In our reviews of the Harrogate food scene we’ve paid a fair few visits to establishments in the Cold Bath Road end of town, an area that has flourished in recent years.
But head across town to the end of King’s Road and there’s another emerging scene that features a number of new, trendy independent bars, cafes and restaurants. We paid a visit to Lilypad, a venue that opened last year and hit the headlines, when it had to change its name from Frog, after a legal challenge from a London-based Michelin-starred restaurant.
You are watching: Lilypad Harrogate review: Eclectic fusion dishes celebrating the best of the town’s food scene
Despite this early blow, the bar/restaurant that offers a blend of South American and Asian-inspired fusion tapas dishes has grown in popularity, boasting excellent reviews on TripAdvisor.
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We visited this relaxed, airy venue one Friday afternoon to sample a few dishes as a light bite to eat and were quickly made to feel at home by the friendly staff.
The menu changes regularly but offers a wide range of styles that tick boxes for all diets and should satisfy both diners who know what they want and those looking to try something new. I’ll admit I had to Google a fair few of the ingredients listed, so could feel like my food education was nourished before I made my choices. Every day’s a school day at Lilypad, it would appear.
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The menu is perfect for sharing and our party of three (two adults, one child) shared four dishes between us and portion sizes were excellent, giving us good value for money.
We kicked off with the corn ribs – a nice, lighter, vegetarian alternative to a usual rack of ribs and came coated with a delicious, rich paprika sauce and crumbly queso fresco sprinkled on there.
I’m a sucker for well-prepared squid, so when a really hearty portion of chilli squid with Sichuan sauce and burnt lime arrived at our table my eyes widened. And it tasted as good as it looked, the squid itself was firm without being too chewy, while the Sichuan sauce gave a decent kick with the chilli and ginger favours really coming through and the slight sweetness to it exemplified by the lime flavour.
We opted for the smaller portion size of the Korean chicken wings, but were not disappointed with our serving. The wings were covered in a tasty batter and came with a dipping chicken pajeon sauce, which. Was tangy, slightly sweet, giving the well-made tender wings a zesty complement.
Finally, the kohlrabi fries – which were mainly bought to placate the young ‘un – proved to be an intriguing alternative to the usual classic french fries, slighter sweeter, fresher and certainly more healthy feeling.
Great care and pride obviously goes into Lilypad’s eye-catching menu and it’s clear to see that this approach is continued right through to the plates being served. These flavourful, eclectic dishes are great for sharing, whether it’s a quick bite to eat with the family or in a bigger group during a bigger night out. An excellent beer selection and tempting cocktail menu indicate that you could have a very good evening in this laid-back, trendy establishment which is helping put the King’s Road area well and truly on the map when it comes to Harrogate’s independent food scene.
The Bill
- Corn ribs with paprika, queso fresco, lime – £6
- Chilli squid, sichan sauce, burnt lime – £8.50
- Korean wings, chicken pajeon on sauce – £7
- Kohlrabi fries – £4
Total: £25.50
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Menu available online at: https://www.lilypadharrogate.com
Lilypad, 134 King’s Road, Harrogate, HG1 5HY
You can find the latest food and drink news from across the region by visiting our What’s On homepage. There you can also find guides for great days out across Yorkshire also.
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Source: https://antiquewolrd.com
Categories: Antique News
