Roast And Conch

Poor. The food seemed to have chocolate added to meet the theme, not improve the taste.
The staff were helpful, but there were far too few, resulting in a poor service.
I won’t be bothering again.

I have been here twice now. Easily some of the best service in Leeds. The staff seem to really know what they are talking about and appear to be interesting in the product.
The food is interesting — something sadly missing in many Leeds restaurants these days. Presentation is superb and the mixture of tastes surprises.

Trinity has brought us many new eateries, and this one was on my list from the moment I’d heard it was coming. This may seem odd, coming from someone who’s not overtly interested in chocolate, but the idea of chocolate themed food is certainly intriguing. Although, the reality was different to what I’d expected.
We started out in the café/​bar, since one can’t come to a Hotel Chocolat café and not indulge in hot chocolate. There doesn’t appear to be table service, so I ordered at the bar, and despite several staff members it was a little tricky catching one to order, and then a small wait to receive the drink. Even so, I have to declare, it’s worth it.
Once the ceramic cup of warmth arrived — the perfect antidote to this grey and miserable weather — I knew I was going to be delighted. The salted caramel was the variety I chose, and I believe it’s mostly made of melted chocolate. Imagine a thick, silky, creamy sensation. The salted part wasn’t as obvious as I’d hoped, but the caramel and chocolate part made up for that in spades. It was almost perfect.
Once the restaurant opened at 6pm (Sunday) we ascended through the shop on the middle floor, and up to the restaurant. It’s really beautifully decked out and neither too intimate nor too spacious. I’m a fan of the window booths and the wooden panelling; it’s very rustic and the open kitchen adds to the ambience.
The menu itself revealed more tempting starters than mains, in my opinion but, given the price and my appetite, I stuck with just a main. Starters are all around the six quid mark, and mains from around £15 up to £30, roughly. They have a bit of a West Indian vibe to the dishes, or at least, that was the first impression. Being the burger fiend that I am, this is what I chose.
The table has little nibs for you to open and try, which are very bitter, but offer a snippet of what to expect. We were surprised with an amuse bouche, which I always love. This one was a walnut, carrot, and nibs soup of sorts, and whilst the flavour was delicious, it was hotter than the sun and denied the laws of physics — I simply couldn’t get it to cool, so burned my tongue a tiny bit!
When my burger arrived, I have to say, I was a touch disappointed. Whilst the arrangement on the plate was rather attractive, the size of the thing was a little unforgivable, given it came in at £15. (The most expensive burger I’ve had in Leeds so far.) The sweet potato crisps were delicious, though, and perfectly cooked. The onion rings were a true let down, since the batter didn’t have a single bit of crispness to it.
The burger itself came in a bun, shaped like a cocoa bean, which was a nice touch but, for my tastes, was far too thick and doughy. There was no way of squishing it down for a double-​handed bite, nor the means to cut it with a knife and fork. The burger, whilst cooked medium rare, lacked in the juiciness and flavour I’ve come to hope for. It was well made, certainly, but small and not as tasty as I’d hoped. The chutney was perhaps overpowering? I’m not sure, it just didn’t do it for me.
The service, however, was fantastic. My companion has a specific food allergy, and they were really, very, accommodating. Everything was explained nicely, and they were attentive without becoming cloying. The staff — for the restaurant, at least — are fantastic. They also allowed us to sit in and chat for about 20 minutes after finishing and paying the bill, to finish our water, which was lovely.
Overall, I’d say absolutely get in for a hot chocolate. As for the restaurant, I’m not sure it’s really for me.

Popped in here after a christmas shopping trip with my daughter.
It is well designed, the café, bar area and restaurant are seperate but flow into each other. The staff were very welcoming and friendly and happy to explain about the concept of the restaurant.
We were only after drinks so we sat in the café area. The choice of coffees is a little overwhelming and may need explanation. We opted for hot chocolate, my daughter had mint and banana and i had double praline. Totally divine! A little expensive perhaps at £4.00 each but i would happily pay this.
I have given 3 stars because i have yet to try the restaurant.

Newly opened so these could be teething issues. Slow service, seemed to get worst as larger parties arrived. Items throughout the menu were missing and if anything all portion sizes seemed to be small. Couldn’t get the bill amount right (check your bill closely!). No electronic payment methods were working when we visited. However, on the plus side staff were apologetic and knocked a bit off our bill! Will I be going back? Unfortunately not, I’ll go to the café downstairs but will avoid the restaurant at all costs. One for hot chocolate only!