Christmas officially begins with a final fling at Empire Cafe!

D and I are both working until lunchtime today (Christmas Eve) so we decided a treat was in order last night - since it was practically the end of term (I am in the office today and there are about three other people on a floor meant to hold several hundred. And one of them is here to water the plants).

We decided to make a final 2024 visit to one of our absolute favourite discoveries of the year, Empire Cafe, which I first mentioned on this blog back in May. Since our first visit we have been back several times - including two Sunday lunches - and it never, ever fails to delight. 

Last night, we both kicked off with one of the small plates. In honour of our recent trip to Vienna, I went for the Bratwurst and smoked cheese spring roll.

In Vienna, I discovered a delicacy called Käsekrainer, which is basically a hotdog shot through with melty cheese - this was a slightly souped up version. If you like sausage and cheese and crispy pastry then there is nothing here that you won't enjoy. Although I did think the flavour of the smoked cheese was slightly overwhelmed by the curry element in the accompanying sauce. D has a crab bread and butter pudding served with lobster butter, which, judging by the speed at which it disappeared, was very good (I should also add it smelled fantastic, and I'm not the biggest crab fan in the world).

You really come to Empire for the chicken.

Last night, my half bird came with Kashmiri butter and chilli flakes. Absolutely lush. I've never had chicken this good anywhere else (that I can recollect). Although I find half a chicken slightly too much after a rich starter, so maybe the campaign to get them to start doing quarter birds starts here?

I was slightly gutted to not have any capacity for the mince pie waffle with brandy cream and a brandy snap but may try and recreate something similar at home because, well, why wouldn't you?

Replete with chicken and cheer, we then rolled to the Leeds Everyman to watch a special screening of the Royal Ballet's "Nutcracker". Which was as full of magic and sparkle as you can imagine and a really lovely way to start the Christmas celebrations proper (this morning's trip to the coalface aside).

To anyone and everyone out there - wishing you all a very, very happy Christmas and a magical New Year!

Empire Cafe

6 Fish Street

Leeds

LS1 6DB