Kendells Bistro, Leeds: The Yorkshire restaurant that's more Parisienne than any bistro in Paris

When we moved house in January, it was on the cards right from the start that the existing 20-year-old kitchen had to go giving me a chance to design my own and also was a condition of me leaving behind one I had loved.

Unfortunately, the kitchen-less situation drove me mad after all the weeks without one, as I missed cooking so much. Though I have some incredible restaurants almost on my doorstep, after a hard day in the building site that is home, I wanted something less formal and more comfort foods. Plus, we could eat only so many pub suppers and ping meals.

On a much-needed trip to Leeds, I solved my dilemma of what to eat. We headed to Kendells, the delightfully French-styled Bistro in the prestigious area around the Playhouse, Northern Ballet, and the BBC.

This Leeds stalwart was just what I wanted as I love Bistro food. Though it had been a while since my last visit, I hoped they would not have changed much, but after a quick check online, they seemed the same.

On the long drive to Leeds, I only thought of what to eat. Kendells usually had all my French food favourites like confit de canard, rillettes, steak frites, a steaming bowl of French onion soup with fat, melting Gruyère croutons bobbing about on the top, a tarte tatin or crème caramel.

Owner-chef Steve Kendell and his wife Sharon have hung on fiercely to their concept of unpretentious, timeless French bistro food at Kendells for over 18 years. His food is traditional, made with good ingredients and with little fuss around them.

Steve lets the food do its own talking, and as I had lived and cooked in France for seven years, I know only too well the roots of this style of food which he is faithful to.

Stepping into Kendells from the bright evening sunshine, it is hard to see as it is so dark except for the innumerable candles on every table, nook and cranny.

This place is more Parisienne than any bistro I saw recently on a trip to Paris, save perhaps the wonderful Chartier or the renowned Petit Vendome; It is showy, fun and intriguing with its posters, imposing blackboards and retro French music. I love it.

Once, all the menus here were on blackboards, but thankfully, now only specials, fish and seafood are; the rest is on paper. I notice there's no duck on tonight or their rillettes, but choices are plentiful from a pâté de Campagne, boudin noir, croquettes, and so on.

The fish menu boasts soup de poisson, moules, and scallops for starters and four different fish for mains. I get up to read the blackboard and sit back down to peruse the paper menu several times before I decide.

Whereas, across the table, it took him just minutes. I should mention here though, that unlike in France bread costs extra, as are potatoes and other veg.

We start with a Tarte de Chevre, a small buttery crisp pastry tart filled with pickled beetroot and orange, topped with a generous slice of warm piquant goats' cheese and melted red onion. Three pools of beetroot coulis make an excellent dip for the delicious tart.

I gave into one of my all-time favourite salad-style starters of bitter chicory, wafer-thin slices of sweet ripe pear, Roquefort cheese and walnuts. This combination always works and depends on the freshest ingredients to make it sing, and here at Kendells it is belting out a song.

Skate wings are a rare fish on menus in the UK, but it is still widely available in France. The wings are a little contentious, and I prefer only to eat them when in hands that know how to prepare them properly and somewhere that I trust the fish will be fresh - any whiff of ammonia on these wings rather than sweet seawater should not be eaten.

No worries here as I carefully examine the fish when it is placed in front of me. There is an enticing sweet buttery aroma of sauce, and as I gently prise the thick threads of meat from between the bones, it is sparkling white and meltingly soft. Perfect.

I had ordered fries alongside but was served fat chips, which was entirely wrong to go with the delicacy of the fish. Plus, disappointingly, they were a little stale, making me think they may have been cooked earlier than the rest of the dish and kept hot.

There was no disappointment of a plate groaning with three thick slices of pork tenderloin en-croute, green beans, wholegrain mustard, mash and a rich gravy.

This dish is the epitome of bistro cooking in all its comforting glory and was executed brilliantly. Such a dish needs a hearty appetite to eat it. Nothing went back to the kitchen on this occasion.

I have no idea how we managed even to share a dessert after these two dishes but duty calls, and we just about managed a light, creamy coffee mousse with hazelnut ice cream covered in several swishes of chocolate sauce over the top – don't ask me how.

We sat back in our comfy booth, feeling just a little more than full and very contended; Kendells had given us just what we wanted. The staff are attentive and chatty, and even on a quiet Tuesday night, the place is busy enough to have an atmosphere.

How amazing that even after 18 years, Kendells stays much the same as always, we discussed on the way back to our project in the hills. They set out with a plan and have stuck to it, eschewing fads, fashions and tasting menus. I, for one, am glad that they have, and long, may it last.

Kendells Bistro, 3 St Peters Square, Leeds, LS9 8AH

Tel: 0113 2436 553 or Email [email protected]

Open: Tues – Thurs: 17:30 - 21:00, Fri - Sat 17:30 - 22:00

Food 4/5

Welcome 5/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Prices 4/5