Restaurant reviewer finds the refurbished Red Kite in Wakefield is much more than just a pub chain

When I heard the Red Kite had been refurbished I was keen to give it a go.

It’s been many years since I last visited so I was unsure what sort of menu and venue would be on offer.

The pub looks really good now that it has been done out. It’s a perfect setting for couples, with candles and fresh flowers on the table, but we felt at home while visiting with our young daughter too. The menu was more upmarket that I had expected for a pub chain - there’s pizzas and burgers, along with some a la carte dishes, and a vegan menu.

I started with the stone-baked flatbread topped with garlic butter and cheese - it was a really good size so I shared it with my daughter and we both really enjoyed it. The flatbread was crispy with a good amount of garlic.

For my main, I went for the handmade lobster fishcakes with a bouillabaisse sauce, served with broccoli and baby potatoes. The fishcakes were so good - with plenty of lobster meat, a good texture and a delicious potato and lemon flavour that worked really well with the sauce. The potatoes and vegetables were rather dry though - they could have done with some butter to be honest.

The pub also runs a set menu after 5pm Monday to Thursday. My husband chose to order off this - he went for the oven-baked button and Portobello mushrooms in a garlic and mature Cheddar sauce, served with rustic bread, to start. The dish was plentiful and very tasty.

However, it was the meat feast pizza (chicken, pork and fennel sausage, crispy bacon, mozzarella and a red onion chutney) that really stood out for him. It was packed full of meat, with the chutney making the whole thing moist and delicious.

My daughter ate off the children’s menu - pork sausages with gravy, mashed potatoes and peas for £5.75 followed by chocolate ice-cream with Belgian chocolate sauce for an extra £1. She ate the lot and in my eyes that’s the best recommendation a kid can give!

The service was also really good, with attentive staff and regular check-backs. Overall, our visit was very enjoyable and I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.