Excellent spot for a genuine French meal. It has a bistro feel. We had the mussels (main course),…read morelamb shank, and side salad. All three were excellent. The mussels came stacked in a veritable mountain along with a side of chips -- the only issue is that you'll struggle to eat the mussels before they start to cool. The lamb shank came with garlic mashed potatoes and was tender, flavorful, and delicious. The side salad had a simple mustard-accented dressing that worked well. The owner -- Fred -- is very nice and widely travelled. All in all, a delightful experience.

My birthday meal with my fiance! We had a perfect intimate evening together. A little less English…read morethan I expected but all in all a great place. A bottle of champagne to go with our meals. I had the special Salmon risotto and it was fantastic. My fiance has a peppered steak as he was craving manly meat. We then shared a bakewell tart served with Ice Cream at the end of the meal. I had eaten more than enough food but enjoyed every bite. The ambiance was great and the staff was friendly.

We take my in-laws to Simply French whenever they come to town. The prices are reasonable, the…read morefood is excellent and it's a nice walk along the quay to get there. This would be a nice place for a date, actually! It's cozy and intimate inside and quiet enough to chat. The staff is really friendly and the owner, Rob, always has a big smile for us when we cross paths (in the restaurant or just around town!) If you're going for a lunch date, try Quite Simply Food instead. It's a little cafe by the same owner and it's excellent also.

In my opinion one of the finest french restaurant in the north.Taking inspiration from some of…read moregreat dishes of La Gavroche. Had a fantastic evening in November 2011, the team provided the perfect festive lunch, the monkfish thermidor was fantastic. Strongly recommend potted shrimp starter. If you enjoy great French food, then Chez La Vie could not be recommended more highly. The wines available on the wine list are truly fantastic from the house wines to the finest red & white wines, there is something for every budget.

This has become my new favourite place to eat. Food and…read moreservice excellent. Great atmosphere, food cooked to perfect, attentive staff.

Much like the language used in alot of my reviews the menu here is a Anglo-French fusion. True fine…read moredining options are actually not as common as you think. Majority of restaurants that claim to be fine dining are anythjing but. While I have never been a big fan of "fine dining" in the first place I have dined at enough decent fine dining restaurants to know the difference. I like the fact that they are spreading their wings and pushing the boundries a little bit by having a gourmet night with different cuisines once a month every month. French gourmet evening in August, Thai is spetember, British in October and Indian in November. Good stuff Trufflets. I purposefully skipped past majority of the options on the menu and went for the home-made char-grilled beef burger, cheddar, salad and gherkin in ciabatta, with string fries and coleslaw. To test the menu in my opinion you have to try out something from the menu that you know best and have tried in copious amounts in other restaurants. This way you start to build a portfolio of dishes in your mind. I am here to report then that their Beef burger was not bad indeed. The gherkins was a surprisingly nice touch.

High quality food that won't disappoint. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. The only downfall is…read morethe expensive price.

My first thought towards this dining experience over a week ago was I wouldn't even wade into the…read moreenthusiastic mostly 5-star rating of a French styled restaurant in a fairly small town in Northern rural England. Just let it go. So here's what is bothering me, and I have strong feelings about this: the beef bourguignon. It's not rocket science to make this dish, and its base is a rich, savory beef broth mingled with things like onions, carrots, shallots, herbs like thyme and rosemary and possibly other spices to the chef's liking. Happen to know a bit about the dish because I've been making it for years. It's all about the broth to this diner. And to be fair, I once had a sadder version of the dish in Paris long ago. So how hard is it to make? Well, apparently the chefs in pubs and similar dining spots along the way are able to craft outstanding versions of their steak and ale pie that are simply outstanding in their robust beef taste. If those chefs can make that dish so well, so savory, why can't something similar be applied to beef bourguignon? I maintain the broth in starting the cooking process was simply not up to par. Lacking in richness, the beef was over-dried, suggesting it had been sitting too long or just wasn't prepared correctly. Instead of baby potatoes, a side of mashed potatoes sat off to the side of the beef and broth. Sorely lacking in the amount of butter needed and low on salt, it was an unpleasant and uninspiring addition that added nothing to the dish. The salad that proceeded the meal was listed as shrimp and mango. Out came baby shrimp with the rubbery taste of just thawed, mixed with mango, then a massive amount of Thousand Island like dressing drenching it all with a few chives atop. Not a great effort. Kudos for offering a true French Malbec from the Southwest corner of the country, the black wine, but this one was pedestrian and was served in the kind of wine glass that screams cheapest serving ware possible with its thick rim around the top. I can commend the staff which was professional and on top of it on a busy Friday night. Beyond that, this is a pass for me. Should have stuck to a local pub serving traditional countryside pies as the ones I've had along the Coast to Coast walk, my reason for being here, have all been outstanding.

