If you’re looking for a quintessentially British Sunday roast just in time for Christmas, get yourself booked in.
With so many turkey dinners available across Leeds, it can be difficult to choose a restaurant that will match your needs: whether you love your roasties or yorkshire puddings, the Grand Pacific inside the Queens Hotel, have plenty of festive showstoppers, all served to the sound of contemporary classical music from the Grand Pacific Palm Court Orchestra.
Though the Sunday Roast itself is well-presented, the opulent setting, inspired by the iconic Raffles Hotel, will have you looking anywhere but the dinner table. The sophisticated art deco furnishings transport you to the golden age, whilst the food and drink menus fuse old and new to provide customers with a selection of classic cocktails and fine-dining options.
Every painstaking detail is thought of, right down to the positioning of the giant chandelier, where the light cascades around the room and makes every plate sparkle, no matter where you’re positioned.
The food itself appears to have been through a rigorous detail-oriented process and could not be further from a slap-and-dash carvery Sunday roast. To complement the meal, guests can choose from an extensive wine menu, as well as bottled lagers like Asahi, and cocktails, both alcoholic and alcohol free.
To get warmed up, choose from carefully-chosen starters like Salt-Baked Beetroot Tian with whipped goat’s cheese and candied walnuts and Tiger Prawn Cocktail with Kimchi Marie Rose Sauce, or pay homage to the building’s worldwide inspirations and try the Duck Gyoza with sweet potato, miso and hoisin.
Served on an array of silver dishes, the Sunday Roast is served as a sharing platter for two.
Small dishes of well-seasoned carrots and savoy cabbage, as well as a baked macaroni cheese (with one of the best cheese pulls around) arrive on a large silver tray, accompanied by roast potatoes and some of the creamiest mash around.
Guests are invited to add their own serving to a plate of pre-portioned turkey and a giant Yorkshire pudding. both of which are fresh and utterly delicious, especially when covered in the chef’s roast dinner gravy.
The mashed potato in particular summarises the decadence of the dinner: served in a silver basket with a tiny serving spoon attached, the butter-yellow dish is topped with chopped herbs that appear scattered by hand.
In January, the usual meat menu of beef or chicken will return to the Grand Pacific, with the same trimmings and side dishes as the festive Sunday Roast.
The Chocolate Torte and its melt-in-your-mouth sauce speaks for itself: a gooey, rich flavour hides between salted caramel, honeycomb and peanuts before being served with fruit and ice cream. Meanwhile the Coconut Rum Trifle is light, refreshing and beautifully topped with crème fraîche and edible flowers.
Last year, The Hoot reported that The Queens Hotel in central Leeds a huge £16 million refurbishment, ushering in a grand new era for the 84-year-old property.
If judged by the Grand Pacific alone, it is clear that the grandeur of the building is mirrored in the food and service, making it the ideal spot to enjoy a Sunday Roast Dinner year-round- although the Christmas special well worth it.
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Both the Christmas and usual Sunday Roast are priced from £18.59 for one course and go up to £28.50 for all three courses.
Feature Image- Grand Pacific, The Queens
