Gusto Restaurant and Bar; Cookridge

Hello! There's been plenty going on in my life since I last posted - I have now handed in my dissertation and therefore completed my degree, so I am finished with university and looking forward to a long summer of blogging! I certainly kicked it off in style, as I've got some amazing restaurant reviews to share with you over the next few weeks - starting with Gusto Restaurant and Bar in Cookridge.

Sammie and I were invited to sample some of Gusto's new dishes, as part of their menu revamp which occurs twice a year. There were some lovely summery additions to the menu and I opted for the baked fillet of seabass, served with roasted pepperonata and drizzled with lemon puree. I also added a side dish of grilled asparagus with truffle butter. Both dishes were light, fresh and full of flavour. The asparagus was seasoned perfectly and the fish was perfectly cooked and delicately flaky under my knife. The pepperonata was vibrant and tasty and the lemon puree added a burst of sharpness to the dish.

I also asked to be recommended some wine to accompany my dinner, as 'white wine with fish' is the extent of my knowledge - the lowest price versus highest alcohol percentage is normally how I make my alcohol decisions! I was recommended a Sicilian white wine, which I had never tried before and it paired beautifully with fish. I liked that Gusto prioritised Italian wines to complement their Italian menu as this added to the strength of the restaurant's identity.

For dessert, I finished off the meal with an interesting dessert intriguingly named The Gusto Bellini - a peach and Prosecco jelly with a Prosecco foam. The description didn't include the fact that this dessert also included vanilla ice cream and a side of biscotti. The peach jelly was fantastic and was filled with both fresh peach and raspberry pieces. The side addition of biscotti was slightly odd, as the strong cinnamon somewhat overwhelmed the jelly, but was tasty nonetheless. Ever since the latest series of Masterchef, I have become obsessed with foams and airs so I really enjoyed the Prosecco foam as a light and frothy topping to the delicate dessert.

We were also treated to some delicious cocktails. I started with an Elderflower and Thyme martini, including gin and elderflower liquor mixed with apple juice, thyme and lemon. It was the perfect balance of sweetness and gin - I love the recent trend for fresh herbs in cocktails to add something different to a traditional cocktail. The second photo shows the Passion Fruit Margarita - I'm currently loving passion fruit themed cocktails and I really enjoyed the inclusion of the fresh fruit too. Finally, I tried the Sangria Rose, including rose wine, elderflower liquor, Cointreau and grenadine served long with lemonade and fresh fruit. With its fresh fruit and easy to drink fizziness, it finished off the summery meal perfectly!

Gusto Restaurant and Bar is a classy, well-presented and thought out restaurant and bar offering delicious food and a great variety of cocktails. It would be perfect for a special meal with family and friends, or a posh first date (if only!) It's certainly worth the walk down from Headingley for the cocktails alone, so if you're in the area, it's definitely worth checking out.

The restaurant also offers various themed evenings which are worth keeping an eye out for on their Facebook page. For example, on the 10th July, Gusto Cookridge are hosting a Great Gatsby Ball, including a three course meal and glamorous themed evening. It looks like a fun-filled, enchanting and self-indulgent evening based around a fantastic theme - will you be there?

Jess

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