I made a direct aim towards the buffet table. I was a woman on a mission.
While others were relaxing, talking and spending time taking in their Aperol Spritzes, I was aiming for the Sardinian feast that lay waiting ahead of me.
Bruschetta! Pizza carbonara! Airy breadsticks with the faintest traces of olive oil! Fruit and vegetables! Troppa scelta! Once I had my plate of Italian small dishes, I took my time admiring the décor and chatting with the photographer. She was a pro and I was an amateur- but I was sure (as I’m sure she was) that the place held all the great beauty of a Sardinian villa in burning summer (did you know that DOMO means home?)
DOMO is a Sardinian restaurant located at Tower Works, close to Leeds Dock- something of a labyrinthine network of upscale restaurants, bars and co-working spaces. Having made such an impact in Sheffield, we realise DOMO in Leeds will match its success, described as ‘generous, always made in-house and deeply traditional.’
The atmosphere of the place – past those sprawled out across the sofas, speaking freely in small groups and enjoying small bites of the food – felt bathed in culture. Nautical scenes were displayed on the walls, rattan chairs circled tables of food that looked snatched straight out of a culinary magazine, and on the tiles above me is a message: ‘Unu populu, una limba, un’ istoria!’ Translated, it reads ‘one people, one language, one history’. Food is the national unifier and yet one of the greatest signifiers of home. How interesting that in recent years, new culinary developments have centred around the idea of welcoming someone to a new culture (much like my experience at Salon Madre).
Beyond the seascapes and wall baskets, however, was a sense of appreciation for the food, above all else. There are few other words for how the bread and vegetable arrangements tasted than like summer, a leavened softness to the breadsticks that had me wishing that I could just bundle a million of them in a Tupperware and take them with me on my adventures. There was a smoky char to the pizza and an umami bite. The queue to the buffet table only five or ten minutes after I had visited had become like five-o-clock traffic. I was getting seconds and passing my friend iced apple juice through a wall of people who had clearly decided I had the right idea.
The staff were also kind and attentive, and I have to thank them for all of their hard work preparing and launching this event. I wish all the best success for DOMO in the future!
If you are looking for a holiday without the holiday, a villa without the villa, and some sea without the sea, DOMO is your best bet for a taste of a truly stunning Sardinian summer.
Tower Works. 2 Globe Rd,
Leeds LS11 5QG
Mail: [email protected]
- Monday – Thursday: 12:00 PM – 9:30 PM
- Friday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:30 PM
