Aagrah

Fantastic chain of restaurants!!!
The leeds city aagrah has a fantastic atmosphere, great menu and excellent service.

I’d actually forgotten I’d been here before a couple of years ago for a Leeds-​based colleague’s leaving do and remembered having a great curry so was eagerly anticipating sampling their menu again.
As is typical, we all ordered piles of poppadoms and chutney trays to munch whilst perusing the menus. Though you couldn’t normally get much wrong with such a simple staple, the poppadoms were somewhat soft and flimsy; the mango chutney and onions both tasted ‘cheap’.
For the main event, I ordered a Saag Gosht with some chappatis (instead of naan — I wouldn’t opt for this again as they’re just not as good). Now I’ve mentioned before that I’m a real curry wuss, but this blew my head off chilli-​wise, which has never happened before with a Saag as they’ve always been on the mild side. As soon as food starts having an adverse affect on me I can’t eat anything else. Others in our group were also caught off-​guard with the level of spiciness in their dishes.
That being said, the mains were all finished (mine being the exception) and everyone did enjoy them, once the nuclear fusion in our heads receded.
For drinks, as well as a sizeable wine menu and cocktails they offer draught (Tetley, Lal Toofan, Kingfisher and Carlsberg) and bottled beers (Cobra, Bud, Corona, Bangla and Becks).

After only one visit I must say I am a huge fan of Aagrah.
Myself and a friend visited this restaurant at around 7:30PM on a Friday night, It was our first time visiting and we were relieved when we found out that they could fit us in as after hearing great things about Aagrah we were unsure that we would be able to get a table.
Due to the restaurant being located in Leeds city centre we found it extremely easy to find so luckily no navigation issues there.
From the outside it does looked like a typical restaurant, nothing too fancy and the nice golden letters of the Aagrah sign do look a little dominated by the much larger BBC Yorkshire sign above them however I cannot really fault them for this.
Once inside we were promptly seated with no waiting time at all which we found was just fantastic as we both were rather hungry. Once seated we were given the menus and our drinks orders were taken and drinks brought efficiently.
The staff gave an adequate amount of time before asking us what we wished to order and once ordered the food took around 20 minutes to arrive and wow, the food was amazing.
I ordered a chicken rogan josh with a naan, my friend ordered a chicken korma.
We both agreed from the very first spoonful to the very last, the food stood head and shoulders above previous meals we have eaten at other restaurants.
It was just the right balance with no ingredient overpowering the other at any time.
The naan was a little smaller than I have previously received however I found it was very tasty and just the right amount.
Now I have stated the food was good however I personally go to a restaurant for the experience as well as the food and what an experience!
I was extremely impressed by the staff from the moment we set foot inside to the moment we left. The staff were very polite, courteous and even when they were not doing anything they were stood in a upright position looking smart and professional which was good to see. Every once in a while a member of staff would check to ensure our meal met our satisfaction but not to the point of annoyance.
The décor inside Aagrah had a very warm and welcoming feel to it whilst at the same time it was clearly a professional place of business. Wooden floors, black leather chairs surrounding most of the tables with a settee that ran across one edge of the main restaurant floor with a interesting pattern on it and whilst i wouldn’t really want it in my living room I must admit it suited the rest of the restaurants theme.
Pricing was rather good too considering the quality of food given.
Very rare I give a 5 star review but I believe Aagrah earned this one.
Well done!

Last year was Aagrah’s 35^th anniversary, and to celebrate they had a one-​night-​only event — a selection of their best dishes with prices straight from the 70s! My friend Diane insisted that a bunch of us go along that evening for some delicious bargain eats — it probably goes without saying that we were wise to book a table, as the place was packed to the rafters!
There’s no two ways about it: Aagrah’s is gorgeous. It looks like the palatial backdrop of a high-​budget Bollywood film, the kind of location where the daring hero finally wins over the blushing beauty who’s spent the last two hours bedazzling him with her dance moves.
That’s the key word here — romantic. I don’t usually equate a curry house with romance (maybe that’s just me!) but this place has it. You could come here for your anniversary, or woo your love interest in a gang of friends over the heady aroma of biryani and steam billowing naan bread.
This is going to sound so bizarre… but the bathrooms here are immaculate. They were designed beautifully with huge onyx coloured doors, marble counters and tasteful plants. I almost enjoyed it as much in there as i did in the actual restaurant.
no surprise, the food was AMAZING. I got daring and had a chicken biryani (daring for me, considering a korma was once too much spice for me!). The portions were huge yet somehow I managed to find more room. My friend Matt who likes his authentic Indian beers was suitably impressed with the selection here.
There was so much food that we ended up having to get half of it wrapped, something the lovely staff were more than willing to do.
The only thing (and this kills me) that makes this a four star review was the temperature. The heat was at times unbearable in Aagrah’s. This is probably because of the open-​plan nature of the restaurant, that you can peer right over and see the talented chefs at work, but damn… it actually made me feel a bit ill at times.
Would I go back there? in a heartbeat, awesome 70’s prices or nay. This place is the pride of Leeds. :)

