Once again, the Fourth Floor Brasserie at Harvey Nichols in Leeds is offering three courses and a drink for a rather reasonable fixed price. The carefully curated Spring Spritz menu is available until July 5th and includes an array of tempting starters, mains and desserts.
My husband and I were kindly invited over last week to try some of the dishes ourselves. Having visited twice before and left feeling a tad disappointed on both occasions, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away. I’ve always found the desserts to be utterly delicious but on neither of my previous visits, have I greatly enjoyed much else.
The temperature was well into the twenties when we arrived on Thursday lunchtime so we chose a table on the roof terrace. Although small in size, it’s as pretty as a picture at the moment with its seasonal wildflower displays.
The drink included with the Spring Spritz menu has changed a number of times over the past few weeks and on the day we dined, it was a zesty and refreshing Limoncello & Thyme Spritz. We’d had a stuffy and uncomfortable train journey over from Skipton so this ice-cold, fruity number was precisely what we needed.
As one would expect with a set menu, there are four options for each course so most tastes and requirements are catered for. To start, you can choose from Coronation Chicken ballotine; Leek and Potato velouté; Spinach, mozzarella and pea salad or Dill and wholegrain mustard-cured salmon. Mr Wilson-Barrett opted for the chicken and I ordered the salmon.
Both starters were delicately flavoured and beautifully fresh. My salmon was particularly delicious and paired magnificently with the spritz drink I’d managed not to drain too soon, despite the intense heat from the sun on the terrace. The slices of fish were far thicker than I’d expected and the little cubes of horseradish jelly and crispy capers made it even more enjoyable. A delightful combination of flavours and textures.
We were off to a tremendous start and had already enjoyed our third visit to Fourth Floor Brasserie far more than our first and second.
To be perfectly honest, all of the main courses on this menu sound appetising and each comprises seasonal ingredients and dreamy springtime flavours. The Pan-fried sea bass would have been perfect for lunch and I would have ordered that had I wanted a second fish course. The Tagolini pasta dish with aubergine, courgette, artichoke and goats’ cheese also sounds divine but includes tomato which I am unable to have in more than minuscule quantities.
Mr Wilson-Barrett chose the pork fillet and I opted for the 7oz Flat iron steak, for which there’s an £8 surcharge. Even with that additional £8, this three-course meal which includes a drink is pretty good value for money.
We also ordered a couple of side dishes with our mains – extra fries with a truffle and parmesan mayo for my carb-craving husband plus, grilled courgette with feta and chilli for me. The courgette was probably my favourite savoury element of our entire meal. Slightly charred and topped with creamy crumbled feta and just the right amount of fresh chilli, it was a glorious bowl of springtime deliciousness. This is a side I will absolutely be trying to recreate at home and serving at family barbecues.
My steak arrived pink as I had requested and although a tad chewy, was wonderfully flavoursome. It was accompanied by perfectly al dente broccoli, a small serving of Fourth Floor Brasserie’s crispy fries and the most incredible sweetcorn salsa. The portion was quite substantial – certainly larger than you would expect. With my courgette side, I didn’t need the fries at all and left them relatively untouched, much to Mr Wilson-Barrett’s delight!
In contrast to my steak, my husband’s pork fillet was melt-in-the-mouth tender. This dish features a fennel compote and a wholegrain mustard sauce, neither of which I expected him to enjoy. He’s avoided mustard for as long as I’ve known him and he despises the aniseed flavour of fennel. However, neither component was particularly overpowering and he enjoyed his main immensely.
We had already chosen our desserts before we arrived and knew from experience that the third and final course would be the best. As well as being aesthetically pleasing and remarkably Instagrammable, our previously enjoyed desserts at Fourth Floor Brasserie have been some of the tastiest we’ve ever had.
The desserts this time surpassed our expectations tenfold. Mr Wilson-Barrett’s indulgent dark chocolate ganache came with a super fluffy segment of Belgian waffle, whipped ricotta and the sweetest of raspberries. Superb!
I ordered the Mango panna cotta which comes with whipped white chocolate, compressed mango and an outrageously good sesame seed tuile. Every single component of this was sensational in its own right but when combined on the spoon it was like a little taste of heaven. Getting to the end of this dessert was like finishing a good book – I felt bereft!
We left Fourth Floor Brasserie with a desire to return in the near future. Not only had each course been thoroughly enjoyed, but the service we received throughout was top-notch. Our waitress, Maria, was particularly attentive and she made us feel welcome for the duration of our visit.
The Spring Spritz menu at Fourth Floor Brasserie is available Monday to Wednesday 12 pm – 6 pm, Thursday to Saturday 12 pm – 11 pm and Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm. If visiting on a Sunday, a Roasted sirloin of beef main course option is available for an additional £5.
This review was published following an invitation to dine at Fourth Floor Brasserie. An invitation to dine does not guarantee a review on our website and the restaurants we visit have no editorial control over our content.
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