Bundobust review: a vibrant slice of India at Leeds' casual dining destination

It’s rammed when I visit on a weekday evening but the short wait for a table allows me to admire an eye-catching range of vibrant beers and ciders on tap at the bar.

The Mill Hill restaurant is renowned for serving top-drawer vegetarian and vegan Indian cuisine and it was for this that I’d opted to visit - though I could happily have spent a merry night working my way through the craft beers on offer, many of them brewed by Bundobust to complement their menu.

I take a tamarind and ginger cider and a seat at a canteen-style table, not far from my nearest neighbour. This is communal dining - I wouldn’t imagine it’s a prime location for an intimate, drawn-out meal, rather a place to catch up with pals, energised by the lively conversation of your fellow diners.

While I can sense the edge of dealing with such a great swarm of hungry patrons all at once, the servers have a smile for my companion and I - though, in this casual dining setting, the service doesn’t take centre stage.

That privilege is reserved for the food. Via mobile app or by stepping up to the bar, it is recommended that you order two or three dishes per person - each reasonably priced between £3 and £7 - and we let the chef decide by ordering a set menu for two people.

Before long, our table is laden with a host of tasty treats served in eco-friendly containers, to be doled out onto paper plates, which are soon smeared with a rainbow of browns, greens, and reds.

The food is delicious and consistent. None of its elements fall short and they combine wonderfully, a dazzling experience of colour and texture - the crunch of the chaat, the crisp of the bhajis, silky daal seeping into a bed of fluffy rice.

There’s a tang in the bhaji sauce, to be mopped up by soft flatbread, and sweet pepper cuts through tikka spice, which builds nicely as the meal progresses and is relieved by a chomp on a fresh seasoned cucumber.

Good food, cheerful vibes and tasty drinks - Bundobust is not to be missed.

Address: 6 Mill Hill, Leeds LS1 5DQ

Telephone: 0113 243 1248

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs, noon-9.30pm; Fri-Sat, noon-10pm; Sun, noon-8pm

Website: https://bundobust.com/

Food: 8

Value: 7

Atmosphere: 7

Service: 7