Banksia Leeds review: Craig Rogan's new restaurant at Hotel Indigo is an exciting addition to the city
Leeds has an exciting new restaurant in town.
The Banksia, housed in the newly-opened Hotel Indigo, promises bold flavours from the Eastern Mediterranean, served in a contemporary dining room.
The restaurant is headed up by Craig Rogan, former Chef of the Year at our Oliver Awards and renowned for his inventive cooking centred around seasonal ingredients. He was at the helm of Dakota’s Bar and Grill before opening his own restaurant at The Collective, which earned a place in the Michelin Guide before closing in November.
I’ve long been a fan of Craig’s and enjoyed his tasting menu at The Collective with a foodie friend - we both crowned the experience the best we’ve eaten in Leeds.
So we were thrilled when Craig’s return to the city’s culinary scene was confirmed. Craig says he’s always loved Eastern Mediterranean food and was excited to venture away from classic European cooking. The restaurant offers a small plate menu, which is my favourite way to dine, getting to sample a taste of everything.
There’s something for everyone on the menu, from the signature hummus kavurma with spiced lamb or chicken to a Turkish-style spring roll, king scallops and a range of veggie options, such as salt-baked beetroots and caramelised cauliflower.
The Banksia offers a good wine list, too. We picked a bottle of the Italian Pinot Grigio, which was fresh and fruity, and reasonably priced at £32.
The staff were wonderful - warm, chatty and by our side whenever we needed them, topping up our wine when glasses ran low and paying attention to every table. They recommended ordering two to three plates per person - we went with five dishes and two sides to share, which was perfect.
We started with the pide, a tasty oval flatbread topped with rich flavours from matbucha, olives, roasted peppers, onions, halloumi and fresh herbs. The stand-out dish was the rose harissa roasted salmon - melt-in-your-mouth flaky fish served with squash and bulgar wheat, covered in a fragrant sauce with notes of citrus.
The signature Banksia salad had me diving back in for more. Leaves are jazzed up with juicy peach, cranberries, figs, sultanas, dates and sprinkled with feta cheese - a delightful balance of sweet and fresh. It was a superb accompaniment to the meat and fish dishes, but I could have devoured the bowl on its own. Our side of fries were perfectly cooked and covered in a moreish thyme salt.
With incredibly high expectations, there were some dishes that underwhelmed us. The roasted pomegranate chicken with sweet peppers, courgettes and sumac mushrooms was well-cooked, but the choice of chicken breast with very little sauce was always going to teeter on the side of dry. Our side of pilau rice was underseasoned and a little oily, and the cauliflower with matbucha, zhoug and pomegranate molasses, while tasty, was lacking the promised caramelisation.
Small tweaks, however, that can be easily rectified - and Banksia shows a lot of promise, with a concept that’s bringing something totally different to Leeds.
We’re excited to watch where Craig and his team take this new venture.
Factfile
Address: Hotel Indigo Leeds, 2 Lower Briggate, LS1 4AE
Telephone: 0113 243 6454
Opening hours: Check website for breakfast, lunch and dinner service
Scores
Food: 8/10
Service: 10/10
Value: 7/10
Atmosphere: 8/10