Lebanese canteen Comptoir Libanais has arrived at Trinity Leeds and we went down to check it out!
Situated inside Everyman Cinema, they’re expected to bring a little Middle Eastern sun to the city of Leeds. With fresh and affordable food straight from Lebanon, it’s a new concept that should get the people of Leeds very excited.
Upon arrival, what really stands out is their welcoming and laid back vibe. Greeted by the smiling staff as soon as you walk in, we were shown towards a table looking into the kitchen, where you could see the chefs preparing the food right in front of you. The decor around the restaurant walls would bright up even the darkest day with colourful interior combined with extravagant handbags and silver pots covering the walls.
But what is Lebanese food? What can you expect from Comptoir Libanais? We went in with an open mind and loved it. With a huge selection of mezze, salads, wraps and tagines, there’s a great choice of authentic food. Mezze plates come with baba ghanuj, tabbouleh, falafel, lentil salad and grilled halloumi cheese, whilst wraps and salads come packed with falafel, halloumi and chicken.
However, I decided to try out a couple of their interesting twists on the sort of classics I was used to. For starters, I tried out ‘Jawaneh’ which is Chicken Wings with a Haissa Mayonaisse and garlic and they were superb! Despite having a bit of a kick, it wasn’t too spicy and the chicken was lovely and crispy too.
To follow it up, I went for a burger. But if you think Leeds has already got lots of burger restaurants that often serve similar food then this couldn’t be further away from that! It was a delicious Lamb Burger that tasted like no other burger I’ve tried – there was no complaints as I polished it all off.
Comptoir Libanais is the perfect venue for a night out too, with a great range of cocktails including a wide range of traditional favourites with a Comptoir twist such as the Bloody Sirine – vodka, harissa and sumac spiced tomato juice are available by the glass.
So next time you’re in Leeds, treat yourself to something a bit different! Try out Comptoir Libanais.
