Restaurant Review: Red Hot in Leeds
We’re very happy to introduce you to Matt, our newest guest blogger from Leeds, who is sharing his review of Red Hot with the Groupon City Blog readers. Find Matt on his own blog if you like what you see here. Remember to also subscribe to our RSS feed and never miss out on a post.
Hello there! I’m Matt, and it’s a pleasure to get involved with the Groupon blog.
I live in Leeds at the moment, spending my formative years in the Democratic People’s Republic of Hartlepool, via Hull and New Jersey. I guess the whole writing bug I’ve developed over the years is because I’m a social, extrovertive kinda guy, and it’s just as easy be that way in words.
I now work for a news agency, though I have a few other projects on the side, notably a small and developmental music and film site called Sound Screen (which is soon to be revamped). I also contribute to Leeds Guide, Red Hot Velvet and my own blog, which I treasure.
I’ve also spent time working in the US as a soccer reporter, which is lucky, because I adore their sports – American football, ice hockey and basketball included. I’m also into music, politics, comedy, media culture and my photography.
All I’ve ever wanted to do is entertain, I suppose. No-one wants to look back and regret wasting time or opportunities given to them. Writing can be an extremely liberating and rewarding thing, yet while I do it for my own enjoyment, the real pay-off comes from positive feedback. Be sure to let me know what you think.
I’m also aware that I have stupid hair. I’ll try anything once, though.
Leeds has a lot to offer, so I figured I’d open with a restaurant recommendation for people making the trip here. Visitors are spoiled for choice, though; there’s Gaucho, a Jamie Oliver restaurant and plenty of up-market chains like La Tasca, the healthy Wagamama and the wonderful Tampopo.
Yet sometimes, you’re really hungry and you want the most bang for your buck. Not as much as an eight-year-old I once met, who ate so many chips that he started crying; however, you’ll agree that you often want to leave a restaurant with a belly full of dreams and a head full of happy.
That’s where Red Hot comes in. It’s just opened its newest outlet on The Headrow in Leeds. It follows from sister restaurants in Nottingham, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Liverpool, so you don’t need to be here to sample its delights.
I rarely cry with joy when reading menus, but if you go, you’ll understand what it’s like to hold back the tears when you see Red Hot’s offerings. It’s a party in your mouth and it seems all foods are invited.
Indian, Tex Mex, Chinese, Thai, Mongolian, Japanese, Italian and good ol’ fashioned English buffets are on offer, with plenty of crossovers. Combining shepherd’s pie with hakka noodles, seekh kebab and mussels in Mongolian sauce, for instance, tastes fantastic.
Tables are clean, comfortable and well-spaced, as modern-yet-inoffensive marble-effect walls combine with brushed metal, wood and red fabrics keen on establishing the Red Hot brand.
The food court is huge. There must’ve been around 200 people in there on New Year’s Eve, yet you never bump into anyone. You’ll still get close to them though, as plate envy is a huge factor in Red Hot. “Crab claws?! Where are they?!” you’ll frantically proclaim, as someone else then catches your eye with beef tacos and you follow them to pick up clues.
There’s so much food, though. The number of desserts alone must be in the dozens. Anything from crème brulée to cheesecake, it’s all there – just in tiny portions. Stack them up if you want, though you won’t want to after a few plates of hot multicultural action.
Red Hot’s not without its flaws, though. Drinks are cheap but on a busy night you’ll waiting a while for them – 20 minutes for us. You’ll have to pay more for better food, too; sushi doesn’t appear on the menu until evenings, when it’s even more busy and costly. Proper dishes are limited to mostly basic meals, too, like tikka masala and sweet and sour pork.
The restaurant is also partly responsible for the obesity epidemic, in the best possible way – it removes the power of self-control. I think I put on a stone in calamari rings alone. You will never feel so much like a kid in a sweet shop.
So, the bottom line? It’s enjoyable food at good prices and provides enough choice to get the biggest group of friends together, satisfying every single one with Red Hot’s variety.
Still, if you’re taking kids, keep an eye on them. The sheer amount of sugar on offer for a small fee may see them become so wired that they’ll be able to travel through time. Or never sleep. One of the two.
Photography: savior1980 and Dave Lifson
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