Mumtaz, Leeds: a whimsical Indian dining experience with plates full of flavour

Far from the booth seating, cosy interiors and low lighting typical in many Indian restaurants, Mumtaz, on Leeds Dock, is set in an enormous airy building with high white ceilings, mingling grandeur with fun, quirky touches: pink chandeliers, “selfie” spots complete with neon signage and foliage towering over diners’ heads. The owners’ self-awarded accolade of “most Instagrammable restaurant in Leeds” certainly holds true.

Staff were attentive and friendly from the get-go, greeting us at the door and showing us to our table along a Hollywood-style red carpet before offering drinks and poppadoms just a couple of minutes after we were seated. While the interior was grand, the atmosphere was relaxed enough for a casual meal, with a mixture of families, friends and couples dining around us.

The menu offers such a vast array of dishes that it took us a good while to come to any sort of decision. Lovers of traditional Indian restaurant fare will find the usual rogan josh, korma, and biryani on the menu, while vegetarians - like us - found a wide choice ranging from daal to paneer dishes and mixed veg curries.

Dishes were a little pricier than you might see in typical Indian restaurants, with main dishes largely ranging from £9.50 to £12.50 and naan breads above the £3 mark. The restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol, which we weren’t aware of before arriving, so this is something to consider if you wanted a beer with your meal.

We ordered two garlic naan breads and rice to share along with the palak paneer and the aloo gobi. When the food arrived, any disappointment over not being able to order a beer vanished as we were wowed by the presentation and quality of the dishes.

The naan breads were enormous, and the curries presented beautifully in silver dishes, garnished with a slice of pepper. The stand-out star of the meal was the palak paneer, which was rich in flavour without being overwhelmingly creamy, and pleasingly garlicy. The aloo gobi was similarly delicious, with the chunks of cauliflower cooked to perfection and the creamy sauce slightly sweet without being sickly.

Overall, the bill came just shy of £40, which, considering how satisfied we were with the food, service, and unique atmosphere, we thought was good value.

Factfile

Address: 1 & 2, MacKenzie House, Chadwick St, Leeds LS10 1PJ

Telephone: 0113 242 4211

Opening hours: Tues - Thurs 4pm - 11pm

Website: http://mumtazleeds.co.uk/

Scores

Food: 8/10

Value: 7/10

Atmosphere: 7/10

Service: 8/10