Tattu Leeds: Chinese Cuisine at Its Very Best

Food & Drink

Posted on October 21, 2022

Contemporary Chinese restaurant Tattu, Leeds recently revealed their innovative new autumn/winter menu. An extravagant fusion of East meets West, curated with the finest seasonal ingredients. Decadent dishes include Crispy Shredded Beef Fillet, Chicken Xiao Long Bao, Seven Spiced Seared Tuna, Shanghai Black Cod and much more.

We were invited to visit and try some of the new dishes and we couldn’t wait! Tattu is always a fantastic dining experience, it’s a sensory journey from start to finish. Visually, with the beautiful hanging cherry blossoms, gorgeous attention to detail in the lighting and décor, show stopping cocktails and magnificently presented food. This is theatre all the way.

All of this is backed up by such fantastic service, we had to ask if they have a dedicated training school – weren’t far off the mark as it turned out!

This visit was a little different to previous ones, our server, Isobel made our food choices for us from the new additions to the menu, and we were more than happy with her choices. However, let’s start at the beginning with Frank.

On arrival, we were invited to order cocktails from Frank, one of Tattu’s expert mixologists. I have my firm favourite and will not be swayed; the Crouching Tiger is the best gin cocktail you will ever taste! Roku Gin, Tequila and pink grapefruit – perfection in a glass. My dining partner however was up for the challenge and decided on one of the more theatrical cocktails; the Eastern Dragon: 135 East Gin, raspberry and apple and a whole lot of dry ice effects – brilliant!

Frank was a true artist, making our cocktails in front of us, delivering them with confident expertise as he engaged us in conversation throughout.

Once seated at our table, Isobel introduced herself and ran through the dishes she had picked out for us, checking if we were happy or wanted to change anything. Believe me we were happy. In fact, so happy we might just let Tattu choose what we eat on any future visit because their menu is packed and it’s always a difficult decision when you are spoilt for choice.

We always share our food and Tattu’s dishes are made for sharing. If you’re not a food sharer you will be by the time you leave.

We started with two Dim Sum dishes; Royal Koi Fish Gao (steamed) and Pulled Pork Gyoza (fried). The Royal Koi Fish Gao were delicate pockets of pure deliciousness, and the Pulled Pork Gyozas packed a sensational meaty punch. We were off to a great start.

Next, we had two small plates: Sugar Salt Crispy Squid and Sticky Beef Short Rib. There was a dipping sauce of green chilli, pomegranate and mint with the squid which elevated this dish from good to outstanding. Sticky Short Rib is one dish we always order at Tattu, for us it’s the ‘hero dish’ that we recommend to everyone. Tender, sticky and sweet meaty chunks in perfect mouth sized bites.

Our Meat and Seafood dishes arrive in unison; Red Pepper Lamb Cutlets that were crying out to be picked up and eaten by hand. These were an absolute triumph, succulent with just the right amount of spice. The Thai Style Crispy Monkfish was mild and sweet and if you like lobster, you will love this. Our sides consisted of Tenderstem Broccoli with black sesame and truffle and XO Fried Rice, an excellent balance with the other dishes.

We cleared every plate but by this time we were feeling very full so a respectable rest ensued before we shared the world’s best dessert of Cherry Blossom, white chocolate, cherry and candyfloss and a whole lot more theatrical dry ice. This dessert makes sure your table is the centre of attention and you will definitely be asked by the other diners what dessert you chose.