Celebrating its 20 year anniversary, Sukhothai has re-launched its long-archived menu from their first opening in 2002.
Opening two Sukhothai restaurants (one in Leeds city centre and another in Chapel Allerton), six Zaap Thais across the North, winning countless awards and surviving a global pandemic that saw the even the best restaurants fall prey to the cruel financial reality of lockdowns- owner Ban Kaewkraikhot really has had a whirlwind twenty years.
Celebrating all that her team has accomplished, as well as their 20th birthday of their original Chapel Allerton restaurant, an incredible menu from 2002 is offering Leeds a taste of traditional Thai cuisine from time gone by.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The absense of the ever-trendy Pad Thai is replaced with a short, but well considered menu with favourites from the motherland and the UK that were served back when the restaurant first opened.
Seafood and spice are the main ingredients on this menu- and the combinations allows any visitor to consume a rainbow of colour and wealth of flavours without venturing too far from their long-time favourites- an ideal combination for any Thai food enthusiast.
Read More: This Thai restaurant in Leeds is bringing back its 2002 menu for its 20th anniversary
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Bringing a refreshing alternative to the usual satay stick starters, the Sukhothai Seafood Platter for two (or more) offers a generous selection of crispy satay fish, satay prawns and crispy squid in batter between well-dressed mussels and satay and sweet chilli dipping sauce, all placed a bed of salad shoots and leaves.
This stand-out sharer has had two decades of careful preparation to perfect the crispy, sweet and spicy fusion of flavour- and highly-requested reputation of Sukhothai seafood shows.
Those dubious to try seafood will fall for the classic starter alternatives of duck spring rolls with mixed veggies and the Mee Krob: a sweet, crispy noodle dish with beansprouts, spring onion and coriander.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
On the Mains menu, the seafood theme continues to outshine the other meaty offerings.
The Som Tum Supparod Pla Tod is a light dish, recommended by the servers for its spicy papaya salad. Served as a plate of crispy haddock fillet with papaya salad with nuts and pineapple, this refreshing main sits alongside longtime favorites like the Pad Nam Mun Hoi Gung, a stir-fried prawn fish with carrot, mushroom, onion and oyster sauce.
Meat-eaters don't need to opt for a pesci dish just to experience the flavours available from the 2002 menu: expect tender beef curry with aromatic Thai herbs or succulent stir-fried lamb with green curry paste served on a sizzling hot plate.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Alternatively, the Nua Luk Tao comes as a Sukhothai-own recommendation: a generous serving of grilled sirloin steak in a sticky, sweet and spicy sauce that marries stir-fried veggies with traditional flavours that melt in your mouth.
Served with a selection of aromatic coconut and Thai sticky rice, as well as noodles and other side plates, the considered 20th birthday specials act as a testament to the restaurant's long-standing history in Chapel Allerton.
Regulars come back week-after-week, month-after-month for birthdays, anniversaries and Friday night dinners here, and as parents pass on their favourite restaurant dishes to younger generations, it's obvious that Sukhothai is going to continue to be that family restaurant you just keep returning to.
Popular pizza pop-up Edges Pizza has opened a permanent home in Leeds city centre.
Last summer you may have had the privilege to enjoy a slice of Edges Pizza at one of their many pop-up residencies across the city.
Their longest stint was at the sun-drenched roof terrace of Green Room, and it's safe to say their pizza went down an absolute treat.
Since then they've been a little quiet, but all for good reason. Edges Pizza has just opened a permanent new takeaway under the arches in Holbeck, and it's absolutely class.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Owners Grace and Edge who are from Harrogate opened Edges two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
They've completely transformed the space into a proper love letter to the big apple. It will operate mainly as a takeaway, but there is a small seating area where you can perch and tuck into your pie.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The menu is perfectly curated, consisting of eight pizzas and three dips. And trust us, they are absolutely massive.
We opted for the American Hot with spicy pepperoni, banana peppers and parmesan as well as the mushroom pie topped with garlic creme fraiche and chestnut mushrooms.
Drizzled and dunked into moreish hot honey, it's rivalling some of the best pizza in the city.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
For now, grabbing a pizza from Edges operates through a pre-order system. Pre-orders open at 12pm the day before via their website, you can pick your collection time and then you simply have to rock up and get your pizza.
There's loads of parking available nearby and if there are any remaining slots available you can pre-order up to an hour before collection.
We've got a feeling they're going to very busy indeed.
Dishoom announces official opening date for new Leeds restaurant
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, Dishoom is coming to Leeds.
The whispers of Dishoom's arrival in Leeds city centre have been going on for a while now, but over the past few weeks it has started to feel very real.
Taking over the beautiful old Flannel's site on the coveted Vicar Lane, signs started to pop up for Dishoom and work was cracking on fast.
Well now, we have an opening date - and we don't have long to wait.
Dishoom Leeds will open on Monday 3 August, with guests being able to enjoy 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on Friday 14 August.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
As with every Dishoom café, the Leeds restaurant begins with a story. This one takes inspiration from the extraordinary true events surrounding the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, a wartime disaster that sent gold bars flying across the city.
Legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered. Some was discovered embedded in walls and rooftops across Bombay. Other pieces quietly disappeared into the hands of lucky citizens, melted into bangles or hidden away in drawers.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork, giving playful nods to Bombay’s golden age.
With all day dining available, guests can dine on the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, with the café will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city with tremendous warmth, creativity and character, full of people who know the value of gathering together over good food and drinks. Bringing Dishoom here has long been a dream for us.”
"The story behind this café is rooted in one of Bombay’s most extraordinary moments – the day gold bars fell from the sky after the explosion of Fort Stikine in 1944. Amidst the tragedy and chaos, there were also tales of unexpected fortune, human resilience and hopeful reinvention. We were captivated by this, and we cannot wait to welcome Leeds into the café that pays homage to the heritage of Bombay.”
Sophie Smith -
29th April 2022 
