Having heard a bit of a buzz about this place I decided it warranted a visit. In spite of making it…read moremy mission to try and test out all the fine dining I can find (and afford) in Leeds, I'd only ever driven past Sous Le Nez En Ville in a taxi home late at night, and the curious foot-level windows have always left me wondering. With a colleague in town this was the perfect opportunity to discover what it was really like, and so in the mini-flash-flood weather, we quick-marched over from The Calls to grab some dinner.
Mistakenly, we tried to enter via the hotel next door at first, which itself is a gorgeous building. I couldn't see a sign for it, so I've no idea what it's called, but the stair case and stained glass window alone suggests that it's a bit flash. But I digress. Sous Le Nez. So, we continued down the street to find the corner entrance down the steps, indeed sous le nez, as it is both under pavement and was under our noses. The smell wafting up also matches the name well, as we descended down upon both scent and setting. Trés poétique.
The vibe is immediately rustic, with gorgeous brickwork, displays of empty divine wine bottles and lovely low-lit lighting. The mood was certainly set on arrival. It's a shame that sense doesn't really carry on through into the dining area; although the tables are pleasant and there are wee nooks and crannys in which to dine (perfect for a romancing couple) the space is somewhat packed in and there is much less to look at than in the bar area. Even so, the food was the main event!
The menu is sprawling, with a dedicated fish-starter menu, and a number of specials which change (daily?) for one to opt from. I had expected to find that the prices would be extortionate but in fact were medium to high end. The most expensive main coming in at around £30 and the majority were at the £17ish mark. Not bad. I chose the French Onion Soup to start, having fell in love with it recently, and my companion the Trio of Salmon. Despite not being a salmon fan, it looked incredibly tempting, and my soup was delightful. Although I'd have liked a little more melted cheese, the flavour was incredible.
For my main I had the venison. Oh my yum. It came with a delicious gravy, which had hints of anise, although I forget the other flavours. It was rich but not overpowering and was the perfect accompaniment to the wonderfully cooked venison, which practically melted in my mouth. Very kindly they allowed me to swap the sweet potato mash for normal mashed potato, as I couldn't decide if I wanted mash as an extra or not. We had some fine green beans with a bit of butter and chilli as a side and everything was cooked to perfection.
To finish I had the Crème Brûlée which, although it was lovely, it was not as excellent as the other courses. The burnt sugar was a touch too bitter and the pudding wasn't as sweet as I like, but perhaps that's a personal preference. I suppose my only other small gripe was that the service was incredibly relaxed - it took rather a long time to order and whilst waiting for food indicates it's all being cooked nicely from scratch, waiting to order desserts and for the bill to arrive is another matter. It certainly does add to the ambiance of the French restaurant, though! And every staff encounter was very friendly and warm, so over all I was very pleased.
The perfect restaurant for a relaxed, romantic and divine eating experience in Leeds and I highly recommend a visit. Bring your appetite though - three courses is more than enough gluttony for one month!