Considering it was a Friday night, and but a few hours before visiting the booking was made, Aagrah really came through for my friends and I. It was a birthday evening out, and in spite of eating my bodyweight in Chinese food not 4 hours earlier with the birthday girl, the plan had been to eat curry and so curry it was. I wasn’t in the least bit hungry for this, but the olfactory senses kicked in as I entered, and I prepared my stomach for round two. We could do this, we were ready to take it on, we were pumped for another round of face stuffing. (We weren’t. But that was the mental preparation.)
Aagrah had set us up a table of 13 on incredibly short notice and, once seated, a chorus of waiters orchestrated a fine and cheery operation to tend to our desires. Everyone was friendly in an honest and jovial way, without a hint of insincerity, and everything ran incredibly smoothly. To much of the table’s delight, the food was swift to arrive too, and further drink orders were made.
I must have a spare stomach in me somewhere, as I managed to finish a whole side dish, which contained mostly potato. I believe it was the saag aloo — that means spinach and potato, right? Regardless, it was divinely spiced and wonderfully flavoured. Subtle but incredibly addictive, almost like comfort food. (Any potato is comfort food to be fair.) I also managed a third of my karahi lamb gohst, which was of an incredibly high standard. Spicy enough to give you that kick that you crave, but not so burninating that your mouth ceases to taste. (When you’re merely chewing the cud through the heat as you’re hungry but can appreciate nothing but spice.)
Somewhere along the line the team had been informed we were a birthday party, and so a little chocolate cake was brought over with the most magnificent firework. Yes, firework. Not sparkler, not candles, but a white furnace that erupted for at least two minutes about 2 feet into the air. After far too many songs, including happy birthday and for she’s a jolly good fellow, we eventually let her off the hook (she was looking for the ground to open up by this stage) and cheered.
Basically, my thoughts on this place are thus: it’s pretty remarkable to retain somewhere with genuinely attentive staff, beautifully executed dishes, and a bit of personality when you’re a rather large chain. I’ve seen few manage it, but I’m happy to say my experience of Aagrah was a great one. I’d still prefer an intimate little place, but I certainly would consider booking another large party since the service and food was great!

Aagrah made me a saaaaad panda.
On a long-​overdue — but poorly organised — catch-​up with some friends, we were united by one thing: we all wanted curry. Usually we headed to Bradford (of course) but ourur last Chaps Curry Club had been at Akbars on Greek Street, which had seriously impressed. We were about to head there but I’d heard good things about Aagrah.
A short, cold, wet walk later and we were standing in the warmth of Aagrahs doorway, crazy-​eyed with hunger and taking in the smells. The place looked fantastic but we were hurriedly seated. Our table was right next to the kitchen, sorta-​hidden by some sort of shelves/​bookcase but it mattered not. These were hungry times.
The five of us were given menus, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that 4 out of 5 of us struggled with that menu. Long and unwieldy like a comedy pencil from Bridlington, we were lucky not to smash any glasses with them. But more-​so it was overwhelming — small text, bunched together and hard to read. Maybe I’m getting old, or maybe I’m a pretentious designer but it was genuinely difficult to focus. It didn’t help that waiters kept bumping by on their way to and from the serving hatch.
Food was ordered. Food quickly arrived. My starter, vegetable pakoras, were fantastic. Each piece was a separate chunk of vegetable, each a different shape and size rather than the shapeless globules that are commonly served elsewhere. It was almost tempura-​like; no mean feat. Very more-​ish.
Sadly, when I got to my final piece a waiter arrived. He stood over my shoulder for a full minute until we finished and put our plates down, and then whisked things away. It wasn’t the first or last time that night that we’d feel rushed.
Not long after, my lamb bhuna landed. This was followed by two family-​sized naans — the waiter looked at us like greedy pigs when we ordered them, but we’re out of the recession now so what the heck. It’s a good thing we ordered two — they weren’t particularly large. They had that ‘just-​microwaved’ feel to them too, which was a little disappointing. As a Yorkshireman, I love anything bread-​esque — and can turn any meal into a sandwich — but both of these were sub-​par.
The curry itself wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great either, mind. It was… okay. Not what I’d expect from somewhere that tries to present itself as a luxurious, high-​quality eatery. The lamb was a little over-​cooked and the sauce was no better or worse than a ready-​meal. It was fairly bland, by Indian standards. I grew bored of it toward the end, and had noticed waiters hovering and eying our plates. These guys wanted an early finish, it seems.
Would I go back to Aargah? Well i didn’t hate it, and if I was overruled by a group of mates I’d quietly give-​in and have an alright meal.
Would I recommend other people try it? No; there are much better (at both higher and lower prices) all over Leeds and Bradford. Places with more character, better service and much nicer food. The menu isn’t very varied or imaginative and the food is distinctly average.
The doorway was warm though.

