A Taste of Spring at Gusto Leeds

Gusto Leeds Review by Rosita Rogers – follow on Twitter @zittttttta
Gusto Leeds – a definite masterpiece if restaurants were considered pieces of art! I stepped into Gusto to attend their new Spring/Summer menu tasting and was immediately taken aback by the beautiful parquet floor, plush leather booths and soft lighting that shimmers off the backdrop of copper and bronze. It’s such a beautiful place, almost as if I’m in some kind of 1950’s movie scene in Italy. Only thing that ruined it was walking outside and it being cold and miserable!

To anyone unfamiliar with Gusto – it’s on Greek street. It’s part of the Living Ventures company, which also owns places like Blackhouse and The Alchemist. The evening started with cocktails and on par with it’s sister bars and restaurants, the cocktails lived up to expectations. I tried their twisted version of the ‘Negroni’, which included some elderflower, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Elderflower is always a winner, especially to those unsure of what to drink in the world of cocktails.

Once we were seated, we were handed our menus. I debated between the cheese fondue board or the salmon for a starter. I decided on ‘Smoked Salmon and Mascarpone’ with pickled cucumber and fresh lemon, as it’s always risky experimenting with something already so popular. I wanted to see how well the chefs at Gusto could handle such a task! The salmon was made to perfection. A lot of strong flavours, such as dill. With the main, I opted for the ‘Beef Fillet Carpaccio Salad’ with pickled radish and a maple and soy dressing. I chose this for exactly the same reasons, and was surprised to discover how much of a role in complimenting the beef the peppers played. Sadly when it came to the desserts I was too full, so had to watch everyone else indulge.