Review of Mint Hotel Leeds (City Inn) restaurant

I am by no means a food critique; actually this is my first restaurant review and I have attempted to provide a balanced view, considering I was kindly invited by the Mint Hotel Leeds to try their new spring a la carte menu, along with Karen Bryan, who is one of the UK’s popular travel bloggers, at Europe a la Carte. The Mint Hotel (formally known as City Inn) is located in Granary Wharf, on the Leeds riverside.

Click here for information on the hotel and how to book a room.

Choice of two or three course a la carte menu

For a two course meal it’ll cost £16.95, and £21.95 for a three course meal. If you want side orders, such as jersey royal potatoes or Spring Greens then you have to pay £2.95 for each item. To be honest, I do not dine out that often, so £21.95+ seemed expensive to me but you will have to continue reading my review to find out if it is good value for money.

Wide choice of dishes available

For my starter I chose Pan-fried Breast of Quail with honey and five spice, pea and mint risotto cake, balsamic dressing and it was delicious, it’s the first time I have eaten quail. The portion was good, and the risotto cake was filling. The menu had a good selection of dishes and I finally opted for the rump of lamb with lamb belly and kidney, spring lettuce, peas, tomato and feves. The meat was cooked perfectly, delicious and mouth watering.

The only thing that spoilt it for me was that the potatoes were very salty, and the broccoli cold.

To finish the meal off I chose the Bittersweet Chocolate and Pecan Tart, malted banana ice-cream. It was gorgeous but for me, I was full from the starter and main course, so it was the only part of the meal that I didn’t eat in full. The restaurant became busiesr as the night went on which made for a good atmosphere.

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Value for money

So, was it worth the £21.95? I think if you take in to consideration the quality of food, atmosphere, attention to detail, and portions, yes it is good value for money. It’s not somewhere that I would eat at often because of the price, but I can see me going back, once or twice a year, or for special occasions, but next time I would opt for the two course meal.

Great views from the Mint Hotel Sky bar

To finish the night off we went for a few drinks to the Sky bar, on the 13th floor of the Mint Hotel. It had great views of the city, and will be a popular place in the summer. The inside of the bar was trendy, comfortable with leather chairs and seats. Drinks seemed pricey, but I think you are paying for the views.

Things to do at Granary Wharf

Adjacent to the Mint Hotel, you have the Hop pub, a recent addition to Granary Wharf; it has live music, and a great choice of real ales. I tried the Yorkshire Blonde for my pre-meal drink. Make sure you go upstairs; it has a different decor than you’d see in most pubs in Leeds.

In the summer there will be an open-top bus that will run around the city centre and the waterfront area, making sure that locals and tourists get to see this hidden part of the city. A river boat service will also start from the Granary Wharf to Clarence Dock. The Pannier Markets will be held on a new public square, located between the railway arches and the freshly restored graving docks on the last Saturday of each month from April to September.

Hotel near the train station

The Mint Hotel Leeds and Granary Wharf is only 5 minutes walk from city centre, where you will find the city’s museums and art galleries, shopping areas and tons of bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants. For those looking for a hotel near the train station, the Leeds Mint Hotel is a stone’s throw.

Click here for information on the hotel and how to book a room.

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