When we heard about the heavenly combination of craft ales and veggie Indian street food offered at the new Bundobust bar, it is easy to see why so many are excited. Opening after the siz- zling success of several pop-up kitchens, it was great to see large numbers appreciating this venture when we opened the doors to a packed bar on Wednesday evening. Although its location is perhaps surprising, situated amongst Mill Hill’s takeaway shops and tattoo parlours, this actually aids its authentic, trendy feel whilst avoiding the noisy roar of Call Lane.
The interior brings to mind Belgrave Music Hall, with rows of chipboard benches and wooden tables giving the bar a relaxed atmosphere. This shabby but chic style continues all the way through, with a feature wall made entirely of old painted doors, randomly scattered light bulbs across the ceiling, and recycled rice bags used as decorative pillows. However, it was the bold neon graphics hung proudly above the bar that first caught our atten- tion; a bright ‘No Beef’ sign echoed the kitchen’s strictly vegetarian menu.
Bundobust is one of the freshest faces on the Leeds food and drink scene, taking a unique Indian spin on the classic Spanish tapas, all complimented with a selection of some of the world’s best craft beers and bottled ciders.
We were served an array of the chef’s exciting new dishes, ranging from spicy rice puffs to stir-fried rice with green chilli and vegetables, a mashed potato ball burger in a light brioche bun, and Indian-style scrambled egg with fresh flatbread. Our favourite, though, had to be the slow-cooked black lentil curry served with rice, which was a fusion of rich and tangy flavours with a spicy kick. As hoped, the Indian street food experience was an educa- tion to the palette with a wealth of beautiful flavours and original combinations to tuck into.
The best thing about this place though has to be the price, with a tremendous dining session at Bundobust easily achieved for under £10, though obviously a little more with drinks too. The beauty of the tapas-style concept is that you can tailor your dish selections to how hungry you are, with two or three options enough for a light, shared lunch and four to five being an ample num-
ber for a meal for two. Even the beer has a student friendly price tag, with the cheapest craft ale setting you back just £3.50. Or, if you’d prefer to opt for bottled beer, there are numerous options for around £3 or £4.
A trip to this hotspot is definitely recommended, even if it’s just to see the huge amount of passion behind this venture and the great energy of the staff. I’ll certainly be returning, and restaurants around Leeds could learn a thing or two from Bundobust.
Ceri Jones
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