LEEDS LOVES a bit of Street Food; Belgrave is coming up to its third anniversary of their monthly Belgrave Feast, Trinity has half a floor dedicated to the stuff, local start-ups get praised in everything from Buzzfeed to the New York Times. Often though, while very polished and snazzy, and you sometimes get the feeling that you’re not always getting the best value for money.
Save your voice, little baklawa - I’ll be back for you, and the rest of the menu, soon enough
As delicious as the food may be, it’s not cheap. Despite the market being flooded with new options, finding that rare combination of cheap, fast, and tasty is as difficult as ever - especially when I’m feeling too snobby for chains, or not quite drunk enough for New Briggate’s many chicken shops. And then I found Caravanserai.
Serving up North African and Middle Eastern food, it’s the latest venture of Kada Bendaha, owner of much-loved Cafe Moor in Kirkgate Market. As a big fan of Cafe Moor, I was intrigued to see for myself whether the stacks of positive reviews I’d heard about Caravanserai from anyone with medium to good food taste were actually true. Simply put, no one was lying.
Having been enticed by the selection of dishes on offer, the server through the hole-in-the-wall assured us we weren’t being judged for over-ordering a small banquet between me and my dining partner as we were buzzed into the seating area upstairs, which felt like we were being allowed access to a secret club of some sort. Exciting.
What awaited us was a beautifully decorated North African-inspired room, all crimson and terracotta with traditional furnishings, a treat for the eyes that made me temporarily forget how hungry I was.
While the place looks fit for a Sheikh, this is no royal banquet. Plastic knives and forks may not be to everyone’s taste, nor the single, communal table which fills the strangely-oblong shaped room and gives the impression that you’re dining with friends and family - we loved the atmosphere and the aesthetic, though.
The food itself whisks you away from Call Lane and off to Morocco just as convincingly as the decor. Chicken shawarma (£4) was seasoned with garlic and spices in a soft wrap, and the falafel burger (£4) was stuffed with crispy patties of deep-fried chickpea, moist and humming with cumin on the inside, and crispy on the outside.
Falafel Burger, Chicken Shawarma Wrap, Harissa HummusThe halloumi steaks (£3.50) were the real deal - foregoing the squeak for a tender, meaty bite, just how I like it, and served in generous portions as with everything else on the menu.
I didn’t hesitate to order baba ganoush (£3), but was disappointed to find that this was my least favourite dish - perhaps too authentic, it was a little bitter and acidic for my liking. Dolma (£3) from the cold mezze menu were fragrant, with rice and the taste of mint running through. Even the chips (£2) seasoned with paprika and served with a tasty, spicy harissa hummus and garlic dip exceeded your average restaurant side portion.
Feeling as though our order lacked in greenery, we ordered the fattoush salad (£2.50) to freshen things up a bit - made even more delicious with the khoubz (described on the menu as Arabic bread, and a sort of crunchy, fried crouton) scattered on top.
Caravanserai doesn’t serve alcohol but offers a selection of homemade fruit sharbat juices. We ordered the lemon, mint and apple (£2.50) which was fruity if a little too fresh from the mint. Having ordered about half the menu on this visit I decided to resist the allure of baklawa, which I could practically hear calling my name. Save your voice, little baklawa - I’ll be back for you, and the rest of the menu, soon enough.
Words: Grace Marsh. Images: Caravanserai (Interior, Exterior)
Caravanserai, 1 Crown Street, Leeds LS2 7DA
Total: 15/20
Food: 8/10 - Authentic and consistently delicious.
Atmosphere: 4/5 - Cosy dining room that turns convivial when full.
Service: 3/5 - Helpful, friendly staff that really seemed to care.
PLEASE NOTE: All scored reviews are unannounced, impartial, paid for by Confidential and completely independent of any commercial relationship. Venues are rated against the best examples of their type: 1-5 saw your leg off and eat it, 6-10 stay in with Netflix, 11-12 if you're passing, 13-14 good, 15-16 very good, 17-18 excellent, 19-20 pure quality
