The new Michelin-guide recommended restaurant is opening for its first sitting tonight in Leeds.
Dastaan has been offering something quite special down south since its beginnings in 2017, but now the award-winning Indian restaurant will be finding a second home right here in Leeds.
Headed up by award-winning chefs that have taken both London and Surrey in their stride throughout their career, Nand Kishor and Sanjay Gour are promising us here in the north a taste of “Mayfair cooking at a fraction of the price” from Wednesday 27 July 2022.
On the menu, you'll find fine-dining Indian cuisine with all the flavour. Expect Tellicherry lobster dosas on the a la carte and plenty of tapas style plates of pink prawns, pano puri and chicken lollipops to choose from.
Tempura prawns with a chive sauce. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
The menu will be paired with a collaboration with Cobra lager and well considered alcoholic drinks list with an extensive Gin Library, vegan and organic wine options and even a cocktail menu inspired by the chef’s ingredients inside the kitchen.
Described by The Guardian as “food of the subcontinent elevated way beyond its uninspiring location – Mayfair cooking at mundane prices”, Dastaan opened in Epsom some five years ago near the capital and has since landed itself a place in the prestigious Michelin Guide, including earning and retaining a Bib Gourmand since its first year of opening.
This comes in addition to recommendations from the likes of Hardens, AA Guide, the Good Food Guide; placing in The Times’ top thirty places to have a curry and landing a spot in Squaremeals’ top 100 restaurants for 2022 just a few months ago.
The restaurant features a beautiful private bar area upstairs. / Image: The Hoot Leeds
Now opening a second Dastaan with a new menu, there will be ample opportunity for diners to experience a whole host of exotic flavours paired with regional specialities- each with a modern twist that is set to show Leeds exactly why the original Dastaan Epsom is worthy of its many accolades.
Celebrated chefs Nand Kishor and Sanjay Gour have had a lifetime of cooking up at some of the biggest names in the UK. Both have been former Head Chefs at Gymkhana where Kishor’s dishes like Muntjac Biryani, Keema Pao and the Roe Deer Chops went a long way in announcing the Michelin-starred venue as Restaurant of the Year in 2015.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Establishing relationships with local independents is an integral part of Dastaan’s reputation, and so Kishor and Gour look forward to welcoming Leeds’ own Kirkstall Brewery and local supplier House of Wine as collaborative partners.
“We were looking to open a new restaurant and Leeds is the obvious choice – the food scene here is really good. But we want to make it even better. We are bringing something new, an upmarket Indian dining experience,” says Anurag Singh, who will be responsible for Dastaan Leeds.
He added: “We don’t plan to open a chain of Dastaan restaurants all over the country. We don’t believe in mass produced food. We want to deliver something personal, that we can manage ourselves”.
With this in mind, the new menu intends to expand from the original by elevating the flavours and providing a more “upmarket” backdrop, compared to Epsom’s open kitchen.
“The restaurant itself is at a great location and looks beautiful and we can’t wait to start serving up some fantastic new dishes.”
Restaurant owners Nand Kishor and Sanjay Gour. / Image: Dastaan
Dastaan Leeds will open from Wednesday 27 July 2022 at 473 Otley Road, Adel, Leeds, LS16 7NR, but in order to allow for staff to settle in the new premises, the restaurant will only open Wednesday – Sunday for the first few weeks with limited seating.
For more information, including how to book a seat at the table for yourself, visit the Dastaan website.
Feature Image- The Hoot Leeds
Eats
Inside Leeds’ new neighbourhood bakehouse from the team behind Silver’s Deli
Silver's Bakehouse is finally here, and it's just as fabulous as we'd hoped.
Just when you thought Leeds’ favourite sandwich spot couldn't get any better, they go and open a bakery.
Silver's Bakehouse has opened its beautiful pastel green doors today over in Farsley to queues of excited fans eager to get their first taste.
So, what's on offer at Silver's Bakehouse?
