Dino's Downtown Ristorante

On my last night in Leeds, Si tried impressing me by taking me for a wine and dine session. It's strange how the night started with a walk to the local train station for a train into town....and not picked up by a Merc or a beemer.

The British are very paranoid about having a pint and driving...they are into taxis and trains and buses. Now, those that know me would know that I drive much, MUCH better when I've got a couple in...:). And never taxis!



Anyhow...headed towards the grandmama of dining in Leeds, the 1920's Bibis. Excellent decor with patrons spilling out the door....but somehow I was apprehensive.Very.

And I was right. A two hour wait..which would mean we would only be seated at 10.30pm. Bah.

So we headed on to the next best choice..the buzzing Dino's which offered us a 15 minute wait.What's more, it's right next to the train station,which means crawling distance if we get tanked over cheap wine!



Choices, choices...


First choice of the night, Mussles Marinara


This reminded me of Bruxelles and the buckets of Moules Frites...absolutely the best marinara sauce I've had in ages. Loads of freshly chopped coriander,onions and a touch of cream made it extra special

Yeah I know....horrible pictures...it wasn't my camera and I was too hungry to fiddle. Suck it up..:P



A little out of the norm, but little Ms. Adventure here went for the blackboard special of Wild Boar with Juniper berries and wild mushrooms



The Juniper berries were juicy with a balsamic & caramel like taste which piqes up the otherwise very porky dish. The mushroom were a plus, a huge variety of woody mushrooms in the small little place...an explosion of flavours in my bouche kept a sourir on my face for the rest of the night.The strawberry and pinch of lemongrass added zing to this amazing dish.

Since we were in an Italian joint and Si was on a seafood craze, he had the Pasta Marinara . Yes, AGAIN. Same amazing sauce as the Mussles Marinara but with a pinch of chilly in it...it is signature yummy.



Heaped with mini-prawns (which the British called Tiger Prawns...my ass), calamari and more mussles, this dish was topped with freshly grated parmesan and more fresh coriander. Obviously polished off with gusto from the carb-crazed me.

No more space for the yummy desserts...a shame, really. Had too much bread as a pre-appetizer which I lived to regret.

Loves: Cheap wine, wild flavours, short wait time, cute italian maitre'd
Hates: Service added to the tab, inefficient Philiphino staffs that mumbles on, dark but unromantic lighting

Damage? £49. Or RM300+. Not the most expensive meal in my life (Lafite takes the cake) but wonderfully satisfying. Would I return? Yes, but not before I poke my nose into Bibis to check that out as well!