Thanks to Emily B's brilliant local knowledge we ended up here early-ish on a Saturday night to…read morebenefit from their pre-1830 set menu which at £15 for 2 courses and £18 for 3 is great value for the quality of the food. I had a nice crab cake to start and only had slight food envy of my bf's delicious deep fried brie (yeah would def get that next time). For mains I had a fantastic rich and beautiful cooked duck leg and then a classic creme brulee to finish. Bf had the beef bourguignon which he loved and was still commenting on days later. On the sides front I would recommend the creamed leeks and green beans (in garlic butter), only thing I wasn't so keen on was the ratatouille. Service was very good and I love the design of the restaurant which involves a fake outdoor pavement seating area!

During our pampering session at the Quay hotel.. This gent…read morein the sauna recommended his restaurant down the road. Having had an acceptable bite to eat at the hotel the seed had been sown.. I really had the urge to try this French restaurant..technically we had to go this way anyway as it was located opposite the train station... Unfortunately it was not open until 7pm so we killed an hour at a local pub. Wandering back we walked into a very cosy place, adorned with collective French art. Luckily there were a couple of tables left ( I would book to save disappointmemt). The head of house gestured to the empty tables and invited us to sit anywhere. His enthusiasm was contagious, and he looked every bit the part in this starch white shirt and black apparel. For £22 You can select three courses from a designated menu or choose freely from the other...average starter costings were £6 varying from snails, soups, meats and seafood.. I love snails but had never tried a decent boulibasse..my mum looked over at another table and spied a woman dig into a large portion of crayfish. However she asked for the potted shrimp which turned out to be a completely different dish!! My soup was stunning, laced with herbs and spices elevating the generous chunks of fish...my mum's potted shrimp did look tiny in comparison and lots of fennel..tasty but I preferred mine. Torn between veal, duck and numerous other things for main I safely ordered the sea bass in butter and parsley sauce..when I say safe I mean..i was really full as I had not long eaten before coming here so fish seemed the lightest option..my mum followed suit and had the plaice cooked in the same manner. Both cost around £16.99 and it was refreshing to find accompiants included. A large potato gratin, sesame seeds carrots, broccoli and pickled cabbage landed along with a sizzling piece of fish. This was cooked perfectly..and I enjoyed every bite. We had pre ordered a glass of house wine to accompany our mains..this was served in two cute claret jugs..nice.touch. Despite our stomachs aching with so much food we could not resist the dessert menu..i had the cafe Garland which introduced a bit of fun on a plate. A fresh shot of berry jelly, espresso, macaroon and a mini creme brulee.. My mum had the ovaltine and whiskey icecream laced with meringue giving it a comforting texture.. With time running out to get our train we asked for the bill. My mum unknowingly had selected items from the £22.00 menu so everything turned out very reasonable. Overall a lovely experience and the entire room was mainly served by the one gent..if you stay at the Quay ditch their restaurant and come here for a more intimate experience

I've only been here once for the office Christmas party. I should point out that I am a francophobe…read moreso a French restaurant was always going to have it's work cut out with me. To be fair the food was decent enough if a bit expensive (although I wasn't paying!) and the waiter was a bit of a character - camp as a row of tents - which added to the occasion. Wouldn't pay to go there myself but it was OK.

