“What is Vice and Virtue when it is at home?” you may ask and for one I would respond “ARE YOU NOT FANS OF CATHERINE DENEUVE?” and for two I would say FOR SHAME on you for not reading my last blog and flocking there immediately.
In the second floor of a former Gentlemen’s Lounge in the Northern Quarter, Yorkshire’s most fabulous chef took his nine years experience of creating Frorkshire (what? French inspired, Yorkshire ingredients! Frorkshire!) food at Dough Bistro and opened Vice & VIrtue, Leeds most fabulously innovative cocktail bar.
With food-based cocktails such as Yellow Fever (Saffron gin, lemon, cointreau and coriander) and For Jasmine’s Sake (gin, dandelion honey, jasmine sake, egg white and lemon) whetting my appetite you can forgive me for wondering more than once over the last nine months when the eagerly anticipated restaurant was going to open on the third floor.
In my experience, Luke’s style of cooking has always been about the ingredients. Everything is locally sourced, produced, even home-grown in Luke’s garden and it’s not unusual for his menus to change daily depending on what is in season. Not only are the flavours lovingly crafted but every dish is a work of art to behold. I was honoured to have an early sample of Vice & Virtue’s menu (slightly adapted for my vegetarian awkwardness) on Wednesday night and I am still dreaming about the food and the drink pairings.
The Amuse Bouche was a vegetable filled dumpling which caused my husband to make sex noises. This reaction set the tone for the rest of the food believe you me.
Trout
Peas – cucumber – herb buttermilk
Paired with a wonderful Sparkling Sake (Juno Ginjo) – sake is the new gin and I could have drunk this lovely bubbly all night quite happily. It was absolutely luscious.
My trout was substituted with meltingly perfect artichoke.
Golden Beets
Smoked ayran – rose – aromatics
Paired with a New Zealand chardonnay (archangel chardonnay 2012) which is usually a wine that I would never choose but it wasn’t dry and really brought out the flavour of the beetroot.
This was such fun! We were presented with a cloche filled with fragrant smoke which dissipated to reveal this beautiful plate of beetroot. Mine was poached rather than cooked in goose fat.
Hogget Cannon
Pistachio – mustard – oloroso
Paired with a fruity rose (sanchez romate don jose oloroso) this course was my favourite. My hogget was substituted for breaded brie which is always a joy but the star was definitely the mustard emulsion which had the same mouth-feel as marmite butter. So savoury. So gorgeous. Luke would want me to point out that it was only served on slate because his fantastic black plates had not yet arrived.
Fuscia
chocolate – vanilla
Paired with an lusciously frothy fuschia cocktail, this was such as silky unctuous dessert with what was without a doubt the most incredible truffle I have ever eaten in my life.
Sticky Toffee
Tonka – kumquat – coriander
Paired with a French Muscat which tasted of Christmas, this ruined all sticky toffee puddings for me forever. And candied kumquat! A revelation.
In addition to the food being exquisite, the decor is nothing short of fabulous. Glossy black and gold art deco trimmings provide a glamorous contrast to the white walls and flamingo print feature wall. The kitchen is open to the diners so you can see all the magic happen and the room somehow manages to be both light and airy and intimate. Perfect for a date!
The restaurant is open
Wednesday to Friday evening 5pm-late
Saturday 12pm-3pm for brunch & 5pm-late
Sunday 12pm – 8pm (last sitting)
The bar will be open from 5pm-late as usual.