We were invited to try out the new menu at the Lamb and Flag, and to take in the new interior of this cool Leeds restaurant pub. We were not disappointed! The food was fab, the service was friendly, and the decor was cool and sophisticated. We are already planning our next visit to the Lamb and Flag to try more of their locally sourced home made dishes, and fab selection of drinks.
The menu at the Lamb and Flag was well balanced, with lots of fish, meat and veggie options. We found it hard to choose what to order as everything sounded great. Finally the choice for mains came down to three things, the supreme of chicken, the pan fried sea bass, and the classic Yorkshire Dales steak burger. We opted for the chicken and the fish, but are already planning our next visit to the Lamb and Flag to try their burgers out!
We didn't want to go overboard with food, so opted to share one starter between us. We chose the ham hock with a poached egg and pea puree. The dish was picture perfect, and we loved the runnyness of the yolk. The ham hock itself was served with a crispy coating, and when cut, the ham hock had a speckled mustardy interior - yum. The pea puree was a perfect partner for the ham, and helped to add some fresh spring flavour to the dish.
The fish was sublime. The fillets were soft, flaky and seasoned well. The skin was crispy- just how we like it. The potato was relatively plain, but the caper butter ensured that the dish was well flavoured. The green beans were kept al dente and added a nice freshness to the dish. The only comments that we had were that as the dish was served as a stack, the eating was a little tricky, and we both thought that the dish have done with some extra freshness, perhaps a sauce vierge.
The chicken was cooked to perfection, with crispy skin, and a moist interior. We loved the basil and cream cheese filling, but would have liked a bit more, as we wanted to enjoy it with every mouthful of chicken! The pesto potato stack was well flavoured and complimented the chicken. Finally, the olive dressing was a fab addition to the dish, offering freshness and texture. We agreed that it would have been nice to have a bit of sauce to drizzle over the dish, as it would have helped to bring everything together. We were blown away by the presentation of this chicken dish.
The dessert selection was good, but as lovers of fresh, fruity desserts, none of the sweet dishes really called out to us. We decided to finish our meal with the strawberry and Pimm's Eton mess, and the vegan chocolate and orange tart.
The Eton mess was pretty, served in a traditional ice cream sundae glass, and topped with half a meringue. We liked the creaminess of the dessert, and thought the addition of Pimm's to the dessert was cool, but we missed the classic addition of crushed meringue to the cream, and wanted some other fruits. We also thought the cream was a little over whipped, which made the dessert feel heavy and hard to eat.
The chocolate tart was tasty, with a great citrus burst, but it was very rich, and hard to eat even for the two of us. The pastry was flaky and there was no soggy bottom in sight. We thought the ice cream was fab, super creamy and packed full of vanilla flavour. The addition of berries was great, but we weren't sure if they really added anything to the chocolate, orange dessert. This tart is great for chocoholics!
In addition to the fab food, and friendly service, we loved the design of the Lamb and Flag. The building itself had been restored from a crumbling 19th century ruin, and now boasts warm exposed brickwork and big open windows. The decor is also cool with teal walls, wooden features and fashionable light fixtures, giving this bistro style pub a sophisticated restaurant vibe. We also thought that the outdoor seating areas with heaters, lighting and a massive TV were a great bonus, and are sure to be a big hit this summer as the evenings get longer and the days warmer. As an added bonus we really loved the bookshelves which were packed full of real books of all genres! We enjoyed browsing through the various titles- keeping us entertained all evening.
We were disappointed not to spot the specials board, which changes on a monthly basis. We will just have to go back to see what special options exist. We are also keen to return to try out the lunch menu - which looks incredible, and the Friday evening BBQ which is served outside. So many reasons to go back to this cool restaurant pub in Leeds!
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