Restaurant review: The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds

A delicate pork scratching in an edible plastic bag, unpegged from a miniature washing line.  A chilled fake oyster pearl nestled in a real oyster shell. A Thai green curry-flavoured gel sitting on a perfectly rolled leaf.

Not the average menu,  in fact the above sounds more like the ingredients to a weird spell.  But then nothing about The Man Behind the Curtain, Leeds is average.   It’s unexpected, brilliant, and completely bonkers.

The mystery begins on first introduction to the restaurant.  It’s tucked away above the Flannels clothes store in the city centre and access is by crossing the deserted shop floor and up in the lift.  If it wasn’t for clipboard wielding doorman checking names and bookings, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d shown up at the wrong place.

Lift doors slide open on the third floor to reveal a large bright and airy graffiti splattered loft. The generous round tables are positioned with enough space not to be tempted to eavesdrop on fellow diners.  They’re also big enough to allow plenty of room for the theatre that takes place on their shiny tops.

The restaurant’s deeply knowledgeable sommelier greets you first.  Of course it’s only right you sample the wine and other drinks that best compliment each course of the extraordinary menu.

The twelve course tasting menu is a fantastic way to appreciate the breadth of talent and creativity of Chef Michael O’Hare.  Each dish is a work of art, with some courses even served with advice on the order and method in which to enjoy what’s on your plate.  Even the crockery is crazy, with one of the desserts dished up in the centre of what resembled a pool of molten lava.

Every course emerging from ‘behind the curtain’ continued to raise the quirkiness bar, but a hunk of cod in a pool of black ink and what appeared to be the tastiest sweepings of a fire grate I’ve ever encountered was stand out.  Close second was a dessert of milk chocolate topped puffed rice and an edible purple flower.  Yes really.

The Man Behind the Curtain is a unique dining experience guaranteed to stay with you for a long long time.  Go with an open mind, and be prepared to be amazed. I’m not someone who photographs and live-tweets their dinner, so I don’t have any pictures to share, but on this occasion I should have perhaps broken my no phones at the table rule.  After all, this place really has to be seen to be believed.

Book your Man Behind the Curtain experience here.