Bomba Paella and Tapas

The Foundry has a new restaurant, bringing a splash of colour to the industrial heritage of South Leeds.

Having previously housed Matt Healy X The Foundry, the restaurant is well equipped for cooking and dining. The raw brick walls, concrete floors and filament light bulbs sing to both the current rejuvenation and industrial past of the Foundry; the passageway outside cites the importance of the Foundry, Matthew Murray and the Leeds locomotive industry. A short walk from the City Centre, surrounded by new housing, offices and businesses, I can see this becoming both a neighbourhood favourite and a place to pop into after work.

Bomba interior

The beauty of such a bar is that you can eat as little or much as you like. Lunchtime refuel, early evening beer and snack, or full three course meal and bottle of wine – the choice is yours. The open plan area makes seating flexible, from solo dining to couples to groups.

I was invited to visit the restaurant, led by Joe McDermott, when it opened in January. Joe set up the original Arts Café in Leeds and Ilkley Moor Vaults in Ilkley. His team includes chef Manuel and wife and business partner Elizabeth. Bomba grew out of a paella at-home delivery service during lockdown. Elizabeth told us about using an electric bike to conquer Ilkley’s hills when delivering orders. Later, when restrictions eased, they converted their Leeds’ Kirkgate Market stall from crepes to Spanish fare. Moving to the Foundry has enabled them to expand their menu and hours.

Side view at Bomba

The new occupants have changed little in way of décor, yet the bright Bomba logo on the window, distinctive coloured menus and cutlery in olive tins have brought a fresh Mediterranean feel.

Having perused the menu in advance, I had been faced with an impossible choice: tapas or paella? The only answer was to invite friends. With four of us seated at the polished wooden table, I felt confident we could tackle both.

We started with a selection of tapas. The menu is short but contains firm favourites: patatas bravas, padron peppers, albondigas and croquetas. We ordered all of these plus a mixed salad and bread with olive oil. Other options include calamari, chickpea stew and a vegetarian version of albondigas.

Chorizo croquetas

The tapas arrived together. Our clear favourite was the chorizo croquetas. The online menu had offered mushroom or Serrano ham versions. Sensibly, the restaurant is running a reduced menu and hours for the time being, so only the chorizo option was available. In this case, I was pleased there were no others. I would probably have rejected chorizo as too strong a flavour, but the round soft balls with crispy exterior, had a mellow, smoky taste. They were elevated by the accompanying thick, smooth, rich Mojo Rojo sauce.

Patata bravas and padron peppers

My test dish for Spanish tapas is Patata Bravas. Sometimes the potatoes are good and the sauce poor, or vice versa. Here, both excelled. The potatoes were crispy cubes with soft centres. The tomato sauce had a spicy bite without being overpowering – and there was the bonus of aioli.

The soft padron peppers melted in the mouth. The mixed salad, topped with a boiled egg, was generous. I was slightly disappointed by the meatballs. Portion size of balls and sofrito sauce was small and the seasoning was not as accomplished as in other dishes.

Then on to the main event. We had opted for the Paella Valenciana for two, to share amongst the four of us. This was a chicken version but there are also vegetarian, seafood and mixed versions. The chicken was succulent, probably thigh rather than breast judging from the flavour and moistness. The vegetables and the chicken had soaked up the rich tomato, garlic and saffron of the sauce. Particularly impressive were the large soft judion beans, a Spanish version of butter beans.

Paella

My fondness for paella has often been determined by where I have eaten it. The beach at lunchtime, the harbour-side on a balmy evening. I am not always sure that the food has lived up to the setting. Here, the food outshone its Leeds location. Rice dishes, whether biryani, risotto or paella, can be flavoured rice with other ingredients added. However, when done well the dish comes together to make an unique whole; and so it was here. A garlicky bowl of aioli was the icing on the cake.

Talking of cake, despite the generous size of the paella, we decided we might have room left for a slice. The cake in question was a clementine and almond cake. We had one slice of cake and one portion of churros to share. The ground almonds gave the cake a firm consistency, while the clementines and fruit syrup made it moist and morish. The churros were piping hot and served with cold cream and thick chocolate sauce for dipping. The online menu holds out the hope of chocolate and olive oil mousse for a future visit.

Clementine and almond cake and churros

Our food was washed down by a bottle of Rioja and chilled water. The wine list is short but clearly well chosen. There are four reds on the menu, three of them Riojas. Although we chose the cheapest, it was still smooth and complex.

The total bill came to £75. Not bad at all for four well-fed, content diners.

1 Saw Mill Yard, Holbeck, Leeds LS11 5WH

Opening hours for February 2022 Wednesday – Saturday 12-late

https://www.bombapaella.uk/

Photography by Debbie Rolls.

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