Ambiente Tapas Leeds review: I went to one of Leeds' best-rated tapas restaurants and this is what I thought

I've been to my fair share of tapas restaurants in Leeds; hopping from place to place to sample the gambas and patatas bravas, deciding which place does it best.

In my bid to find the best Spanish-style eatery in the city, I made this week's venture one to Ambiente Tapas: a chain restaurant with other hubs in York and Hull.

Located snugly at the end of the Calls, Ambiente contradicts what we’ve come to think about Leeds city centre.

Putting distance between itself and pricey spots on Call Lane and Park Row, this foodie haven has a menu jam-packed with affordable treats that portion-wise could feed the whole family.

From aubergine parmigiana to calamari, baked cauliflower to mussels, each dish left us no more than £6 out of pocket as we tucked into our food with a bottle of red.

As is the way with tapas, our eyes were of course bigger than our bellies when we thought seven dishes would be suitable.

We stuffed ourselves silly until we couldn’t eat anymore, the heaviness of some of the plates we had ambitiously selected ultimately being our downfall.

Some dishes, the mussels and the seared spring onions, hit the spot delightfully and felt balanced and considered.

Others, mainly those closer to the deep-fried end of the spectrum, well, not so much.

As indulgent as tapas is supposed to be, there were better ways to approach some of the plates here that led to them feeling like ‘the easy way out’.

Lathering what would have been perfectly acceptable gambas in batter was disappointing, and even with the creamy sauce that accompanied the dish there was no saving what felt like a cop-out.

Despite all this, Ambiente Tapas is still a lovely little spot if you’re after a cheap and cheerful meal with plenty of meat, fish and vegetable options to choose from.

Factfile

Address: 36-38 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7EW

Telephone: 0113 246 1848

Opening hours: Everyday noon until 10pm

Website: https://www.ambiente-tapas.co.uk/leeds?utm_source=GoogleLeeds&utm_medium=GoogleMyBusiness&utm_campaign=WebReferral

Scores

Food: 6/10

Value: 8/10

Atmosphere: 6/10

Service: 8/10

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