Piazza by Anthony, Corn Exchange, Leeds
WALKING into this vast, empty, cavernous landmark the first thing that strikes you is just how low the restaurant is.
Effectively set in the basement, it has more a feeling of a pit than a dining area and even more unsettling is the fact that it's encircled by a balcony where local kids and shoppers, bemused by a lack of shops, can lean over and watch you eat.
It's a bizarre mixture of being exposed and simultaneously isolated.
Not to be put off we descended and found ourselves walking under the ground floor, first forwards then doubling back on ourselves to be seated in the centre.
Once at the table the feeling of being overlooked fades, in fact the sense that you're sitting beneath a vast elliptic dome doesn't occur to you unless you take a glance up. Though, of course, you do.
Looking around at eye level it's immediately obvious that chef Anthony Flinn, best known for the minimal, innovative gastronomy of his flagship Anthony's restaurant on nearby Boar Lane, is aiming towards the top end of mid market. (Or is it the bottom of the top end of the market?).
Either way it isn't dining on a budget, nor is it Michelin-starred stuff. It's good solid, predictable dishes with the occasional flourish here and there. And why not?
Service got off to a promising start when we received a warm welcome and staff took our coats, which is a pretty good plus point in any restaurant (much better than hanging stuff up on the back of chairs).
But then they fell at the first hurdle when it took something like 45-50 minutes to get the food we'd ordered. They apologised but still stuck a ten per cent service charge on our bill at the end. We asked that this be taken off.
When it eventually came the food was equally hit-and-miss. We started with risotto, mine was the mushroom, my dining partner's was the mackerel.
Both were just the right consistency but the mackerel was way too overpowering. "It almost has its own forcefield," remarked it's consumer. A quick sample confirmed it had the subtlety of a headbut.
The mushroom risotto was much better, a far more sophisticated blend of flavours, everything clearly fresh and perfectly cooked.
Unfortunately things took a further turn for the worse with the mains as we both went for the fillet steak, one with potatoes, the other, spinach and chips.
Even though we ordered our steak medium to well done, we still had to use a surprising amount of pressure to get the knife into the meat. Not quite a sawing motion but by no means gliding through what should be the tenderest of cuts.
It was also a tad dry and came with a very runny peppercorn sauce which had the look of magnolia emulsion with a few brown balls languishing beneath (we discovered the peppercorns when we got to the bottom of the jug.)
It was more than passable but not quite the orgy of taste we'd hoped it would be.
The side orders were great and the Montalto pinot grigio went a long way towards making up for things, but by this stage we were feeling decidedly underwhelmed.
Poor service and average food had combined to bring us down as we stared up and the circle of empty shops. My dining partner heard a member of staff explaining to another diner that staff shortages were causing them problems but this was still an uncertain explanation since the place looked to be only half full.
And even excusing the 50 minute wait, a lack of chefs wouldn't explain why our food didn't reach the lofty heights we expected from Anthony.
Without desserts the final bill came to a not insubstantial 84, the lion's share of which can be explained by the fillet steaks at 18.95.
But even the cheaper dishes on the menu aren't that cheap. Granted they're charging mid-market prices but they've yet to perfect the slick mid-market patter and food standard that even the chain names have mastered in Leeds.
That said, Piazza by Anthony shows massive potential. If the Corn Exchange really can become a buzzing emporium of shopping and leisure then this place will make a mint, if it continues to have the ambience of a cave it may well die a death.
As for the food? It's not enough to say it must do better, it should've done better. Tut tut Mr Flinn.
Piazza by Anthony, Corn Exchange, Call Lane, Leeds LS1 7BR
Tel. 0113 2470995
www..anthonysrestaurant.co.uk/piazza
FOOD 2/5
VALUE 3/5
ATMOSPHERE 2/5
SERVICE 2/5
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