All Seasons Wetherby: I tried one of the best-rated Chinese restaurants in Leeds on Tripadvisor

Such is the case at All Seasons, a well-established Chinese restaurant in Wetherby’s Westgate – one of the best-rated in Leeds on Tripadvisor.

Located above a charity store, it seems a little odd to be heading upstairs to eat. The last time we did this, we were in Mallorca and the hike upstairs yielded a delightful view across the bay of Alcudia.

Alas, Wetherby in November is not quite as alluring, although my interest is piqued by a group of lads in fancy dress enjoying a pint or six outside one of the boozers.

Did they get lost on their way to the Otley Run? Are they in training for it, establishing whether their outlandish Luigi and Mario moustaches can withstand the rigours of a full-on pub crawl?

Who knows – perhaps it’s neither and Wetherby is home to a very dedicated Mario Brothers appreciation society.

Thankfully, the friendly staff and comprehensive menu soon detract from the vision in polyester outside.

The restaurant itself is spacious, comfortable and not overly full, despite it being Saturday night. We’re eating quite late at 8.30pm and a fair few families are finishing off as we arrive, while there’s a Chinese show on the TV on one wall.

There’s everything you might expect on the menu and more – Oriental style fillet steak strips, for instance, plus a honey and chilli selection, and all at very reasonable prices.

Despite telling myself I’ll try something different, if salt and pepper tofu is on the menu, then that’s my starter. End of. And while that might be somewhat unadventurous, it does make me something of an expert on the genre. And this is good – really good. The chill is hot but not mind-blowingly so; the bean curd is crisp and the portion generous.

My guest’s salt and pepper king prawn was equally substantial and just as flavoursome; huge, golden prawns with just the right amount of seasoning to complement without being overbearing.

Accompanied by a very passable – and reasonably priced – bottle of house white wine, the main courses arrive. Vegetarians are catered for handsomely at All Seasons; practically every dish can be ordered on a variation of vegetables, bean curd or vegan chicken.

I opt for the vegetarian chicken satay; it’s rich, nutty and full of chunky, crisp peppers and onions. The accompanying boiled rice is cooked to perfection and is neither dry nor sticky.

My guest’s All Seasons special is filled with the usual suspects – king prawns, beef, chicken, roast pork and vegetables – in a rich and piquant garlic sauce. The accompanying egg fried rice was as light as a cloud.

Service is excellent and the staff are genuinely friendly and pleased that you’re there. Almost as happy as we were, in fact.

Fact file

Address: 1 West Gate, Wetherby LS22 6LL

Telephone: 01937 584999

Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 1pm until 9.45pm.

Scores:

Food 9

Atmosphere 7

Service 10

Value 9