The Leeds steakhouse has had a menu makeover, with plenty of delicious dishes now available.
Back in 2020, the beloved chain Blackhouse went into administration, and the company closed its venues in Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester.
Fast forward 18 months and the Leeds site is busier than ever before, having undergone a menu makeover.
Being the only remaining Blackhouse site, the steakhouse had a lot to live up to, but at least upon The Hoot's visit, the popular restaurant more than met our expectations.
Fish Tacos.
The intimately-lit interior is complimented by quiet chatter and attentive service, even at their lunchtime sittings.
As much as the atmosphere and decor is important, in a steakhouse, it's all about the food and the new menu certainly leaves many hard decisions to be made.
Will it be Truffle and Porcini Popcorn to nibble on or the Curried Cauliflower Beignet? Those all-important delicious decisions begin even before dipping into your starter.
With so many worldwide-inspired dishes to choose from, there is something for every dietary requirement, even vegans and vegetarians- a rarity at steakhouses.
For starters, the Blackened Fish Tacos are topped with guac, pickled cabbage, Pico de Gallo and créme fraîche, making them the perfect light bite to tempt your palate.
The steak sandwich.
For a vegetarian-friendly starter, the Smoked Paprika Houmous will have your lips smacking at the taste of the crumbly Cruidtés and garlic crisp breads, dipped into light, but sweet, houmous.
Meat lovers will be keen to try the range of additional starters available.
Think Pulled Beef Bon Bons, Goan Chicken Skewers, Chicken Liver Parfait and even a Beef Brisket Pasty with Wasabi mayo.
Pair this with a Blackhouse steak for the ultimate meaty dinner.
The famous Blackhouse steak.
On the steak menu, discerning steak-eaters can choose their favourite cut: be it rump, fillet, sirloin or T-bone, before pairing it with chips or mash.
The Premium West Country options are all PGI certified, chosen from a small butchers in the South West, but it's the sharing cuts that have our mouths watering.
We're talking up to 1.2kg of pure steak. The English Longbone, or Tomahawk, is not for the fainthearted, nor is the Blackhouse Chateaubriand.
These Blackhouse specialities may not be new to the menu, but they are firm customer favourites for their juicy flavours and plentiful servings.
Of course, the main courses on offer centre around the steak menu, but there are plenty of other tempting dishes on offer too.
The Half-Roasting Chicken is the ultimate winter warmer for anyone looking for a cosy lunchtime treat. Served with skinny chips, stuffing and mouth watering gravy, the half chicken is plenty to keep you going on a cold windy day.
The Squash Ravioli is just as tempting and perfect for vegetarians that don't want the same old pasta and sauce combination for their dinner.
Topped with mushrooms, kale and Pecorino, the ravioli is a sauce-less dish that focuses on the fusion of natural flavours.
Those wanting to test out the famous Blackhouse-steak without committing to an English Tomahawk won't be able to resist the Blackhouse Steak Sandwich.
We're talking fillet steak, tenderly cut into chunks and topped with onion, mushroom, burnt onion mayonnaise, horseradish cream and mature cheddar, all between two soft pieces of bread. Served with skinny fries, this is another winter warming dish that is perfect for an afternoon treat.
The beautiful restaurant.
For dessert, wine is on the menu. Grab a glass of Clos l'Abeilley Sauternes, a french dessert wine that evokes aromas of wild honey and apricot compote.
The Blackhouse Menu is available from their East Parade location every day of the week.
We recommend booking a table to avoid disappointment, particularly during the weekend when the restaurant offer Bottomless Brunch and a Sunday roast.
Follow The Hoot Eats for more Leeds food reviews and guides here.
For more information visit the Blackhouse website.
Feature Image- Blackhouse
News
Plans to turn one of Leeds’ most historic buildings into padel courts approved
One of Leeds’ most iconic buildings is set to be brought back to life.
Plans for a brand-new padel and leisure destination at The Roundhouse on Wellington Road have been approved by Leeds City Council’s West Plans Panel.
Consent has been granted for Ollo Padel to transform the Grade II* listed Roundhouse into a state-of-the-art sport, fitness, food, drink and community venue subject to conditions and completion of a Section 106 agreement.
Built in 1847 for the Leeds and Thirsk Railway Company, The Roundhouse was once home to the steam locomotives that powered industrial Victorian Leeds. In recent years, the building has stood largely unused.
Image: Supplied
The approved plans will restore and protect the landmark building and give the site a new, long-term future as one of the city’s most distinctive leisure destinations.
The three-acre site, located on the edge of Leeds city centre, will include nine outdoor doubles padel courts under a 10-metre canopy, plus a dedicated indoor coaching court within The Roundhouse itself.
At the heart of the site will be the Ollo Clubhouse; built around an all-day kitchen and bar, it will combine a comfortable lounge and co-working space, meeting rooms and live sport and events spaces.
The kitchen and bar will be run in partnership with Southbank Provisions, the independent Leeds hospitality team behind Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall and Galleria whilst the gym will be operated by fitness and performance specialists Northbound, who will bring strength and conditioning practice, Hyrox training and pilates classes to The Roundhouse.
Image: Supplied
Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the venue aiming to open in early 2027.
Luke Gidney, Founder & CEO Ollo Padel: "This is a huge day for Leeds, for The Roundhouse and for Ollo. The Roundhouse has been part of the city’s story for nearly 180 years. It’s an incredible building but it needs people, energy and purpose again. Our plan is to bring it back to life as a place where people can play, eat, work, meet friends and feel part of something.
"Padel is growing so quickly because it’s fun, social and easy to pick up. But for us, this is about more than just the courts. We want Ollo to become a proper community destination for Leeds, somewhere welcoming, joyful and full of life.
"We’re incredibly grateful to Leeds City Council’s planning team, our case officer, the wider council team and everyone who has supported the project to this point. This has been a complex project but the sport and engagement throughout has been brilliant. Now the real work starts and we cannot wait to open the doors for you.”
New study crowns Leeds as one of the friendliest cities in the UK
Clementine Hall
New research has revealed a global ranking of cities with the best customer service, with Leeds taking one of the top spots.
If you've been wondering which cities across the world are the friendliest of them all, then look no further because MoneySuperMarket have done the work for us in a new study.
In a world where social media culture plays a huge part in people's lives, online customer reviews are pretty important to local businesses.
To uncover the global locations that are home to the best customer service, the businesses insurance experts analysed over 100,000 reviews of leisure and hospitality businesses in 107 cities worldwide.
They looked at the language in the reviews to see how often friendly workers and staff were mentioned, building a global ranking of the cities where customer service truly stands out.
Out of a whopping 107, Leeds came in at a very respectable number 12. Now we think that's pretty good going.
Outside of the UK, Hanoi, Paris, Montreal and Abu Dhabi were highlighted for their friendly customer service whilst Edinburgh tops the global ranking, with Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol also making the world’s top 10.
The top 10 cities in the UK with the best customer service are as follows:
Edinburgh
Liverpool
Birmingham
Bristol
Belfast
Leeds
Glasgow
Cardiff
Manchester
London
Alicia Hempsted spoke on the study: “As businesses grow and engage with more customers, it’s important to make sure they’re protected. Public liability insurance is an important safeguard for those working with the public, helping to cover costs if something goes wrong, while also showing customers that their experience is taken seriously - from the moment they walk through the door to long after they’ve left.”
Sophie Smith -
23rd November 2021 
