Döner Shack review, Trinity Kitchen Leeds

I know the thought may disgust a few people, who can only stomach a kebab and chips after a fair bit of alcohol, but I do not limit my kebab intake to a post night out guilty pleasure.

However, the greasiness, and often dubious meat content, can sometimes feel a bit heavy for a normal weekday supper so I was pleased to note the launch of a new ‘up-market’ kebab shop in Trinity Kitchen.

Doner Shack was launched by founders Sanjeev Sanghera and Laura Bruce after the success of their first outlet Doner Haus in Glasgow.

Speaking at the time, Founder Sanghera said: “We now want to introduce our Leeds customers to a whole new way of eating kebabs with high quality lean meats and freshly baked Turkish breads to create our signature kebap recipes.

"I’m passionate about changing people’s perceptions about kebabs in the UK. It’s no longer just a late-night guilty pleasure after a night of heavy drinking. Our kebaps can be part of people’s everyday eating out options.”

Kebabs as part of an everyday eating routine? Count me in.

First impressions?

Doner Shack has taken over the former Duck n Roll unit in the Trinity Kitchen food-hall in Leeds town centre.

The kebab shack fits in nicely with the bustling street food scene in trinity, which is known for its rotating street food vans which switch up every six weeks.

Doner Shack, however, will not be on rotation but a permanent fixture in the canteen, alongside over established vendors like Mexican burrito store Tortilla, Vietnamese vendor Pho and Indian wrap restaurant Rola Wala.

The decor is eye-catching and in keeping with the rest of the colourful Trinity Kitchen. It boasts turquoise counters with a neon signage.

It was quiet when we arrived on a sunny Tuesday evening. It was close to closing time and some vendors were already packing away but the friendly Doner Shack staff were more than willing to cook us up some fresh food.

What’s the menu like?

As expected from the name, the selection is centred around kebabs.

There are several options for kebab lovers - including a halloumi option for vegetarians and a vegan schnitzel option for plant-based eaters.

For meat-eaters, there was a choice between chicken shawarma, Berlin doner, a mixed chilli doner and a Checkpoint Cheesy, kebab meat covered with cheese.

For a restaurant that specialises in kebabs, there were a lot of other dishes available. I personally prefer specialist restaurants to stick to variants of that dish, but I know others will appreciate having the extra choice.

There was a Turkish flatbread with spicy lamb meat topping and the ‘Teller’ dish - which is fries topped with meat or vegetarian options, salad and cheese.

There is also currywurst options and a choice of frankfurter, bratwurst and vegan wurst.

We were asked if we wanted any sides - and there were plenty of sides available - but I am glad we were not tempted as the portion sizes are huge.

Now onto the food...

I opted for went for a classic Berlin doner with mixed salad.

I wasn't asked which sauces I wanted and it came with both garlic and chilli. Though that is perfect for me, it is something those sensitive to heat may want to ensure they specify which sauce they want.

The doner came propped up in a paper cone and the freshly baked sesame seed Fladenrbot - flatbread - was filled to the brim with meat and salad.

The portion size was very generous and I had to eat quite a bit of it with a fork because I was able to pick it up with both hands.

Unlike the salad usually found in kebab shops, the salad was very fresh and there was not a soggy cucumber in sight.

The doner meat was much more flavoursome than a normal kebab and was not greasy at all - in fact, it almost tasted healthy.

Although I am a fan of a typical takeaway pitta bread, the freshly baked Fladenrbot was very light and tasty, however, it was very filling and I found myself leaving quite a bit of bread.

I am glad I opted not to get sides as the kebab was massive and incredibly filling. I am a big eater but I could not finish it all.

My companion opted for a footlong frankfurter, made with beef and smoked bacon.

It was served with curry ketchup, sauerkraut and fries.

He enjoyed the meal and said the sausage was a huge portion and very tasty, however, he wished he had opted to try the kebab menu with it being a kebab outlet.

The fries were described as 'bog standard' but he enjoyed the sauerkraut.

The portion was big and hearty, but not overpowering.

And the drinks?

There were a range of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks available.

Unsurprisingly, being a Berlin based outlet, the beers available were German, including the Berliner Pilsner, Bitburger Pilsner and the 5% Hofbrau Original Helles from Munich.

Beers started from £3 a bottle up to £5 for stronger beers

There was also a selection of house wines which started at £3.70, soft drinks and milkshakes.

Excitingly, there was a wide selection of the German fizzy drink Fritz Cola.

We had discovered the soft drink previously on a holiday to Hamburg and become huge fans, but they are difficult to track down in England. We were very happy to see them on the menu.

We opted for the classic cola flavour which set us back £2.50 each. They are delicious but be warned - they contain a lot of caffeine.

How much was the bill? Was it value for money?

The bill came to £20.30 which I was not surprised about as it is very similar to the usual Trinity Kitchen prices.

It is obviously far more than your usual kebab and chips, but then the quality and the ingredients are far superior. Plus, Trinity closes at 10pm, so it would not be replacing most people's post-party takeaway anyway.

For the standard of food and service, I think £20.30 for two meals and two drinks was good value for money for a treat meal out.

Factfile:

Address: Trinity Kitchen, 27 Albion St, Leeds LS1 5ER

Telephone: 0113 243 2228

Opening hours: 11am to 9pm Monday to Thursday, 11am to 10pm Friday and Saturday. 11am to 7pm on Sundays.

Website: www.donershack.ukScores

Food 8/10

Value 7/10

Atmosphere 7/10

Service 7/10