This was my first time back in here for a couple of years, and I’ll admit I was pleasantly surprised. I’m a massive fan of independent or individual types of Indian restaurants, rather than (what I think of) the more generic branded venues.
I had the fried paneer starter & a keema rogan josh — both of them absolutely gorgeous! The food was tasty without being over spiced, well presented & definitely more than generous in their portions. My personal preference will still always be some of the other Indian restaurants in Leeds, but at least now I won’t necessarily avoid this particular one if I’m going to be about that area of town or if friends are wanting to go there.

Arrhg is right. What a disappointment great looking space. Nice service-​maybe left us hanging with the pushed aside dishes too long-​but food fell extremely short of the expectations of two hungry sisters. Nan was chewy as if it had been microwaved. The chicken in the curry and tika dishes was overcooked and tough. No distinction between the two flavors. Spinach was over salted.

Ambience: Good
Taste: Average.
Had Lahori Masala and Lamb (Nihari) with chapati.
Overall as an Indian and being a food lover I am disappointed.
Taste could be much better.

As an unofficially recognised connoisseur of cuisine from the Indian sub-​continent I feel that I have a good idea of what makes a good pre-​night out Indian dining experience.
The atmosphere for a Friday evening was expectedly laddish with a number of tables on stag do’s or work nights out, so it’s not the kind of place to bring one of your hot dates.
We arrived in our droves on our monthly work night out, belly’s rumbling and in need of some delicious grub to satiate us. There was a huge selection on the menu and had we called ahead we could have had a whole baby lamb to satisfy the carnivorous bunch on our table.
I went for the Garlic Chicken Karahi which was very pleasant but sadly most of my colleagues were less than satisified with their bland or overly salty dishes. Avoid the Prawn Madras if you plan on skipping lunch, otherwise you’ll be hunting down a kebab 2 hours later.
The service was great considering the drunken tables all around us, our waitress was very friendly and even laughed at my terrible pun like jokes to make me feel like a Perrier award winning Mother Lover.
Pro Tip: don’t get so drunk that you use a Chapatti instead of a hot towel at the end of the meal like one of our table did.

Try 3 appetizers instead of mains and sides to get the maximum experience! The chicken tikka Marsala and the butter chicken equivalent was yummy!

I almost struggle to know where to begin in recommending Aagrah. Over the last 3 – 4 years I must have eaten here at least 25 times or more, and never once has it been anything less than perfect.
What sets Aagrah apart is the sheer depth of flavour in their food, which manages to perfectly balance the heat of the spices with the underlying flavours in the dish. I have tried most things on the menu now, and each dish adheres to this principal. Nothing ever arrives drowning in oil and the meat and vegetables used are always tender and fresh.
It’s also excellent value for money and the service is impeccable, with a well-​organised crew of friendly staff.
The irony is that the brilliance of the menu only hit me when I bought their cookbook, a fact they don’t advertise too well but it’s available at each branch. Upon cooking a number of the dishes it’s clear that the mastery of balancing numerous ingredients and spices is key to Aagrahs success.
I’m aware the above reads as somewhat of an ode to the place and some of you might be reading this thinking ‘get a room’. However, if you are as enthralled as I am by a great curry and you have not yet ventured to Aagrah I would say you owe it to yourself to make a reservation.

Rather than the sort of place you go to for a pre-​going-​out meal, Aagrah is the kind of restaurant that offers you such a brilliant dining experience, that you’ll probably find it IS you evening out, rather than just a preliminary eating venue before you hit The Wardrobe, or another swanky bar in the area. Right next to the BBC Leeds building, Aagrah is a rather impressively large restaurant, with a modern, tasteful interior. They have managed to fuse indian cuisie with a posher dining experience.
there is a bar area that you can sit in whilst you wait for your table. There normally is a wait due to its popularity. Drinks are notably rather expensive, with 2 large bottles of Cobra fetching over £10.
Larger tables include a ‘lazy susan’ which makes food easier to share.
The food is fantastic, and the staff are very helpful indeed. Any questions or special requests will be received well, and they are happy to help. This includes providing us with a Phall to see who could eat the hottest curry as a prelim to ouur actual meal.
The final bill only totted up to £60 for 5 of us. This was a pleasant surprise, particularly due to the dining surroundings, you would be forgiven for thinking it would have cost more.

