Ivy Asia, Leeds: I took my toddler to try The Ivy’s ‘posh menu’

The Ivy was once an untouchable place for us mere peasants, it was how the other half wined and dined. Now Yorkshire boasts three The Ivy locations in their collection with their latest sibling Ivy Asia coming onto the scene in Leeds two years ago.

The Ivy which started in 1917, popular with celebrities and theatregoers due to its West End location, is now still just as sought after but much more accessible, meaning affordable indulgence.

Ivy Asia serves pan Asian food which is a fusion of one of the largest continents. 

Pan Asian normally signals food that is suitable for the western palette but as someone of dual heritage (English and Chinese) how did it measure up for my tastebuds? 

Ivy Asia is located next to Leeds’ original Ivy in the Victoria Quarter, ideal for shoppers, tourists and a treat out. 

As I walk in I’m bowled over by the stunning decor, the stunning crystal embellished floor, the pagoda style reception desk and the staircase leading you up to the restaurant. 

The tentative staff take our coats and lead us up. We’d come for a late lunch to try their new menu.

With two working women with large camera bags and a baby in tow, I was sceptical how we’d be received into such a fine place which from my baby’s point of view is the ultimate lavish baby sensory. 

Finely furnished satin covered chairs and booths to match staffs smarts jackets. Plush cushions scattered around for comfort and decoration, not to mention the ornamental mirror clad walls and golden ceiling. Every detail was precisely delivered, even down to the lotus flower napkin holders to the chopstick holders. 

For me I was pleased to see that chopsticks had been laid out and knives and forks were an additional option, a detail I miss in South East Asian restaurants in this country. Rather than the eye rolling I normally get when I enter such establishments with a baby instead the staff smile and get me a high chair. 

I’m immediately at ease as is my baby too, so much so she falls to sleep in my arms with her head resting on one of their luxurious cushions. 

It feels as if we have been transported from a bustling city centre and into a luxurious living room inside an exquisite stately home.  It’s extravagant, quirky and exactly how I’d have it. 

The waitress quickly took our orders and we were served with a stunning mocktail called Dreams of Cherry Blossom. The pink candy floss inside the cocktail glasses paired perfectly with the faux cherry blossom trees decorating the restaurant. The waitress then poured the mocktail into the glass on top of the candy floss with edible flowers floating up. All delicate and divine touches to add to the experience. 

The menu

The menu itself is £22.50 for two courses which is extremely reasonable for the variety and style of the  dishes. If you wanted edamame or sesame and prawn toast or crispy wontons for the table on top of the two courses it’s between £4.75-7.25 per portion.

Starters include Prawn nori rolls with avocado, mushroom gyozas and more. 

My friend Vic and I opt for mushroom gyozas and the spicy avocado salad, the two vegan options to begin with. 

I’ll be honest we both wanted the gyoza but I persuaded myself to try something new when the waitress said that the avocado salad was spicy. Something that suits my palette in which I’ve become accustomed to eating spicy noodles at breakfast. 

I did have food envy when Vic’s gyoza arrived on a long platter doused in a yuzu dressing. I was equally impressed however when my avocado salad arrived with a spicy tomato salsa and dressing. The large portion of avocado was thinly sliced and served on a circular small plate. It was delicious and filling but not overbearing. Vic devoured her gyoza too with the zesty flavouring cutting through the mushrooms. 

For our mains we had Aromatic Duck Fried Rice, a clay pot chickpea and green pepper curry and sides of spring greens and roasted aubergine. Again the sides are optional extras but delicious in their own right especially the aubergine with pickled ginger. 

My curry was fresh, light and had a massaman curry style flavour. Vic enjoyed her shredded crispy duck with rice, sambal, ginger and spring onion. All South East Asian fusion food served in a tapas style dining. 

As for the flavours, I loved the Japanese and Thai style fusion of some of the dishes including Korean inspired Kimchi rice as a side. My clay pot curry had the fresh Thai flavours I remember from my journey throughout Thailand, the spring greens had the simple but bold fresh Chinese flavours of ginger and chilli, and my aubergine side was infused with a miso flavour which brought back memories of supping miso soup in Tokyo and Kyoto. 

We were nicely full after grazing, chatting and drinking mocktails. While we wouldn’t normally be up for desserts, on seeing the menu, we just had to try a couple to continue our experience. Plus they were only £5 extra. 

First it was time for the toilet which I’d rarely say is worth a trip unless you need it but these are. The lavish toilets have a sweet jasmine aroma and the mirrors and decor are just as extravagant as the restaurant itself. I couldn’t help but take photos for some home inspiration. 

By the time I’d planned out my dream home in the bathroom on making my way back to the table past the stylish pagoda bar, the showstopping desserts had already arrived. A crème brulee with a thin biscuit on top and a mini wooden hammer to break through and then crack into the creamy dessert. Wow. 

Next up was the freshly made donuts with a lemon dip, light warm and just divine. We couldn’t finish the doughnuts so we took some in a stylish Ivy Asia takeout box. Before we left, Vic polished off a blood orange mocktail while I had a strong black coffee. This is the kind of place where you could spend hours eating and drinking with friends, escaping the outside world as you get lost in this cosy yet palatial style setting.