Bundobust, Leeds – Restaurant Review
By Kirsty Reid, August 2024
A trip to Mexico a few years back left me with a love of authentic Mexican dishes. So, when I was invited to my local Bundobust restaurant to sample its new Indo-Mexican summer menu, I jumped at the chance.
Located in the heart of Leeds, Bundobust has carved a niche for itself since opening its doors in 2014.
The brainchild of Mayur Patel from Prashad, a vegetarian Indian restaurant, and Marko Husak of The Sparrow Bier Café in Bradford, the innovative eatery fuses authentic Indian street food with a carefully curated selection of craft beers.
“Explosion of colours and textures”
Stepping into Bundobust, we are met with an explosion of colours and textures. The interior is a playful mix of industrial and rustic elements, featuring exposed brick walls adorned with murals and artwork. The décor is punctuated with splashes of bright hues, creating a fun, yet laid-back vibe.
The open kitchen adds to the dining experience, allowing visitors to witness the culinary magic unfold.
Long wooden benches encourage convivial dining, while booths are ideal for a more intimate experience.
A small party of just two, we are shown to a booth and our drinks order is taken. I opt for an alcohol-free Pal-No-Ma made with Clean Co tequila. It’s refreshingly cool with creative flavours. Kyle settles on the rose cider with hibiscus and ginger (£5.70). He finds it sweet with a subtle warmth.
“Spicy mash-up”
Inspired by dishes that date back over 100 years, Bundobust’s new summer menu is a spicy mash-up of Indian and Mexican cuisine. And it’s not just the culinary dishes that have had a mash-up. A limited-edition drinks menu features Mexican lager, innovative cocktails and more.
Bundobust’s menu is entirely vegetarian, with vegan options also available, making it a haven for plant-eaters. With so many exotic-sounding dishes to choose from, it’s hard to know what to order. Help is at hand with the combo meals (for two and four). We opt for the Two Much Picante combo for two (£36) – perfect for sampling a little of everything.
Despite dining at peak time, it’s only a short wait until our plates arrive and we don’t know what to tuck into first!
Naanchos, a fusion of nachos and naan, are served with a tangy tomatillo and jalapeno salsa, and a smoky pasilla salsa. Both delicious, but the jalapeno salsa hits the spot for me.
The crunchy corn chaat is a favourite of mine. Fresh corn and black beans mixed with lime and Mexican masala. It’s flavoursome with a subtle kick. I love a spicy dish, but if you’re not a fan of heat, the curry leaf sour cream is perfect for cooling your tastebuds.
“Simply delicious”
When it comes to Mexican, tacos are my go-to. Having never tried veggie tacos, I wasn’t sure if they would be quite so satisfying. How wrong was I! Bundobust’s achari tofoo tacos may be meat-free, but they don’t lack flavour. The garlic kulcha tortillas, stuffed with achari-spiced tofu, refried rajma beans, and salsa, are simply delicious.
The chipotle poha – a fluffy rice dish, topped with crushed peanuts – is a hit with my partner. He loves the Latino heat of the smoky chipotle dish, but I’m less keen.
I’m surprised by how filling the paneer kadai is, for a meat-free dish. The paneer cheese is a delicious substitute for meat and perfectly accompanies the rich and spicy pepper and tomato sauce.
Dhokla tamales is our last dish of the day (and a Bundobust team favourite, apparently). The iconic Mexican dish is made with fermented lentil-flour dough, stuffed with okra and potato, traditionally steamed and served inside a corn husk. It’s hearty and packs a punch, thanks to the accompanying zingy guajillo salsa.
With so many innovative dishes and flavours at Bundobust, there is something to satisfy almost every palate.
Bundobsut, 6 Mill Hill, Leeds, LS1 5DQ
Opening Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 12pm – 9.30pm
Friday & Saturday: 12pm – 10pm
Sunday: 12pm – 8pm
