Gusto, Leeds

Greek Street, Leeds

‘Gusto is all about making the everyday exquisite’. That’s what the tagline says, and when you step into one of their restaurants, it instantly feels like something special. It’s a glamorous Italian restaurant with a 1920s theme.

During a recent visit to Leeds, I popped in for a spot of lunch and was taken aback by the elegant and ornate interior. Tall ceilings, hanging wall lamps and beautifully twinkling foliage across the ceilings set the scene for a sophisticated soirée. With candles flickering away on the tables, it feels intimate whilst still being naturally lit. There are lots of different seating areas: casual seats at the bar for cocktails, some tables more formal than others, draped in crisp white table cloths. The big, round booths are a dream for bigger parties. 

On a Monday afternoon, there were only a couple of tables taken. The waiting staff were welcoming, but it was a while before we were offered a drink. First impressions are everything, and for a restaurant that was so quiet, they should have been more prompt. Thankfully, once we’d ordered our drinks, everything else moved along nicely.

We dined from the lunch menu, which offers two courses for £12.95, or three for £14.95. What’s not to like? The set price special brings something completely different to the table, quite literally, with light bites perfect for daytime dining. For starters, there was the likes of pate, houmous, salad and soup, all of which sounded deliciously scrumptious. I had the sun-dried tomato houmous, topped with pumpkin seeds and served with a board of crudités, including celery sticks, cucumber chunks and toasted artisan bread. The houmous had a superb flavour, and the crudités were much bigger than I was expecting. It could have been a lunch all on its own. Pleasing to the eyes as well as to the palate, it was colourful and healthy. Healthy eating is never my number one priority when I’m dining out, so it was a real joy to be eating something that was as nutritious as it was delicious. 

Sun-dried tomato houmous with crudites

For main course, there was just about everything: salads, salmon, fish cakes, burgers and sandwiches. I had the ‘Mozzarella and Prosciutto Arrosto En Carrozza’ – a sandwich of dry-cured ham and mozzarella cheese with slices of beef tomato and pesto, pan-fried in mozzarella and bread crumbs. It was incredibly more-ish and served with a fresh, leafy salad, drizzled in a sweet vinaigrette dressing. The only, very slight, criticism I would have is that the sandwich itself was a little soggy; I wouldn’t have been able to pick it up to eat it. It didn’t ruin the flavour, but the texture could have been firmer. It was served with a tomato coulis. I’m not sure whether this was intended for the salad or the sandwich, but I’d recommend dipping the sandwich into it, as it complimented it beautifully. It may not have been as healthy as the starter, but it was just as yummy.

Mozzarella and Prosciutto Arrosto En Carrozza

Sadly, by the time we got to the end of the main course, I was stuffed. You see, I’d already had a gigantic slice of cake earlier in the day, subsequently making a rod for my own back, as it meant I had to wave bye bye to the Banoffee Pie, my would-be dessert of choice. I hate having to turn down pudding. I’m a firm believer that a meal out is incomplete if you haven’t indulged in dessert. Not only that, but it was only £2 extra for something sweet, so it was, frankly, heartbreaking. Still, there’s always next time.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the lunch menu, I’m intrigued to return to Gusto of an evening. I caught a brief glimpse of a couple of pasta dishes as they were being brought out from the kitchen, and they looked wonderful. As for the set price lunch, it’s one of the best I’ve had in terms of value for money. Gusto is a superior Italian restaurant chain, the perfect place for a catch up with friends or a business meeting over some top quality food.

Website: http://gustorestaurants.uk.com/