S. Worthen | Weblog

Location: Canal Wharf, Water Lane, Leeds. UK. Across the canal from the railway station, but that won't help you much in getting there.

Paul Heathcote started out with his self-titled restaurant in Preston and has been gradually expanding variants of his more informal venue across northern England. The Leeds instance, my first, is one of four Simply Heathcotes, a comfortable modern space, which feels like a stylish gastropub, but acts more like a straightforward restaurant. Clean lines infuse an older space, worn woodwork framing the inside of stone windows. The room reminds me of Square in Toronto with its leather banquettes, white paint, and deliberate counterpoint between verticality and long, lower-ceilinged spaces. And in that Sunday evening's case, the columns and tables were interspersed with large flat-screen t.v.s showing the World Cup final.

The seasonal menu is standardized across the foursome of Simply Heathcotes, augmented with specials. The focus is on British classics, especially those from Lancashire, with an emphasis on pub fare. As the sun slowly set behind the canal boats and bridge beyond, I began with a Bramble Royale, a blackberry variant on a Kir Royale, a pleasant variant, smoother than the original, finished with a fresh blackberry.

( Courses... )

By this point in the evening, I'd been drawn into the World Cup final along with everyone else left in the room. I'd been disappointed at first on seeing the t.v.s (why go out to eat during the match if I really wanted to watch it?), but in retrospect, they were set up well enough to ignore, the volume wasn't too loud, and anyways, I really am rather glad to have seen its ending. Italy won, and I left in a GPS-dependant taxi with memories of banana bread ice cream on my taste buds.

Location: 19 Boar Lane, Leeds

I remembered the bread vividly, a compact, petite loaf bolstered by a small dish of green, nutty olive oil, and framed by the rectangular slab of slate beneath it. Three petals of butter accompanied, arranged in a star on a square slab of their own, creamy pale against black. The butters were flavored, sharp, clean, clear, decisive: salted, parmesan, and toasted. Last year I was there for lunch; this time I called further in advance of my trip, and secured a dinner reservation.

And this time, although the butters were as fine as I remembered, the bread as well plated, other things proved the vivid highlights still lingering in memory: an extraordinary amaretto sour; parmesan air; the edibility of a cock's crest; and above all, the sheer humor of the food combinations. I've never found a meal so downright intellectually funny before. Indeed, although I knew that in theory it was possible to have pleasantly humorous meals, I've never encountered one in practice before.

( Amusing bouches... )

Much as it's fun to take myself out to dinner, the intricacies and amusement value of the food at Anthony's made me miss the dining company of C. and double0hilly, among other people. There's a great to say, to talk about, to think over in this food. It tastes good, yes, elegantly plated, yes, but there's a whole thought-provoking level to the food which demands conversation. Sometimes, restaurant staff can make up for my desire to talk about the food, to supply more information, to work through what makes it what it is. In this case, the extremely competent staff had by necessity other priorities - so I missed company more than usual. Marzipan, squiggles, classy comfort food, creamy breakfast cereal, stealth duck, sweet savories, a game of textures, and a savoury dessert - nothing was quite as expected - and I mean that in a good way - in the tasting menu at Anthony's.

Location: 3 York Place, at King St. Leeds, UK.

After a week of cafeteria food, wouldn't you be pining away for a good meal? That's not really why I went to No. 3 York Place last Thursday. The real reason is that I'd spent the past several months reading the eGullet UK boards, which included repeated recommendations for both No. 3 and Anthony's in Leeds. And since I knew I was going to be there anyways for a week, it made perfect sense to take advantage of the oppotunity to eat well.

No. 3 is located a few minute's walk from the railway station, in the heart of Leeds' city centre, on a relatively quiet side street. White walls and ceiling, judicious use of glass, and a few walls of mirrors helped make the room feel spacious. It helped too that no one was ever really seated next to me, so I had an effective amount of space to myself. (Technically, three people briefly sat down at the next table, but one of them started to make unhealthy noises, and then they left.) White linens, dark brown and white leather upholstery: they achieved a nice balance between classic and modern decor.

( Lovely food... )

The food at No. 3, for all its achievements and aspirations, is really quite accessible. The dishes are almost never more complicated than advertised on the menu. The dishes are sophisticated and honestly straightforward, a very comfortable balance. The room is welcoming, the staff knowledgable and attentive. And there's a UKP 18.50 three course menu available if you go at lunchtime or before 7:30 for dinner. By the standards of high-end UK restaurants, that's a bargain.