Visiting Hansa's with the University of Leeds Food Society, we were in a big enough group to experience the 'Hansa's Banquet'- Two starters, two specialities and two main course curries, served with rotli, puris and pilau rice. Plus, two desserts.
Upon entering the the restaurant we were shown upstairs to a dimly lit room with sheets hanging across the ceiling and a vibrant red theme throughout. There was an authentic Indian feel about the place and as the smell of spices began to fill the restaurant, the stage was set.
The bar was immediately set high with the Chilli Paneer starter. Complete with 'Paneer cubes marinated with a hot spicy chilli sauce and served on a bed of lettuce', the sauce had something of a 'sweet and sour' taste and left a surprisingly dangerous kick of spice on the pallet. The dish was a personal favourite from the entire meal and my fellow diners were not shy in sharing similar thoughts!
The two speciality dishes were also of similar standard-
Pani Puri- Miniature bite-size puris, stuffed with slightly spiced chickpeas and chopped onion mixture, to be eaten it in one bite with a lashing of tamarind sauce.
Pau Bhaji- Toasted mini baps topped with a spicy veg mixture, garnished with chopped onions,
tomatoes and coriander.
The Pani Puri looked like it was full of flavour and with some tamarind sauce on top, the taste did not dissappoint. The mixture of spiced chickpeas and onions had more flavour than I presumed it would and the crunch of the puri added a nice touch.
Full of flavour and with a generous amount of spice(!), the Pau Bhaji also received a great response from all diners and the slightly toasted bap added a nice texture to the two dishes. Both were dishes that I had not tried before and both were more than satisfying.
For the curry mains-
Bhaji Paneer Curry- A mixture of Paneer cheese and Spinach.
Bhagat Muthiya- Chickpea koftas and potatoes made into a lightly spiced curry.
Both dishes were very different in both flavour and appearance and the Bhagat Muthiya was definitely the better of the two for me. The Chickpea Koftas resembled that of small meatballs and were surprisingly good in taste with a somewhat crumbly texture. The sauce was just nice in spice and reminded me of a Biryani style curry.
The Bhaji Paneer dish was completely different, with a much thicker texture and a lot spicier! (although the level of spice did appear to differ depending on which bowl you took a portion from). I was not this dishes biggest fan and as the third course of Paneer cheese, I did not go back for seconds. Although I was not alone in my opinions, it's worth mentioning that some other diners did prefer this curry over the Bhagat Muthiya. A mixed reaction for the mains from around the table!
However, there definitely wasn't much debate when it came to the rotli, puris and pilau rice that accompanied the curries. Everyone loved the puris in particular- light, fresh and full of flavour, the puris was a big hit!
After such an array of starters, specialities, mains and sides, everyone was intrigued by what this somewhat unique restaurant would produce for dessert and I was keen to find out!
Gajjar Halwa - finely grated carrots, almond and raisins Halwa, garnished with aromatic cardamon, served hot with refreshing Vanilla ice cream.
Fruit Shrikhand - Hansa’s own creation of a Gujarati yoghurt dessert with tangy tropical fruit and garnishing of aromatic cardamon.
Although the Fruit Shrikhand was good, it was nothing compared to the Gajjar Halwa.
This dish stood in a league of its own, tasting similar to a carrot cake but with extra flavour and texture. The cardamon shone through, followed by the almond and raisins and then that final sweet carrot taste. The ice cream added a nice touch and both me and my fellow diners were left feeling satisfied after an interesting meal.
So, the Hansa's experience was just that...an experience. My eyes were opened up to a whole new side of Indian cuisine that went far beyond the curries and naan breads of your standard Indian restaurants. Whilst some dishes were highly praised by all and others found mixed reviews, what is certain is that if you want to try something new, different and aren't afraid to take a pass on meat for the night, then Hansa's is the place to go!
Food- ***
Atmosphere- ****
Staff- ****
Location-***
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