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York

Football. You might think that is an unusual way to start a review about the new summer menu at Marco Pierre White's restaurant in Leeds.

When we had decided a few months ago to visit the restaurant little did we know that England would be nearer to perhaps winning the World Cup than they had in 28 years and playing a crucial game that could send them to the World Cup Final.

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Surprisingly the evening diners are quite plentiful. Either they are not interested in football at all or they have come under duress from their partners. Come to think about it eating at a restaurant could be like a soccer match: it can be a game of two halves, it can start off badly and improve as time goes on or vice versa.

The Leeds restaurant is situated on the ground floor of the Ibis Styles Hotel but with the restaurant having its own separate entrance you would not know it wasn't part of the hotel.

The place has a good relaxed atmosphere - you feel you could come here dressed up in your best clothes or just turn up casually dressed. Sports wear is out though, so ditch that England shirt. The place has only been opened just over a year and it still looks new.

Refreshingly a new summer menu has been launched with stone baked pizzas, burgers, steaks, pastas and salads.

They have an early dinner menu too with two courses for £15.95 or three courses for £19.95.

We chose to start with the Crunchy Chicken Goujons with mustard mayo dip, priced at £7.50. The portion of dip was far too big for the four chicken goujons which were delicious, though the menu says they are ideal for sharing. It must depend on whether you're on a diet or not.

Some of the other Marco's we have been in have not even had pizza on the menu. An Italian based restaurant without pizza! That's just as silly as going to your favourite curry house to find they don't have Chicken Tikka!

At Marco's Leeds they now have 8 different pizzas to decide upon. Seduced by the temptation of the Milano salami, tomato, mozzarella and red chilli pizza, before you could say Mamma Mia, I had placed my order. In fact quicker than England had scored their only goal in the match.

I enjoyed it though my partner thought it was undercooked in the middle. I must admit it wasn't the best pizza I have had, but it certainly wasn't the worst either.

My partner decided upon the baked Salmon fillet which smelt very fishy to me; the verdict was it was top notch.

The best was yet to come (but not for the England football team). The desserts were the highlight of the meal.

My Raspberry Sundae had real raspberries, vanilla and raspberry ice cream and sorbet with lashings of vanilla cream, nicely presented too.

My partner's Box Tree Eton Mess came with fresh strawberries along with vanilla cream and ice cream. Again presentation matched the sublime dessert.

Coffee arrived with a bowl of sugar that had sugar tongs. A rarity these days. Apparently in a lot of Marco's restaurants they do not have sugar tongs because they get pinched - somehow I can't see your regular Marco's customer taking home the tongs.

And that was it, the game might not have been a good result but Marco's came out on top for us.

Marco's New York Italian, Wade Lane, Leeds LS2 8NJ
Telephone 0113 831 4530
www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk

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