The past few weeks have felt very busy between, work, still working hard at the gym most nights seeing my friends and a few rather nice dates in there too, so actually blogging has had to take a back-seat to make way for it all. Although I have plenty coming up to tell you about and hopefully I'll get some kind of schedule drafted up, in fact maybe if I stopped internet window shopping right now (has anyone seen the Miss KG and Benefit shoe collaboration!) I'd get more done.
Anyway, I shall get on to discussing LAB.
As with most of the bars from the Jones Bar Group there is always a slight theme going on. True to their style LAB has well a science lab theme to it...according to moi anyway. With class room style seating a slight theme on the food too with Kel's jug of cream for the pudding coming in a measuring beaker. It was a simple yet effective theme for the restaurant although I wish the theme translated more across into the food and drinks. Although I suppose if that had of been done it would seems like a poor copy of the Alchemist, despite kinda been a foodie, my good do I hate the pretentiousness of that place.
Starting the evening with cocktails, an obvious choice for three girls we took the bar tenders 3 picks and I had a water melon Martini containing pear vodka well watermelon. The drink was refreshing but fairly average. The garnish of a large piece of melon on Martini glass made what typically is a balancing act drinking from one of those things, that little bit harder and kind of disappointed me that hadn't been noticed when the drink was created. I did however see a cocktail go past with candy floss round the straw which seems a very original idea but one I've yet seen in Leeds.
Onto the food. I wasn't feeling very adventurous on this particular evening and since I was trying to make a slightly more healthy food choice (not that I have done that ever) I opted for a veggie option of the Veggie Burger at £7.50, it was a bean burger with olive and fetta cheese. Although the olive a feta cheese made it a little less bland it was a pretty dry bean burger to be honest. I did however like how it was served in typical burger style with the classic onion ring on top, something that veggie burgers seem to lack.
The other main courses looked more exciting however with flat bread chicken wrap and hanging chicken kebabs. I must admit for anyone who dines out in Leeds with know the hanging chicken kebab is a popular choice at the Botanist. It did look delicious and I'm sure it tasted well but I can't help but feel diners will instantly have to compare the food (which given the location is more for a quick bite post visit to Leeds Area) to the quality standards of the botanist.
I opted out of desert (I'm more a starter's person) however I did feel slightly jealous when an oozing chocolate fudge cake came out and a jaffa cake cake, might of been a cheesecake thinking about it. As delicious as whatever the jaffa cake concoction sounded during a previous visit to NY Burger Kitchen (same owners) we had been offered the same desert which to me yells frozen an shop bought. I was told they was both delicious, cake is cake..right? However it's a shame restaurants don't seem to put effort into puddings much unless your at the fancy ones and even then they can be dismal at best. I suppose if your a desert fan there would of been something to suit you, plus given the location and the fact the place is aimed more as a pre drinks light bite venue this could be overlooked.
Overall the bar and restaurant both seem inviting and ideal for a quality light bite before heading to a show at Leeds Arena, however for a choice to go to for lunch with friends or an evening meal I'd have to give the place a miss.
Sammie
* meal provided free of charge for review purposes, all opinions remain my own*