Harden's survey result
Summary
“Pure gastronomic theatre and drama” has won national fame for Michael O’Hare and – after some ups and downs in feedback over recent years – his moody and “romantic” basement in the city centre reestablished itself this year as the most commented-on venue in Leeds in our annual diners’ poll. From a 10-14-course tasting menu, “the food pushes the limits of taste like at the Fat Duck and some dishes go a little far (oyster in a dessert?)”. Not everyone’s super-impressed, with the odd reporter feeling that “while the food’s good, it’s clear that everyone involved fancies themselves too much”. Significant disappointments are notable by their absence, though, with most diners feeling the place is on dazzling form.
Summary
“Michael O’Hare is a great innovator and leader of his team” and has won fame for this (perhaps excessively monochrome) basement in the city-centre. “All staff are exceptional and work as a team and the chefs bring some of the courses out and explain the concepts” of a wild and wacky gastronomic journey whose tasting menu aims for showmanship and culinary fireworks. No gripes this year about the pricing and ratings for the experience were consistently very high. That said, there is not quite the huge volume of feedback it once inspired.
Summary
“Everything about The Man Behind The Curtain is exciting, delivering star quality without being stuffy and dry!” – Michael O’Hare’s “genuinely exceptional and innovative” city-centre venture is “set in a basement, but a really trendy and modern one”, and he has carved his major gastronomic reputation with “serious food with a sense of fun and almost ridiculous attention to detail”. But whereas most reporters remain dazzled by his culinary pyrotechnics (not to mention the crockery!), ratings are again sapped by a minority for whom the performance is not terrible but “vastly overrated”, not helped by prices – in particular for wine – which can be a bit “galling”.
Summary
“Everything about The Man Behind The Curtain is exciting, delivering star quality without being stuffy and dry!” – Michael O’Hare’s “genuinely exceptional and innovative” city-centre venture is “set in a basement, but a really trendy and modern one”, and he has carved his major gastronomic reputation with “serious food with a sense of fun and almost ridiculous attention to detail”. But whereas most reporters remain dazzled by his culinary pyrotechnics (not to mention the crockery!), ratings are again sapped by a minority for whom the performance is not terrible but “vastly overrated”, not helped by prices – in particular for wine – which can be a bit “galling”.
For 32 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The Man Behind The Curtain?
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £70.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
Lower Ground Floor Flannels, Leeds, LS1 7JH
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 6:30 pm‑8 pm |
| Thursday | 1 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑8 pm |
| Friday | 1 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑8 pm |
| Saturday | 1 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑8 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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