It was with some interest that I noted the opening of The Agora Greek and Turkish Bistro at the start of the summer. I’m somewhat of a Greek cuisine aficionado, you see – having some of my most sublime food experiences over there. Salty, crispy Whitebait doused in lip-stinging Lemon in a harbourside taverna in Samos at dusk. Tangy, creamy Prawn Saganaki in a walled garden in Kephalonia, glass of home-brewed Wine from the owner chilled in my glass. Beach Gyros in Halkidiki as a teenager.
It’s a shame, given the popularity of this simple cuisine, that we have such a dearth of option in Leeds. You have The Olive Tree – and that’s it. And no offence to The Olive Tree, but that ain’t cutting it anymore.
So it was with high hopes that we headed for The Agora, hoping for the things we missed; simple, tasty food – which is all Greek food can be – cooked with personality and served with that famous Greek hospitality. And to be honest, that’s what we got. The menu is small but deceptively varied, and there’s a decent selection of wines and beers (Efes and Mythos if you want to be authentic). Starters weigh in at the £4-£7 mark and mains up to £15.
My starter was Sucuk; a Turkish-style Barbecued sausage, served with a simple salad. The sausage was juicy, piquant, subtly smoked and nicely spiced; perfect bar food and a wonderful companion to my cold Mythos. As I gobbled that up, my dining parter got stuck into one of her favourites – Keftedes. Lamb meatballs in a tangy tomato sauce. They got the thumbs up, too. The complimentary olives were plump and doused in tomato-chili-oil, ideal to be mopped up with the excellently pliant flatbreads. Can you go wrong with home-made flatbreads?
The mains arrived promptly. My seafood platter contained Calamari, fillets of Swordfish, Sardine and Salmon, and salad. The Calamari were crunchy – more heavily battered than I’m used to but entirely pleasant, and the Swordfish and Sardine moist and seasoned well. The Salmon was tasty enough but overcooked – dried out a little, as Salmon does so easily. But this is a minor quibble – the rest of the dish was cooked well, seasoned simply and provided a good choice. Being a glutton, I pined for more Calamari after I had put my fork down.
My dining partner’s Bass with Feta and Spinach was a revelation – two juicy fillets of Sea bass, forming a sandwich with a filling of crumbly feta and perfectly- cooked Spinach. The salty/sweet combo in the middle gave the moist fish a little lift, and seems like such a simple idea but something I’ve not seen before. I’ll be making it at home, make no mistake about that – a wonderful little dish.
There was no point us asking for the desert menu – the true test of a Greek/Turkish Bistro’s mettle is Baklava. If you don’t make your own, then don’t bother opening. Simple as. I’m happy to report that The Agora didn’t drop the ball – it was homemade, sticky, gooey, nutty and topped with pleasantly crisp Filo. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, it may be enough for me to drop in simply for a coffee and a slice of heaven.
Pleasant staff, good food, decent atmosphere and a good location make The Agora a welcome addition to Headingley’s dining scene. A meal for two of us, plus two rounds of drinks came to £50, and the board advertised some excellent lunchtime deals, such as two main courses for £11. Do check it out.
The Agora Greek & Turkish Bistro, 55 Otley Road, Headingley, West Yorkshire, LS6 3AB
Tel:0113 278 1532