Aagrah’s offers a traditional and totally enjoyable evening out. Be it with the family, friends or work colleagues Aagrah’s sophistication, service and menu is all totally brilliant!
Kashmiri cuisine has never tasted better. Aagrah aim to deliver the «taste of Asia» and they have most definitely met their goal. The food is totally divine. The diverse menu offers not only the more popular dishes such as Korma’s, Aloo’s and Tikki Masala’s, but more traditional meals for the more daring and experienced. The menu is large and varied with sensational sides and starters. Particularly popular is the large family which was nearly as big as me! Their Peshwari (syrup, almond and raisin) nan tasted like heaven! I highly recommend it as an accompaniment to your meal. Order in family size if you had a big appetite like me and my friends!
It is not just the cuisine that makes «the Aagrah experience» so enjoyable. It is the ambient, sophisticated atmosphere within the restaurant. Aagrah’s situation is a little further out the city centre than the majority of major restaurants. This adds to the chilled-​out vibe of the venue due to it’s distance from the hustle and bustle. Customers are treated superbly and the staff are more than polite, welcoming and friendly. Our waiter had a brilliant sence of humour which added to the enjoyment of the meal.
The Décor is polished, sophisticated and modern, making Aagrahs a little different from your average curry house. Aagrah is perfect for a romantic meal or night out with friends and family. Gorgeous surroundings, lovely food and reasonable prices.

I think this might be one of the «big night out» restaurants in Leeds. I’m not a local, and have been there a few times on business trips, each time it was bustling in the evenings with most done up in their gladrags. Still, they found a table for one pretty quickly, and there’s somewhere comfy to have a beer while you wait. Free WiFi from «wardrobe» might not be intentional, but was handy.
The food is on the whole very good, although I had one dish which was memorably oversalted. I’m putting this down to a moment of distraction by the chef, as everything else I’ve had there has been fine.
I was perturbed to see the frequency of chips as side dish, I’m guessing this is a compulsory menu item in these parts. The rice is particularly nice here — skip the chips.

The absolute bee’s knees of curry houses in Leeds.
Beautiful building, with glass outside walls, and very sparkly decorations.
The service is impeccable from the moment you enter, and they’re always helpful with carrying drinks to the table.
Food couldn’t be improved on. The choice is immense, but whatever you order will be perfect.

This handy Indian restaurant just below the West Yorkshire Playhouse and opposite the Wardrobe is a great place for late night post-​theatre curry. Inside the décor is simple and classy (dark wood and water with candles), and the service quick and pleasant.
The food is proper good, and comes in wonderfully large portions. Try the Lamb Tikka Bhuna for a real treat, and get some sag aloo to accompany. The red dipping sauce for the poppadoms is also worth trying, but be warned, it’s pretty fiery.
This is more than your bog standard curry place, it’s a proper restaurant experience, and seeing as how you can eat here, with wine, for under twenty quid a head, I think that’s pretty good value for a place this good.

Great value indian food in a good atmosphere. Friendly staff provide good service and are very helpful when you can’t decide. There is a good buffet on a sunday evening, which includes a decent selection for vegetarians and also desserts, which I don’t normally try as I’m too full of curry!
Great for groups as well as for a couple, the service is always impeccable. Last time we went as a group we pre-​ordered a half-​lamb, which was amazing, and would have fed about 50 people. The leftovers were bagged up and taken home too.
Parking is a little limited and slightly dodgy in the dirt carpark near the back of the building.

Amazing food, with possibly the biggest menu that I’ve ever seen! The restaurant has a really vibrant atmosphere and is always really lively!
The staff are really helpful and will always make recommendations if you’re not sure what to go for. And as the portions are really quite big, they will put the rest in a doggy bag for you to take home.
The décor is really stylish and the food never disappoints.

I came here for my cousin’s birthday back in March this year. It was nice and big. The service was immaculate. Each of us ordered a main with some starters to share. The portions were more than enough as we were unable to finish it. We even took the rest home in a doggy bag.
Overall, the waiters were friendly even cracking a few jokes here and there, the curries were delicious too.