The Smithfield, Leeds

Called in here on Saturday night and was impressed with the menu so we ate here. The bar is as OB describes below, so I won't add to it. The Reliance badged beer is definitely Acorn Barnsley Bitter. I asked, they said yes it was, but not to tell anyone, so I haven't :-)) Very good it was too. The food was good as well. I had Wood Pigeon Breast on Red Cabbage and Mutton Shoulder on minted potatoes. The other half had garlic Mushrooms on Brioche and Pork Belly with Sweet Potato. A couple of pints and a couple of red wines and it was just over £40, very good value. All the staff were smart, attentive and efficient. This is how a modern style bar should be!! Pretty impressed all round.

A modern shabby chic bar on the northern edge of the city centre. The interior is in a cafe style as to some extent is the service. Comprising three rooms, the first square room is where the bar counter is , with a room up a short flight of stair behind that with a food counter and to the right is a narrow sitting room all with bare boards. The furniture is a mix of styles and types ranging from battered sofas and armchairs in the sitting room to low stools via rough kitchen tables and benches. Décor comes from a mix of modern and old art work, some for sale I believe, old photos and some framed pump clips. There are three handpumps, one dedicated to cider, the others having a guest from Salamander and the house beer “Reliance Best Bitter” which is brewed by Acorn of Barnsley and is probably the splendid Barnsley Bitter, it was certainly in good condition here if a little cold. The room itself was also cold probably not helped by the large clear glass windows that make up two walls of the main room, not a day for sitting at the outside tables either. The handpumps are supplemented by a range of decent European keg beers from the higher quality end of the market, there is a fair amount of wine and food and coffee also play an important part here. The punters were a reasonable lunchtime mix of modern metrosexuals, shopping couples and a couple of old blokes although the atmosphere was rather subdued. Not a bad place if you fancy a change from traditional pubs it also has five years of GBG entries behind it.