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Dough is a restaurant in the leafy suburbs of Leeds. It has gone from strength to strength and is now considered among many Leeds diners to be one of the best restaurants in the county! It's small and intimate but this Parisian style bistro creates a fantastic atmosphere. The service is superb and laid-back. The food, however, is what really does the talking, with menus that change on every visit, food sourced only from the local region - apparently the chef has his own allotment that he uses produce from! As well as the quality of the food, the fact they allow customers to 'bring their own' while remaining fully licensed is a revelation in the industry, proving that not all businesses are just out to make a quick buck!
Address is 293 Spen Lane, Headingley, Leeds, LS16 5BD. Tel 0113 2787255. E-mail doughbistro@yahoo.co.uk. Nearest station is Headingley I presume.
This is Roundhay/Harehill's up and coming restaurant, and extremely good value. The secret is out, because these days Arti is getting a full house and is popular with white and Asian customers alike.
Arti offers some south Indian fare such as dhosa and idli as well as the more standard Indian dishes; warning - the starters are huge and really delicious.
Arti started his restaurant a couple of years back, is very friendly, keen to find out what the customer thinks. This boy's going places! It's a hard act to follow - we've moved to a different city and still looking for an Arti replacement.
Arti Restaurant
285-287 Roundhay Road
Leeds LS8 4HS
The Sheesh Mahal on Kirkstall Road always manages to amaze me with both the quality of the food and service on offer. Azram, the owner, is always serving and chatting with his regulars, and nothing is too much trouble for him, whether it is explaining the history behind dishes on the menu, or providing cake and a free bottle of wine for a friend's birthday.
There are many very, very good curry houses in Leeds and Bradford, but the Sheesh manages to serve food that's up there with the best. The service always tips the scales in the Sheesh's direction though.
Key dishes to try include the prawn puri starter, and either the fish balti or sheesh gosht karahi with a side order of cauliflower and aubergine. I've tried most of the menu and have yet to have a bad meal there.
Kirkstall Road, Leeds
www.sheeshmahal.co.uk
We had lunch at Plush last Thursday, our first visit. Friendly and welcoming staff, lovely food - fresh, well presented and full of flavour across all three courses - with a good bottle of Sauv Blanc.
All with prompt but unobtrusive service.
Seated by a tropical fish tank, which was entertaining. All for £50 - great value and well recommended.
10 York Place. Near Wellington Street and railway station.
LS1 2DS
0113 234 3344
Simply the best Thai restaurant in Leeds. Tucked away behind the impressive Town Hall (or City Hall, I always get them mixed up, basically the massive hall on Headrow).
Cheap with mains at less than a fiver and starters about £2. Friendly staff and a convivial atmosphere when it's full. Keeps funny opening hours though, its open through the day but closes at 10pm.
Worth popping into the Victoria Hotel just along the road afterwards for a swift one.
39 Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3BB, Tel: 0113 245 9224
Punjabi Indian restaurant a little way out of town (about 1.5 miles) but worth making the effort for.
Staffed by possibly the smiliest gents I have ever seen or met. Not massive portions by some standards, its all about the flavours, which are consistently a notch above other curry houses around and about. Still a proper good feed though, and all at a belting price.
Raja's has almost a permanent place in the Leeds Good Food Guide.
There are many many other ethnic eateries along the same road (Roundhay Road) so it's worth a look if you're not bothered about Raja's, but there are no bars in the area (except for a well dodgy Irish bar).
If you crave booze give me a knock, theres always beer and wine in the fridge, and I live just round the corner from Raja's.
186 Roundhay Road
Leeds
LS8 5PL
0113 248 0411
Cafe bar by day, thronging bar by night. Another excellent bar with an excellent music policy (bearing in mind my bias towards indie/rock).
Does do food but I haven't indulged yet as it's always been rammed to the gills when I've been, usually late in the night.
20 New Briggate, Leeds, LS1 1AJ 0113 305 0372
A cellar bar on New Briggate, sandwiched between and under North and Franks. A nice little bar with a lovely atmosphere and a good taste in music, usually along jazz/blues lines but branches out now and again.
As can be expected, busy on a weekend, but good for a quiet drink and a light snack when you're knackered from shopping on a Saturday.
Usually has live acts on in the week.
20 New Briggate
Leeds
LS16NU
If you pass North you've also just gone past the entrance to Sela, turn around and look for the red door!
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