t about to complain. Their unique brand of American inspired burgers, steamed buns and moreish toppings is a winning combination that will have you coming back for more. This was my fourth MEAT: STACK meal in as many weeks.
Their beef dripping fries are something else, and great on their own or smothered in toppings. I can also highly recommend their chicken tenders, which are covered in the kind of batter you usually get at the chippy. The Biscoff Shake was off the charts too. Amazing stuff.
The restaurant design is reminiscent of a classic US diner, complete with retro Streetfighter arcade machine. An essential new Leeds spot.
Leeds Restaurant Week kicks off on Monday, so why not push that overdue leccy bill to one side, head to the Eat Leeds website and treat someone you love?
