Dine under snow-dusted cherry blossom trees and dazzling light murals at this show-stopping contemporary Chinese restaurant.
Tattu, located on East Parade, is a sophisticated restaurant and bar serving up modern Chinese cuisine and innovative cocktails in a beautifully elegant setting.
When we heard they were offering a special seasonal dining experience for the festive period named 'The Great Snow', we simply had to head down there to try it out for ourselves.
The Great Snow is intended to reflect the Chinese proverb ‘a fall of snow gives promise to a fruitful year’, the interior of the restaurant has been given a magical icy hue complete with sparkling light projections of the Northern Lights adorning the walls.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
As soon as you walk through the grand entrance you are greeted with hanging cherry blossom trees coated in glittering snow and decorated with frosty icicles, within seconds our coats were taken and we were shown to our seats; we knew this was going to be a magical evening.
Known for their impressive cocktails, we started our night by sampling their new Aurora cocktail, crafted specially for the winter season to reflect a luminous night's sky.
A delicious concoction of Grey Goose vodka, white chocolate and sparkling cherry, complete with a dome of smoke which when released reveals an encapsulating, wintery nutmeg aroma.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Everything at Tattu is meant to be shared and enjoyed amongst friends and family, with the dishes arriving as and when they are ready.
We started with the Chicken Truffle Shumai and Lobster and Prawn Toast dumplings, both were absolutely sensational and packed so much flavour inside perfectly formed, small bites of deliciousness.
The truffle dumplings were a standout dish for us, each topped with a thin shaving of black truffle that was strong but certainly not overwhelming.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Next up was the Szechuan Rock Shrimp, lightly battered prawns sprinkled with sancho pepper which gave a warming, fragrant aroma that had us going back in immediately after the first bite.
Another standout dish was the Sticky Beef Short Ribs, recommended to us by our brilliant waiter Paulo who clearly knew what he was talking about, as these were absolutely divine. Cubes of succulent beef covered in a sticky soy glaze that fell apart effortlessly at the poke of a chopstick.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
For our mains we opted for the Chinese Barbecue Chicken and the Shanghai Black Cod. Both were cooked to perfection and went amazingly alongside the XO Fried Rice with shrimp, chicken and pancetta.
Now for the desserts, these were just as much a show-stopping spectacle as they were a delicious end to the meal. Tattu's famous Cherry Blossom dessert has been reimagined for the festive period and wow, it did not disappoint.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Icy blue candyfloss is balanced on a delicate chocolate trunk, grounded in a light and airy chocolate, cherry mousse which is presented on a bed of dried ice that cascades over the table as you tuck in.
Another newbie to the menu is the Mount Heng Flambé, their innovative take on a Baked Alaska topped with Maraschino cherry, hazelnuts and coconut that is set alight at your table.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Both desserts looked almost too pretty to eat, but we of course tried our best and our tastebuds certainly thanked us for it, as did our eyes as we gazed at the piece of theatre taking place right in front of us.
Overall the experience was fantastic, the food delicious and the service impeccable. If you're looking to spend a special night with loved ones this Christmas then Tattu is the place to be, 'The Great Snow' offers an unmissable dining experience unlike any other.
To find out more and to book your table, take a look at the Tattu website.
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.”
Clementine Hall -
23rd November 2022 
