De Baga Leeds Review | Innovative Indian Dining

De Baga Leeds Review: From the shores of Goa to the heart of North Leeds, De Baga makes for a unique dining experience.

Chapel Allerton is a trendy little suburb of Leeds known for its independent pubs, bars, restaurants and brunch spots. In the heart of the neighbourhood, is modern Indian restaurant and bar, De Baga.

From the outside, you can be forgiven for thinking that the restaurant is somewhat on the smaller side. But step inside and you’ll see its trendy interior stretches to cover a 200-seat restaurant.

If you’re local to the city you’ve likely heard mention of the restaurant, usually followed by praise. But you may be thinking, why would I travel out of the city to an Indian restaurant when there are plenty of options in the centre?

The answer, quite simply, is that De Baga is not like other Indian restaurants.

The onus is on offering vibrant, fresh, and innovative cuisine. You won’t find your typical Bhuna or Madras here, what you will find is an inspired menu, packed full of flavour, that represents the best of Goan cuisine.

The nod to the Indian west coast state is prominent in not just the food menus, but the cocktail list too. We opted for a cocktail named, ‘The Goa’, a fruit punch made from Gin, Mandarin Liquor, Ginger Syrup, Mango and Lime juice which was as refreshing as it was tasty.

The restaurant expresses a desire to, ‘reinterpret familiar dishes with an unexpected twist.’ True to this statement, the classic Bombay street food, Sev Puri was an instant hit. Filled with sweet potato bhaji and homemade chutneys, these savoury pastries exploded with flavour and succeeded in setting the tone for what was to follow.

We were delighted when our eyes landed on the Seafood Sizzler which was delivered to our table leaving a path of hot steam in its wake. This was perhaps the star of the show as we indulged in a platter of Salmon Tikka, giant Balchao King Prawns and Seabass Cafreal.

With our stomachs already teetering towards full, we turned our attention to the main menu. On our server’s recommendation, we enjoyed a flavourful Chicken House Curry and Gazab Ka Keema. The latter, a deep dish of Parsi spiced minced Lamb, was entirely unique and unlike any of the regular fairs of Indian restaurants we’ve visited previously.

Though fit to burst, our server insisted that the best way to end a meal at De Baga is with their Pineapple Flambe. The dessert consisted of diced pineapple, soaked in rum, and topped with homemade coconut ice cream. Undeniably, our server was correct, this sweet and fruity dessert made for the perfect sweet note on which to end our meal!

With restaurants in both Chapel Allerton and Headingley, for a unique, innovative Indian dining experience, De Baga is well worth a trip out of Leeds city centre for.

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