Dubbed as one of Leeds’ restaurants of the moment, Ambiente is a pop-up Tapas eatery that is now here to stay. It is set in the historic Calls Landing building down by the river, a top spot especially with the balcony for when the weather gets warmer and the sun is out. It is open plan and decked out in a modern, bare brick style with a kitchen in the centre so you can eagerly watch the chefs as they demonstrate their skills, flames and all.

Given its popularity you have to book ahead, and far ahead if you want dinner at peak times. We booked a week and a half in advance and could only get 18:00 on a Friday night. Despite this early booking we headed down to the river for supper and were greeted by the promise of some delicious food as we walked up the stairs to the restaurant. The staff were very friendly and attentive, we were immediately seated and presented with their extensive wine list. However a real challenge arose when selecting food from a menu brimming with so much potential, abounding with the classics but also a lot of new dishes too. With three specials to choose from on top of the menu, I can honestly say we were spoilt for choice.

In the end, we opted for olives, various breads, pigeon breast on chestnut puree, scallops on cauliflower with balsamic vinegar, paprika marinated pork chop, whitebait and calamari. Had the monk fish cheeks not sold out they would have been high on my agenda too. The scallops were cooked to perfection, tender and sweet and paired with the cauliflower puree they were the ultimate seasonal dish for February. The whitebait was the best I’ve ever eaten, the calamari was crisp and was deliciously delicate with a slight bite and none of this chewy rubber band malarkey which you so often come across these days. The pork chop was succulent and the marinade was quintessentially Spanish with a smokiness unlike any of the other dishes. The pigeon was a little over done for me, I would have liked it a little pinker inside however the chestnut puree was a good pairing for the gamey meat. With each dish around £5, you can build your dinner perfectly around your budget too.

Dishes come out as they are ready, which meant the batters were crispy and the food was very hot. It was ideal: small plates in quick succession so that you could appreciate each one as they came to the table. Finally for pudding we shared churros; the Spanish doughnuts that are piped into long lines, deep fried and then rolled in a cinnamon sugar and served with a chocolate sauce. It was the perfect end to an absolutely delicious meal made up of a medley of Mediterranean tastes, and one that I hope to repeat in the near future.

words: Poppy Bethell