JD Wetherspoons (Leeds)

...I had a stake in JD Wetherspoons. This pub chain is going nowhere but up. They`ve got everything right. I`ve been to Wetherspoon's in Leeds, Liverpool and Bradford.

They are a chain but each pub is of different character. This is their best asset as most chains are sickening and I avoid them like the plague (you know the ones with a 'cute' bear in the logo and that have a bouncy castle around the back so the kids can fight peacefully ...
...at the typical low, low JD prices. I`ll go soon and update the opinion.

The JDs in Bradford (near the bus station, towards the film museum) is large. It feels circular with tables all around the outside and a fire nestled in the interior tables. Theres an upstairs balcony that reaches around every wall and is also well furnished with tables. JDs-Bradford doesn`t have as much character as those in Leeds but that doesn`t mean its lacking. ... more

I really wish I had a stake in JD Wetherspoons. This pub chain is going nowhere but up. They`ve got everything right. I`ve been to Wetherspoon's in Leeds, Liverpool and Bradford.

They are a chain but each pub is of different character. This is their best asset as most chains are sickening and I avoid them like the plague (you know the ones with a 'cute' bear in the logo and that have a bouncy castle around the back so the kids can fight peacefully while you get rat-arsed). All of JDs buildings are selected for their unusualness and have an interesting former history.

JDs operate a no music policy. This does not mean that the pubs are dead and boring or just for 'old fogies'. Instead it stands as a great place to: enjoy a daytime/weekday drink; have a couple as you meet friends before you hit town on Friday/Saturday; go if you don`t always like music thumping so loud that your mates tend to spit down your lughole as they 'talk'.

JD's doesn`t try to impose a recurring theme on its pubs. Each pub has individuality. A JDs in Leeds (next to Grosvenor Casino, behind Merrion Centre) is spacious and cosy. It has a no smoking restaraunt area with about 10 tables, a larger drinks area with about 15 tables and for the Summer theres even a few tables outside.

The one thing you can be sure of in each and every pub is low prices and friendly staff. There are permanent offers on drinks. A current long-running offer is 4 bottles for £5. The pints are cheap too. And for the serious drinker they regularly change their guest ales. Its a good place for a hot drink too as coffee (capp.,esp.,mocha.,latte), tea, hot chocolate, etc. are about 50pence.

A new JDs has opened in Leeds (on Park Row) and it is completeley different in character. I haven`t actually been yet as every time I`ve passed its been about 11:30am and I`m not committed to drinking enough in order to start that early (except on St Patricks Day). I`ve had a gander through the window though and it looks really classy. A friend went and said the drinks are still at the typical low, low JD prices. I`ll go soon and update the opinion.

The JDs in Bradford (near the bus station, towards the film museum) is large. It feels circular with tables all around the outside and a fire nestled in the interior tables. Theres an upstairs balcony that reaches around every wall and is also well furnished with tables. JDs-Bradford doesn`t have as much character as those in Leeds but that doesn`t mean its lacking. The friendly service and cheap but quality drinks make it well worth it when in Bradford for a curry - which brings me nicely on to...

Curries!!! JDs do a curry club on Thursdays (JDs curry club!!!). Its excellent. Not only do they serve the typical (but actually tasty) bar meals (steak, fish, mixed grill, burgers, lasagne, etc.) throughout the week but they also have a hardcore curry night. A couple of the milder curries (korma and masala - I think) are available everday but if you ain`t no pussy then Thursdays are for you.

The choice:
Chicken korma - lamb rogan josh - vegetable tandoori masala - goan rawn - chicken dhansak - chicken balti - thai green chicken - beef madras and chicken phal. As you can see its not quite as varied as your favourite Indian - but hey its a pub. The foods well tasty and cheap and theres probably a curry for everyone in the above selection

Each dish is accompanied by 2 popadoms, mango chutney dip, 2 nan breads, boiled rice and a pint beer/lager/soft drink...all for just £3.99. The nan breads and popadoms were obviously not made on the premises, just the bought in variety you can purchase from any supermarket, as was the boiled rice. However they are all perfectly acceptable. The size of the main dish portions are the same as you would get in any Indian restaurant. The food is well presented makes a fairly substantial and enjoyable meal.

I can personally vouch for the balti, madras, and the phal. The phal should only be tried if you have a deathwish though. By the end of it my tongue and parts of my mouth were numb, I almost cried and I got through two pints of ice water. I don`t like mild dishes and so haven`t tried the masala or korma. As for the veg masala - what kind of meats it then?

JDs are currently opening pubs at the rate of about one a week so if there isn`t one near you now there will be soon. I`ve just remembered that theres another JDs at the train station in Leeds (I think) so I`ll give that a close and careful 6 hour examination and write it up. 

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