El Gato Negro Leeds
Leeds, West Yorkshire
The Yorkshire-dweller of Simon Shaw's three 'black cats' occupies a former banking hall, adding an air of scale and purpose to the transaction of some likeably straightforward tapas business. The basics really work; try crystal bread with powerful Picos Blue cheese and honey for jolt and crackle, or damp, crusty sourdough with PX balsamic and good oil for heft. Then it's on to oozy croquetas (with salt cod or jamón ibérico), similarly soft-set tortilla or yielding meatballs in tomato fritarda sauce, plus a cheeky dish of chickpeas and spinach, mined with crunchy pancetta, for health. Torta santiago, almondy and dense, is the pick of the puds, although the sticky toffee pudding (not an obvious fit for a tapas joint) and its accompanying butterscotch sauce would open doors anywhere. More sherry options might be nice, but the three-for-£18 daytime menu covers most tapas bases and stretches lunchtime langorously, yet affordably, towards 4pm.
Dining Information:
Private dining room, Separate bar, Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Family friendly
35 Park Row, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS1 5JL
0113 322 0763
