The Oxford Place review: Scrumptious desserts the star at Leeds' gluten-free fine-dining restaurant

I’d heard a lot of good things about the city centre restaurant and when my mum, who is gluten intolerant, came to stay for the weekend, it was the perfect time to visit.

It’s a delightful family-owned restaurant split over two floors - it feels like you’ve walked into someone’s tastefully-decorated home, with an eclectic mix of pictures on the walls, an antique dressing table and a cosy fireplace.

There’s an impressive choice of 30 wines on the menu, as well as bottled beers and ciders, spirits and plenty of soft drinks.

I was thrilled to see Hendricks among the array of gins, so went for a G&T, while my mum stuck to water.

The menu regularly changes to make the most of what’s in season - it’s simple, but there’s something for everyone, with two vegan mains.

My mum ordered the pan-roasted Yorkshire lamb rump with Jerusalem artichoke puree, wild mushrooms, truffled leek and lamb juices.

It lived up to her expectations in every way - the meat was cooked to perfection, the chunks of wild mushroom added juicy bursts of flavour and it was served with a portion of potatoes and fresh vegetables.

She said it was one of the best meals she’s had in a long time.

My main didn’t quite hit the same high notes. I ordered the vegan gnocchi alla verdure with Arrabbiata sauce, capers, plum tomatoes, courgettes and bell peppers.

The gnocchi had the perfect bite and I loved the garnish of crunchy vegetables and vegan cheese, but the sauce was far too acidic for my liking, without the chilli kick I was hoping for, and sadly I couldn’t finish it.

-> Meet the head chef of the Leeds restaurant that has bounced back from disaster

We’d been eyeing up the dessert menu for weeks - my mum has a sweet tooth, but is often left disappointed by gluten-free alternatives.

Not this time.

Her sticky toffee pudding was deliciously indulgent, with rich toffee sauce poured over a feather-light sponge. It wasn’t at all gritty or grainy, something she often finds with gluten free cakes

It was served with a little scoop of salted caramel ice cream - she asked for more of this to help balance the richness of the pudding, and we were pleasantly surprised when the extra scoop was left off the bill.

-> Leeds restaurant launches all day 2-4-1 deal on its decadent cocktails

I opted for the tiramisu, which was served in a martini glass. It was silky smooth with a nice kick of Amaretto; every mouthful was a dream.

The main courses are on the pricey side and our bill came to just over £70, but the portion sizes were very generous.

And if you’re coeliac or gluten intolerant, it’s worth the price to know you can safely enjoy a whole menu of dishes that aren’t just an afterthought.

Factfile

Address: The Oxford Place, 2 Oxford Place, Leeds, LS1 3AX

Telephone: 0113 234 1294

Opening hours: Mon-Wed, closed; Thur-Fri, 5pm-9.30pm; Sat, 12pm-9.30pm; Sun, 12pm-8pm.

Website: www.theoxfordplace.co.ukScores

Food: 8

Atmosphere: 8

Service: 7

Value: 6