Restaurants in retail malls can be tricky propositions, but it certainly helps the cause that Issho has opened on the roof-top of the newly minted diagrid-formed Victoria Gate. Designed by architectural practice Acme with interiors by Brighton-based DesignLSM, the building is Leed’s latest landmark, an homage to the geodesic silhouettes of Buckminster Fuller and the city’s manufacturing traditions.
Issho’s airy perch is a treat particularly as the weather turns towards summer and patrons start flocking to the al fresco timber-decked patio that’s lined with low-slung furniture and strategically placed potted trees that frame Leeds’s skyline.
The restaurant’s main dining space features a mix of charred timber, oak and porphyry stone. The centrepiece though is the open central kitchen where Zuma and Sexy Fish alum Ben Orpwood’s menu of sharing plates scattered with Yorkshire produce is layered with Japanese inflections, a conceit probably reflected in the restaurant’s name which apparently means ‘together’ in Japanese.
And so, there are lamb cutlets flavoured with barley miso, tomato salad drizzled with tofu cream, smoked beef tartare scented with yuzu, and sweet soy-glazed duck hearts from the robatayaki (or slow grill charcoal) menu.
Meanwhile, the bar offers intriguing oriental fantasy tipples such as a yamazaki highball, and a bellini of lychee liqueur, grapefruit juice and peach bitters.
ADDRESS
Victoria Gate
George Street
Leeds LS2 7AU
-
Shop the gloriously mad inner workings of Gary Card’s brain in London’s SohoSet designer and artist Gary Card has taken over London's Plaster Store – expect chaos and some really good accessories
-
Venerable British car-maker AC goes OTT with the high-output, low-slung AC GT SuperSportPitched at all-American fans of the original AC Cobra, the GT SuperSport is a fearsome two-seat roadster with more muscle than ever before
-
The dynamic young gallerists reinvigorating America's art scene'Hugging has replaced air kissing' in this new wave of galleries with craft and community at their core
-
Here’s how Heathrow is reimagining airport chaos as ambient musicGrammy-nominated Jordan Rakei turns travel noise into a meditative soundtrack by sampling everything from baggage belts to jet engines
-
Is this London’s slickest burger joint?Already proven in Paris, Dumbo’s smash-hit formula of precision, confidence, and simplicity arrives in Shoreditch – and yes, it’s worth the wait
-
Canal is a new west London restaurant with a suntrap terraceAt Canal, the new restaurant at Mason & Fifth’s Westbourne Park hotel, expect modern European breakfast, lunch and dinner from the team behind Crispin and Bistro Freddie
-
This hidden London culinary haven is a refreshing take on the steakhouseMr Porter, a new steakhouse, bar and lounge in central London's swish Mayfair, is a hidden haven of strong flavours and minimalist dining
-
A European-style café opens next to London’s Saatchi GalleryDesigned by Dion & Arles, Cafe Linea serves fresh pâtisseries, global dishes and sparkling wines in a stunning Grade II-listed setting
-
Ready to unplug? Sign up for this digital detox retreat in CornwallOffline escape provider Unplugged has partnered with Cabilla Cornwall to offer a phone-free, nature-immersive group experience on Bodmin Moor
-
Anya Hindmarch’s Ice Cream Project is London’s tastiest (and weirdest) summer traditionThe cult pop-up has returned, transforming a Belgravia corner into a sleek, steel-clad shrine to British pantry nostalgia
-
The best bars in London for bartending greatnessFrom chic hotel cocktail classics to game-changing flavour combinations, our resident drinks correspondent, Neil Ridley, explores ten of the best bars in London
