Bobby Geetha, the chef behind this new venture, was a quarter-finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals, and has appeared on Great British Menu.
Bobby has worked in five-star kitchens and trained under Michelin-starred chefs. On both my visits, Bobby was there to meet guests and oversee the dishes that he has personally designed. However, he has able culinary management in head chef Abdulkhadar Allingal Siddique, who also has Michelin experience. Don’t let all this luxury background make you think pricey fine-dining; this is food that will engage all palates and pockets.
My initial visit was time limited as I was on the way to the Grand Theatre. This would be a great venue for a pre-theatre meal when visiting Leeds Playhouse, the Conservatoire or a dance event. They even have a special offer of a bowl and side for £9 before 7pm, just enough to see you through a performance. Maybe in time they will consider post theatre meals. Until then, you have to trek to Akbar’s to find a curry after 10pm. My first visit left me sated but I felt I had not tried sufficient dishes to truly know the restaurant.
Many Asian restaurants have claimed to have adopted a small plate approach. I remember Aagrah experimenting with the format at Leeds Dock many years ago. It is something that has not always worked, although in recent years the Mowgli chain seem to have started to break down the two course approach to Indian dining. This is the first restaurant that I have visited where I felt you could adopt a true ‘tapas’ approach to Indian food. I suggest you ask for a menu to be left on your table, so you can order extras as the whim takes you. I did succumb to adding a wonderfully flaky parotta to soak up sauce on my second visit.
The restaurant location, on St Peter’s Street opposite the Conservatoire, has had something of a chequered history. I can think of at least four other restaurants that have held this spot over the last ten years. Most previous occupants have been at the pricier end of the Leeds food scene. Kendalls, next door, is evidence that you can run a successful restaurant in this part of town, but they have the upmarket audience sewn up. Kerala canteen is very affordable.
My double visit was partially prompted by a superb opening offer: sign up to the Kerala Canteen Club and then book online and you can receive 50% off food throughout January. However, even at full price the food is great value. The most expensive dish on the menu is a bargain biriyani, chicken or jackfruit, at £9.
Bobby has thought about everything, whilst not spending money on an unnecessary make- over, he tells me that even the music has been personally selected. Much of the decoration was installed when the venue became a Japanese restaurant, but the foliage still looks relevant and beautiful Indian touches have been added, with traditional woven mats and attractive stencilling on the terracotta walls. Publicity describes the setting as, ‘Japanese minimalism and modern Kerala vibes.’ The setting is colourful without being overwhelming. Different seating styles: circular tables built into booths, tables for two or four, and an elevated section where larger groups can sit together away from other diners, make this a flexible dining space.
We were seated quickly and left with menus to peruse. Our server quickly returned with glasses of complimentary Sulaimani tea, a warm spiced drink that acts as a palate cleanser and offering hospitality. Our server was happy to recommend dishes he had enjoyed and I was glad we took his recommendation on the Pan Seared Sea Bass Pollichathu: perfectly cooked with crisp skin and flaky interior, served with a piquant sauce.
On our first visit, we also ordered porotta, jack fruit biryani and a beef and bone marrow curry. Our second outing, with more time and bigger appetities, we ate: Green Goddess Cutlet, Crispy Curry Leaf Calamari, Pulled Duck Leg and Potato Mappas, Green Seasonal Vegetables, Broccoli Uthappam, basmati rice plus that extra porotta. There is nothing on that list that I would hesitate to order again.
The sea bass, cutlet and calamari were ordered from the small plates section. The cutlet was chunky and packed with vegetables in a crispy coating, a good size for sharing. The calamari had a crisp, spicy coating, but the inside was beautifully soft and I thoroughly enjoyed dipping pieces into the accompanying curry mayonnaise. The calamari dish was elevated by a scattering of samphire across the top. All dishes were beautifully garnished, toppings included: pomegranate seeds, pickled red chilli, shredded coconut and some beautiful spiced pink silver skin onions. Presentation is as vibrant as the decor.
I road tested three curries: beef, duck and green vegetable. The beef cut was flat iron steak and I was worried it might be a little firm for a good curry. It was perfect. The meat held its shape but was deliciously soft. The marrow had given a rich meatiness to the sauce that could be savoured despite this being one of the spicier dishes. The duck was beautifully tender and sat alongside small, soft pieces of potato in a thick, coconut-based sauce.
The stand out plate for me was the jack fruit biryani. I have eaten a lot of biryanis over the years, but this was a completely new experience, the lightest rice dish I have ever tasted. Apparently, they use Kaima/Jeerakasala rice imported directly from Kerala. The jackfruit, another Keralan staple, was cut into moist chunks, and the dish was served with a beetroot and coconut yoghurt sauce.
Vegetarians are well catered for, unlike the previous Filipino restaurant that featured mainly pork and fish. Green vegetables and jack fruit feature in various forms. There is a healthy feel to the food, which is fresh and locally sourced where possible. I particularly enjoyed the coconut-based green seasonal vegetable, a host of different green vegetables presented in smooth, silky sauce. Too often vegetable curries are either a hotchpotch or feature just one vegetable.
The menu comes with wine recommendations for specific dishes, but most people seemed to be ordering cocktails. Personally, I like a long drink with a curry. I opted for a Cider and jackfruit and my partner went for a pint of the locally brewed Amity beer. Cider was provided by Peacock, which I had drunk before at Mowgli, but this time a mango and lime flavour was on offer, which proved to be a refreshing accompaniment to spicy food.
I still haven’t tried everything I would like to here. If I visit at lunchtime (the canteen is currently open from 12pm on Fridays and Saturdays) I will try the Chicken Kothu Porotta. The combination of flaked porotta, chicken curry and fried egg sounds like a perfect midday meal. Bobby tells me that I really should have ordered the Trivandrum Fried Chicken, a tribute to his home city, whilst others have raved about the spicy Hasselback potatoes. One day I may even restrain myself and leave enough room for dessert. I have seen, but not tasted, the jaggery-infused sticky toffee pudding and the cardamom chocolate brownie with
homemade vanilla ice-cream. They both look delicious.
Bobby Geetha could work anywhere in the world. He has worked in exclusive hotels and restaurants in India, Europe and London. We are privileged that he has chosen Leeds as the City he wants to live and run a business in. He has been involved in Fleur at the Light for some time but this is a much more personal enterprise and one that he clearly hopes will flourish. Bobby talks about bringing, ‘God’s Own Country to God’s Own County’, his commitment to Kerala and Yorkshire are beyond dispute.
