We Were Ambiente Devotees Before We’d Even Tasted The Food

With a day of Christmas shopping planned, and tickets for the Christmas extravaganza at Leeds Minster, we knew we’d need a foodie pitstop. But Ambiente was so much more. Claire Kenny reviews this Leeds-based tapas treasure.
Who doesn’t like tapas? This is of course a rhetorical question, but in a city with some amazing Spanish fare on offer, I wasn’t quite sure how Ambiente would measure up having not visited for several years.

Walking through the cobbled streets of The Calls, this place certainly has kerb appeal, matched by the wide staircase you ascend on entry, and the abundance of exposed brick and twinkling lights when you get to the top.

Even better is the genuinely warm welcome you get from the staff, who greeted my sister and I like old friends and showed us quickly to our table. Their knowledge of the fare on offer was impressive and authentic, with our indecision (we wanted everything) an opportunity to recommend the dishes they clearly enjoyed, as well as offer insights on the freshness of the ingredients and how the food would suit our tastes. There were plenty of gluten-free options for my sister, and our waitress recommended an excellent cava too.

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The restaurant was extremely busy, as you might imagine on a peak, pre-Christmas Saturday with a show next door. Despite that nothing felt rushed, and the waiter listened patiently as I relayed my story of the best meal I’d ever had (a simple slice of tortilla in a backstreet bar in La Coruna, washed down with an ice-cold Mahou Estrella). The conversation concluded with an enthusiastic high-five each, and from that moment my sister and I were officially Ambiente devotees having not tasted a morsel of the food.

The first part of the meal was a selection of dishes to enjoy while we waited for the main event. They were so tasty that at first we forgot they weren’t the main event. They included warm bread dipped in creamy alioli, toasted almonds, and the most subtle yet delicious manchego cheese. Accompanied by the cava, we were in food heaven.

The main courses simply had to include the firm yet creamy tortilla, which arrived with a rich yellow hue that made me nostalgic for summer. We also enjoyed prawns in a light, crispy batter, mushrooms in a richly creamy, breadcrumb-topped sauce, and the most amazing pork belly.

We may or may not have had dessert, even though we were full to bursting. And it may or may not have included a stunningly authentic Burnt Basque Cheesecake topped with fresh fruit and a Millionaire’s Chocolate Brownie.

At the risk of sounding a little one dimensional, it really was all gorgeous! If you want to evoke memories of getting lost in Spain’s cobbled streets and stumbling across the true joy of sharing food - and memories - I’d heartily recommend this absolute gem.

For more information on Ambiente click here

Claire can be found on Insta https://www.instagram.com/my40pluslife.me/