If you're familiar with popular astronomy concepts, you might appreciate the following statement:…read moreKendells Bistro exists almost wholly within the Goldilocks Zone of the restaurant universe, a phenomenon that's expected to be possible, but only encountered an infinitesimally small fraction of the time. The restaurant's interior is cosy and charming, dark and candlelit. It borders on being romantic, but doesn't take itself so seriously that it'll dissuade diners who aren't coming in as a couple. Its location is central, but not -in- the city centre. A mere handful of minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Briggate and Leeds' shopping meccas, one can readily walk to this bistro, but it's offset enough to deter the masses. And during the early evening hours (I believe from opening time until 2000 the night we visited), you can take advantage of their 2-course, 3-course, or 3-course and a half bottle of wine offers for between £17-25; it's a bargain, no matter how you slice it. The only thing that's absolutely excessive is the portion size for each of the dishes. My salad with rich, hearty bacon chunks and a perfectly poached egg on top was enough to sate my hunger. Then, when the cassoulet main arrived, I got -maybe- halfway through it before deciding I was completely stuffed. The cassoulet (featuring duck leg, sausage, -and- pork loin) was hearty and richly flavoured. By itself, it was a monstrous serving. That's ignoring the delightfully piped and plated potato mash, carrot mash, and mounded broccoli. From start to finish, I couldn't think of a single thing to improve about the experience. Kendells was readily the most noteworthy dining experience I've had in Leeds yet, and ranks highly amongst any gastronomic adventure I've embarked upon throughout Europe, generally!

if you go here, make sure you try the Supreme de Volialle L`Estragon. It's a really lovely dish…read morethat is part of the tea time menu. As they state 'Everything stops for tea.' The menu is priced at £21.95 - if you include half a bottle of wine into the menu (which of course, you will!) and you can pick from starters like, Gratin Lyonnaise, Saumon Marine A' la Aneth and Pate Maison. The mains consist of; Porc Boulangere, Confit Du Canard, Saumon en Croute and the likes. One of the best parts is of course dessert...pick from Petit Pot au Chocolate, Tarte aux Citron, Creme Brulee and Fromage. Nobody does Creme Brulee like the French so I'd recommend this! This is a great place to go before going to the theatre to see a show or even just to kick back and relax after a hard week.

Is this... wrong? Or is it tongue-in-cheek? Ah, of course, it's very tongue-in-cheek. Le Frog…read morefocuses on British food and gives it a French twist. First of all, the place is decorated spiffingly. Literally. Spiffingly. It's astonishingly gorgeous, just my kind of quirky decor - a ceiling plastered in newspaper, lovely quaint wooden features, neutral and pastel colours... the whole thing looks like it could have come out of a Hans Christian Anderson story. There are plenty of French favourites on offer like starters of a twice baked cheese soufflé, French onion soup gratin, tartlet with spring vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms and spinach, and more unusual options such as black pudding with chicken roulade, Thai fishcakes, potted shrimp with warm brown toast and hot smoked salmon or tempura veg. I'd call it a more Modern European affair to be honest with its additional pastas and risottos (the spaghetti with salmon and lobster is just heavenly indulgence) and you can have these in small or large portions. The sharing platters are excellent value and mains like lamb shank, duck breast, baked chicken, pork trio, a filo parcel of sun-blushed tomato, goat's cheese and spinach, all of which occupy the fusion cuisine spectrum Le Frog seems to operate within. Oh and there's steaks for the super carnivorous. The side orders aren't just supporting actors here, they're stars. Veg are cooked perfectly al dente, the broccoli hollandaise is delicious, I'd highly recommend the breads with dips and you can get potatoes in many forms - French fries, Cajun fries, garlic and chive mash and even the garlic bread comes in three varieties. All of these are stonkingly good value at under £3 each! Sorry about the dreadful pun, but I'm hopping crazy for Le Frog. See if you agree.

I hate frogs, but I like this place. Never really been a fan of French cuisine, more weird than…read morewonderful I'm afraid. However I was told the menu also carries a Mediterranean twist which worked in its favour!! I was unable to find my peace with the decor of the place, yes the decor is quirky but is it cool?? I wasn't so sure.....you'll have to decide yourself. The food, well again I must say if I'm honest I have had better. It lacked substance I thought. Perhaps the French have over the years had so much red wine with their food that their taste buds have been filed down. My marinated breast of chicken lacked a bit of umph!! The lemon, thymed and garlic chicken was served on roast vegetable cous cous with chive creme fraiche. I'm not sorry at all that my taste buds are absolute whores!!!!! Yes they are , they have been around the block and indulged in every fit cuisine around and had their way ever which way. This meal didn't quite do it for me. Having said that I did only try one of the mains and I'd like to try some of the other ones. Perhaps an update is needed. I'm sorry froggy it takes more than a decent decor to impress me son!!! We'll meet again and we 'll see if seconds are any better!!