Pizza Express (Park Square Leeds) Review
Pizza Express
Reviewed by Sean Dodson
Park Square in Leeds is the heart of’ the city’s legal industry. Barrister’s chambers have lined the Georgian gardens, some of the most delightful in the entire north of England, for over 200 years. These days the square is all a-bustle, sports cars whizz past busy lawyers who buzz around as if self-importance was going out of business. But visitors to Leeds needn’t be put off by its brashness. Because even the buttoned-up barristers know that, tucked away in the corner, is one of the quarters most open-necked and accessible of restaurants: the Park Square branch of Pizza Express.
Inside, the restaurant is a bright, medium-sized affair, glass-partitioned into three sections with an open kitchen in the corner. Pizza Express excels at informality and this branch is no different. The chef’s dress in sailor stripes, their heads attired with cycle caps, a tip to the Olympics perhaps, while the waiters wear electric blue and neon T-shirts and greet everyone as “guys”, even our family of three.
So set suitably at ease we opted to share the classic antipasto (£9.90) for starters. A plate soon arrived generously laden with delicacies and although our eyes were drawn to the emerald green olives, it was the kick of the pepper that grabbed our attention. It was a well-arranged starter: the spiciness of the peppers lifted by the surprising sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes, but neither overpowered the cured meat. Only the baby mozzarella fell a little flat, although on such a varied plate perhaps not every instrument needs to perform solo for it to work.
Meanwhile our two-year-old got stuck in to the three-course ‘piccolo’ menu. She rolled her dough balls around her plate to start with, apparently more enamoured by her pot of butter, but she did eat all the accompanying salad without us even noticing. Praise too for the pasta bolognese: unsalted and plain enough to engage a young child while remaining healthy, which of course created a guilt-free space with which we filled with a toffee fudge sundae for good behaviour later. Three courses for just £6.45 was also reasonable.
We both chose pizza for mains. My partner was caught in at least two minds and so hedged her bets with the ‘four seasons’ (£9.10), a pizza presenting four-different-quarters-in-one: olives, mushrooms, pepperoni and some quite salty anchovies and capers. I opted for the pollo ad astra (£11.25), a romano pizza with a thin and crispy base. The topping of chicken, cajun spices, onion and those delicious red peppers again, created a dish that packed a punch that was zingy without domineering. We liked it a lot.
For puddings my partner indulged a chocolate sundae (£5.25) like a bear might entertain a pot of honey. A large knickerbocker glory with ice cream and some delicious chunks of chocolate cake made her smile. I was a bit fuller and so opted instead for the ‘dolcetti’ menu: a mini sweet plus coffee deal. The semi freddo reale (£3.85), a confection of delicate gelato with nutty nougat praline was almost the same size as my espresso cup and felt just as appropriate: I couldn’t manage a whole dessert but still wanted to finish on a sweet note.
After all these years Pizza Express remains popular. It’s a slick machine without ever feeling contrived. Food fit for all comers, even in the rarified atmosphere of Park Square. What’s not to like?
For more information or to find a restaurant near you visit www.pizzaexpress.com