Oliver

Perhaps reviewing a restaurant less than two weeks after it opens is a bit unfair.

Teething troubles are to be expected, though the Blackhouse Grill in Leeds city centre was already an eaterie so you'd think they'd be less likely.

Formerly a branch of the Italian-style chain Est Est Est, the venue has been rebranded and given a £1m revamp by owners Living Ventures.

This branch was chosen to become a Blackhouse Grill, a format already trading in places including Manchester and London.

I'd never been fond of the city centre Est Est Est, but this new restaurant is in a different league altogether so I put aside my preconceptions and booked.

Actually, I spoke to a lady on the phone who audibly tapped my booking into a computer. But when Oliver and his dining partner rolled up on a Saturday night, things initially did not go well.

First, the trendy couple in front of us had great difficulty getting the staff to marry their name with what was on the list of bookings.

When it came to us, a worried but weary look was exchanged between the workers. It appeared we weren't down. We were offered a drink on the terrace while we waited for a free table. No complimentary drink to make up for the error though.

Thankfully we weren't too fussed thanks to the warm evening and extensive cocktail menu. From a range of bellinis to the classic Cosmo, there was a huge choice.

Sadly Oliver was driving, but my dining partner perused it carefully before selecting a delicious-sounding pineapple margarita.

I went for an equally mouthwatering fresh juice and while we waited we took in the scene.

The balcony area has been dressed with some tall bamboo plants, shielding us from passers by. Heat lamps kept the temperature bearable but we weren't keen to linger for too long.

Luckily we didn't have to. Within 10 minutes we were being ushered inside, by a woman whose offhand demeanour made her the only weak link in the service.

It was so quick our drinks hadn't even got to us, but the quick-witted waiter found us inside.

Food choices were extensive. Specialising in seafood and steak, Blackhouse Grill offers a large main menu featuring a variety of fish, shellfish and steaks as well as burgers, pies and salads.

For the flashy there's the ultra-expensive Kobe beef at £17.95 for a burger and £50 for a steak.

There were also a range of specials and an additional grill menu. Thanks to our good-natured waitress we munched on olives and a warm mini bread loaf with balsamic and olive oil while we chose.

Some of the options – like fajitas – seemed a little incongruous so we stuck to the specialties. My companion went for the crispy fresh calamari with lemon mayo, while my starter was the Thai fish cakes (both £5.95).

Both were a hit. The fish cakes were unusual, containing cubes of potato mixed with salmon and prawns. They had a deceptive kick and came with a lovely sweet chilli sauce and salad of exotic shoots.

My partner's calamari were deemed "probably the best I've had in England", the ones only surpassing these were sampled in the Canaries. She only wished the mayo was more lemony.

It was with the arrival of the mains – after an impressively short interlude – that the fun began.

My companion had ordered half a lobster (£17). She'd only tried the crustacean once before, having had lobster thermidor at the age of 18, and was excited when a range of implements and a finger bowl were brought first.

The lobster was served on a bread board, accompanied by chips and aioli. It had been chopped in half so some flesh was immediately available, and she made an impressive, if lengthy, job of the whole thing, and was not disappointed.

I'd gone for a steak, choosing rib-eye, and though it was the smallest size (£13.75 for 8oz), it occupied half of the plate and was beautifully tender.

The bearnaise sauce was even better, a perfect partner for the meat and the exemplary chips made from unskinned potatoes which were a world away from pallid, mass-produced fries.

Despite being almost full we couldn't resist dessert. My passion fruit tart (£4.95) was lip-smackingly good and with came with passion fruit pulp on the side to cut through the rich filling.

Up there too was the peach melba Eton mess (£5.50), a portion so big we were forced to share. Lucky me – the combination of peach slices, raspberry coulis, sticky meringue and cream tasted exactly like those stripey Fruit Salad chewy sweets from my childhood. Yum.

My companion finished with a liqueur coffee and our bill came to £84.90.
Consistently very good food and superb service at a reasonable price – Leeds diners should be pleased that Blackhouse Grill is on the scene.

FACTFILE

Blackhouse Grill, 31-33 East Parade, Leeds, LS1 5PS
Tel: 0113 246 0669
Website: www.blackhousegrills.com

RATINGS

FOOD 4/5
SERVICE 3/5
VALUE 3/5
ATMOSPHERE 4/5