Leeds in the 1970s: Memories of The Grecian Palace restaurant with steak flambe and suckling pig on the menu
Leeds city centre in the 1970s: Mouth-watering memories of The Grecian Palace restaurant on Vicar Lane
“Ours is a restaurant where the most fastidious gourmet can savour the best in food, drinks and atmosphere.”
The words of entrepreneur Paul Kavazy on the hopes and expectations for his new Leeds city centre in the early 1970s - The Grecian Palace on Vicar Lane.
“We decided that we could provide the right sort of place for the right sort of people - people who want good food at reasonable prices but not cheap prices, served in an atmosphere of friendliness, graciousness and spotless cleanliness,” added Paul who had opened the eaterie with his brother Costas and business partner Solon Tratis.
Its beautiful white portals stood out in inviting elegance at the north end of Vicar Lane.
It was being hailed by your Yorkshire Evening Post as a restaurant which was destined to become the rendezvous of all who who appreciate good food, good wines, pleasant music, a chance to dance to a not-too-noisy beat and an atmosphere of elegant luxury.”
The Kavazy brothers were well known in hospitality circles having opened a series of coffee lounges and self service enterprises around Yorkshire. They had arrived in England in th 1950s and after two years working in the catering trade went into business - a coffee bar in Barnsley.
That was the beginning of a small chain of enterprises in other parts of the county and a discotheque business at the Vicar Lane premises which had now become The Grecian Palace.
The chef was Stephen Cole who was a qualified Hotel and Catering Institute Training Board “on the job trainer” - the hallmark of the catering trade. And there was similar expertise available in the person of wine expert Charles Cooper.
The restaurant decor was predominately white with fluted Grecian pillars, alcoves for floral arrangements, subdued lighting, and Grecian balustrades on two sides of the dancefloor area.
There were ‘pillar’ style tables in an area off the main floor where the tables and chairs were in fine Grecian style.
It catered for different palates thanks to a wide range of food offerings.
“I think we shall make it the best place for dining out in the city,” said Mr Kavazy. “We are trying to make it very exclusive both menu-wise and in terms of clientele. Here you can have anything from steak flambe to sucking pig, from plaice to lobster, from chicken to duckling and turkey and, for starters, from the usual hors d’oeuvres to smoked salmon and devilled whitebait.”
He added: “As for wines we have an excellent cellar and bar. We can serve wines from a little over £1 a bottle to chateau bottled wine at £6.65 a bottle.”
The service was going to based on the best of foods an d while every day was regarded as a family day, the restaurant was specialising on Sundays for family lunches.