I tried dishes at eateries taking part in Eat Leeds Restaurant Week including Gaucho and here's what I liked

Running from Monday, October 14 to Sunday October 20, participating restaurants and bars will offer special menus ranging from £5 to £25.

The week is designed by Eat Leeds with support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to increase footfall into Leeds and boost the regional economy.

I was invited to try one course - starter, main and dessert - at three of the 27 restaurants participating this year.

Unsure what to expect but keen to try new spots, I headed down to the first restaurant of the evening: Chaophraya, a fine dining Thai restaurant in Swinegate.

I love Asian cuisine but Thai food can be a hit or miss for me. It’s one reason I haven’t tried some of the top Thai spots in the city, which includes Chaophaya.

Chaophraya’s reputation for good quality food and customer service precedes it and I left the venue, which is gorgeously lit and divided into sections to maintain an intimate atmosphere, completely understanding the praise.

We had a wide selection of starters to choose from. As a vegetarian, I opted for the vegetable spring rolls, tacos and sweetcorn fritters while my guest enjoyed the meat alternative of each dish.

The spring rolls were stuffed with well-cooked veggies and had a golden exterior that brought a perfect crunch to each bite.

The tacos - something I would never have normally opted for - were soft and filled with few different textures. A little on the sweeter side, it complimented the other dishes beautifully.

But my guest and I agreed that the star of the starters were the crispy sweetcorn fritters, which neither of us expected.

It was then time for mains, and we made our way down to Argentinian restaurant Gaucho in Park Row.

The longstanding restaurant is well-known as one of the top spots in the city for a steak but as a vegetarian, it had never really been on my radar.

There’s a certain elegance to the restaurant and the atmosphere of the space was difficult to compare.

We were seated in the booth and after another tipple, we were served our mains.

I chose the barbeque miso aubergine, which arrived beautifully plated popped quinoa, sesame tofu cream, pickled red onion, red meat radish and a leafy salad.

It was the waiter’s recommendation. He said it was the best dish on the menu.

The dish was delightful - the aubergine was cooked to perfection and the cream added a sweet touch to it.

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I was ready for something sweeter, though. Tattu, the city’s favourite spot for Chinese food with a flair, is where we headed next.

The service at the East Parade stood out immediately. Everyone from the chefs to the servers were incredibly kind the whole evening.

The vegan sticky toffee pudding was perhaps one of the best I have ever had.

The cinnamon stick it was garnished with meant compliments such as “it smells like Christmas” came pouring through from people around me.

Like my guest, I began wondering why it had taken me so long to come and try the food at Tattu, like Gaucho and Chaophraya.

And I think that’s the beauty of Eat Leeds Restaurant Week.

It pushes you to visit venues and try menus that you may never have thought of trying before - and just for a fraction of the original price.

This year, a whopping 27 restaurants are involved. I look forward to trying some spots for the first time as well as enjoying special menus at restaurants that are my personal favourites.

Hooyah Burgers, one of the city’s best burger joints, will be offering a juicy burger and its delicious loaded fries for just £10.

Indie restaurant and bar Kino in New Briggate will also be participating, offering two courses for £20.

They are joined by Leeds-favourites Tharavadu, located in Mill Hill, which will also be offering three courses for £25.

To secure a table and take advantage of the exclusive Eat Leeds Restaurant Week menus, customers are advised to head to the Eat Leeds website, browse the list of restaurants, download the relevant voucher, and book a table directly.