Prashad
Drighlington, West Yorkshire
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The edge-of-Leeds location isn't glamorous but Prashad continues to draw fans from all over Yorkshire; there are some very smart cars in the car park. Minal Patel's cooking style and creativity have grown steadily over the years; her food has always been fragrant, with vivid aromatics the dominant feature, but today the most significant difference is in the presentation. What was once a fairly rustic offering is now a masterclass in creative plating without being outright dots-and-dribbles cheffy. The notion of an amuse-bouche was once a stretch, but now it’s likely you’ll get a spoon of slow-roasted dhal with gram-flour vermicelli and beetroot chutney. Sweet and earthy, it’s the perfect way to kick-start a meal. Among the classics are kopra pethis (fresh coconut dough balls, precisely spherical, zesty and moist) and mausmi ghota (essentially a crunchy-on-the-outside/soft-on-the-inside ball of spiky root ginger and herby mint with mashed Jerusalem artichokes), while sanku (a deeply traditional dosa) is presented as dinky ice-cream cones. Kofta (spiced lentil dough balls revved up with caraway-infused tomato rasam) hit all the senses, while the paneer and cauliflower biryani is a salty-sweet-heat firework. The setting is a cavernous former pub but there's no doubt you're in an Indian restaurant (complete with flashes of pink bling); there's also a subtle, sophisticated vibe, emphasised by the seven-course tasting menu, a delicate distillation of regular dishes and a great introduction to the depth and complexity of Minal Patel's cooking. Excellent craft beer pairings match the food, Cobra is on tap, and there’s an all-vegan and organic wine list – in addition to cocktails and mocktails.