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Well, as masterminds of the almighty sandwich you'll be happy to know you can still get one here. However, their iconic sub sarnies have had an Italian makeover and are now served in fresh, springy sourdough which is baked onsite.
Elsewhere on the menu you'll find brown butter buttermilk brownies (try saying that three times), a range of delicious cookies, sausage rolls, soft amaretti biscuits and Dark Arts tiramisu.
There's also a fab selection of Italian drinks on offer in a swanky new fridge, as well as a coffee menu so you can pick a brew to go hand in hand with your chosen baked good.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The interior is just as gorgeous, complete with yellow walls, red tiles and a mirror hanging above the baker's table so you can really see all the magic happen.
And trust us, it is magic.
There's a couple of benches outside so you can plonk yourself in the sunshine to enjoy your sarnie, which is what we'll be doing in this glorious bank holiday sunshine.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You can really tell this is a proper labour of love, and Chris and the team have done a cracking job of keeping that Silver's spirit in there.
Go and say hello to congratulate them on this fabulous new opening, it's a great addition to Farsley and the Leeds foodie scene.
The beautiful West Yorkshire valley walk that ends at a top gastropub
Daisy Jackson
If your idea of a perfect Sunday doesn't involve a stroll in the countryside followed by lunch in a country pub - we can't be friends.
And if that does sound like your idea of a very nice day out, we've found a pretty spectacular walk-roast combo for you, right here in West Yorkshire.
You can start your day by strolling through surprisingly varied and very green countryside, with stunning valley views, before resting your weary legs beneath the table of an award-winning gastropub.
If you haven't guessed it yet - we're off to the Shibden Valley, just outside Halifax, where your gentle hike will lead you straight to the warm embrace of the Shibden Mill Inn.
The walk begins in the car park beside the pub, but don't get tempted in for a pint just yet.
There's an easy-moderate 5.6km circular that will lead you along a country lane, dropping down to cross a brook, then heading back up a gentle incline towards the top of the valley.
The views along the Shibden Valley from here are beautiful - lush green fields dotted with trees as far as the eye can see.
Then the route takes you along some wide open fields, with plenty of wildlife to spot along the way, before heading into peaceful woodlands.
You can take a break here to paddle in the stream before continuing on through farmland, with friendly horses to say hello to.
Views along the Shibden Valley Circular. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Then you'll find yourself back at the Shibden Mill Inn, a pub that's consistently finding itself in the prestigious Top 50 Gastropubs list.
Dating back to the 17th century, it's a pretty white building converted from a former mill, with ivy climbing all up its walls.
There's a sizeable beer garden - with a live musician playing when we popped in - but it's hard to resist the cosy charm of the pub's interior, where staff have to duck beneath the low ceiling beams and no surface feels totally straight.
The Shibden Mill Inn's Sunday roast offering does a set menu, with two courses for £40 or three for £45, changing seasonally.
You'll find pub classics on the starters, like chicken liver parfait and homemade soup, before delving into the main event - the Sunday roast.
We love a pub that gives you both mashed AND roasted potatoes, which the Shibden Mill Inn does, along with roast seasonal veg and a towering Yorkshire pudding.
The Sunday roast at the Shibden Mill InnChicken liver parfait, and soup Chocolate fondant with torched marshmallowInside the Shibden Mill Inn
There's roasted salt-aged sirloin of beef, cooked perfectly pink (though they're happy to give it a bit longer if you prefer your meat to not be blushing); or an excellent wedge of belly pork with crispy crackling.
And on the side, a portion of cauliflower cheese that is actually more cheese than cauliflower. Perfect.
Puddings are a nice mix of heavy winter favourites and lighter, fruitier desserts - but we go full stodge, with a chocolate fondant dessert topped with torched marshmallow, salted caramel, and sugared pecans, and have no regrets.
If you want to replicate this Sunday walk and roast, you can see the full circular route here.
Sophie Smith -
27th July 2022 
