Roast and Conch Leeds

For this new restaurant it was week one day six when we experienced the delicious flavours of their St Lucian cocoa inspired cuisine.

As long term fans of Hotel Chocolate (particularly in the half price sale immediately after events and landmark dates & those lovely samples as you browse) a leaflet arrived advertising Rabot in Borough Market and Roast and Conch in Leeds. www.hotelchocolate.com/uk/roast-and-conch

The Leeds venue just had to be tried and niece Amy was the willing volunteer on our early Christmas night out.

The restaurant is in an ideal location in Boar Lane on the main route from Leeds Station to the shopping centre and the integral hotel chocolate shop is a real draw. 

In the bar you choose from coffee, various chocolate concoctions and real drinks. We opted for gin based from the cocktail menu assiduously prepared by the young newly trained bar staff. Cocoa Gin Martini and Rabot G&T both with an orange twist were perfect,

As we sipped away the manager chatted with great enthusiasm about the Caribbean concept, the early days and the on site chocolate making, all fascinating.

Then upstairs to the restaurant dark but inviting and the staff were just fab. It was great to hear about the tastings over their two week training and the matching wines to the superb food.

So what did we eat, first there were the crunchy cocoa beans with their savoury nutty flavour. 

Then tuna ceviche in coconut milk with chilli and lime pickle and cocoa-nib crisp bread was a delicious choice. Heritage pickled beet carpaccio with cocoa balsamic and goats cheese also went down well

For main courses a Roast and Conch hamburger for Amy made from hand chopped rump steak with no bun (as usual) but instead she was offered creamy mash with. My tuna salad was meltingly soft seared tuna with cocoa pesto. A signature salad from Boucan St Lucia

We were full but not too full to visit the Hotel Chocolate shop 20% off voucher in hand and yes chocolate was purchased and eaten later.

The flavours of both the drinks and food were distinctive and different I hope is does well and I plan to visit sister restaurant Rabot in Borough Market London very soon.