Having been bestowed with a Michelin star within a year of opening there’s little doubt about the momentum that Josh and Vicky Overington are creating out in Hovingham, building on years of experience refining their craft at Le Cochon Aveugle in York which is still much missed in the city. I’ve been lucky enough to sample the evening service at Myse before and having been unsurprisingly impressed was more than happy to pay a return visit, this time pressing a friend into action as a driver in return for their first experience of fine dining of this standard. After a scenic drive passing through the Castle Howard estate, we were met in the car park by a chef who ushered us into the comfortable lounge area to peruse the drinks list and start with a few mouthfuls of smoked pork shoulder sausage and Summerfield cheese cracker that was anointed with black walnut ketchup. These were as appealing to taste as they were to look at and set the tone marvellously as we chatted to a couple of fellow diners before making our way through the dining room to take our table and admire the view of the open kitchen.

It’s always a pleasure to watch chefs of this standard work and Josh’s kitchen showed all the right signs of order and discipline. A large bone occupied an elevated position above a charcoal grill, waiting for its moment in the spotlight on the pass to be sawed in half to access the marrow in a lovely piece of theatre. First up was a “crispy pancake” which was a world away from the retro namesake on which I was fed as a child (Google them if you’re too young to remember), packing a chive punch around birch cream and herring roe which was stuffed into a crisp outer. Next up bread and butter revealed what was going on with the bone as it was paired with beef dripping enriched with the cooked bone marrow and shot through with a generous amount of tarragon. Bread can be a bit of a booby-trap at a meal like this and soak up your appetite, but the dripping with its herb offset was sensational and far too good to miss. We were then happy to be interrupted by the upcoming beef as it made a perambulation of the room before we moved on to our next course.

Squash soup may sound like a relatively mundane thing to be served in a starred restaurant but unsurprisingly here the execution was perfect and the addition of a cold element in the form of pumpkin seed ice cream brought things up another notch. Roast beef for a Sunday roast wouldn’t be complete without a Yorkshire pudding which is what comes next, though rather than served traditionally the batter had been used to encase braised ox cheek then deep fried. Presented on a stick with a crown of fermented cucumber gel, it makes a fine precursor to the beef course.

Expectations were high for this and comfortably met with a dainty slice of beef joined by leek rolled in ash, mustard cress and a sauce with allium notes. Any fears that the portion size would be on the miserly side were quickly allayed by the appearance of more beef at the table served separately so as to not unbalance the presentation. These were quickly divided up, making sure of an entirely equitable distribution and then just as quickly consumed. It goes without saying that the cooking was as perfect as the presentation and the service, bringing an end to this section of the meal before we moved to sweet courses.

The sweet dish was a masterclass in balance and pairing that brought together several elements that are not in my usual preferred choices to great impact. Quince cake with a gently smoked caramel and a lightly savoury malted barley ice cream worked wonders together in the dish with the savoury ice cream bringing contrast of temperature against a softly textured cake. Smoke wasn’t a prominent note but gave a nice backdrop while the drinks pairing elevated things even further. I’m not a huge fan of either pear or cider so the prospect of pear iced cider wasn’t one that had me in monstrous anticipation but this was one of those moments where you realise that it’s sometimes best to take a step back and trust the team. Some tasting menus with drinks pairings deliver lovely dishes and lovely wines but when you find a series of drinks so well matched to the accompanying dishes as is here, it really puts forward a compelling experience. I’d have been more than happy to end things here but after a morsel of beef fat fudge with truffle and grated ox heart my friend decided to throw cheese into the mix too; I didn’t protest. We decamped back to the bar area and happily grazed on a selection of well-aged cheeses before saying our goodbyes and making tracks back to York.

I had high expectations for this meal which were met or exceeded throughout. All the dishes were beautifully conceived and executed, feeling like Josh and the team have refined everything I’ve seen them work on over the last decade or so. The drinks pairings were all expertly judged and the whole thing represented good value for this kind of experience at £85 for the food and £65 for the drinks. Against the Grain at Myse is one to add to your list.

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With my minimal baggage deposited safely in the room, I took myself for a stroll around town, settling in a local pub with a book for half an hour before returning to Tsuchi at The Black Bull to take my seat for dinner in a dining room that was minimalist without tipping into austerity. A number of dishes on the menu piqued my curiosity and offered elements rarely seen in this kind of setting. First up though the usual trio of canapés, this time featuring a cheese fritter showcasing Mrs Kirkhams, a lamb tartare tartlet and a grilled Lindisfarne oyster. The first two of these were exactly the sort of preamble one would want before embarking on the rest of the menu, but I was struck in particular by the sweetly dressed oyster which had benefitted hugely from exposure to heat. Oysters are very much a take or leave item for me but this was a very pleasant surprise. Bread and butter up next presented the the usual test of restraint as I tried not to fill up while slathering it with the delightful cultured butter.

The first “proper” course used mushroom as a carrier for kombucha and was livened up with a few petals to break up the pallette. On eating there was an intelligently measured spice that earned fulsome praise from another couple who were dining that night, a sentiment I would echo. A distinctive and strong start that was followed by an optional scallop dish which I couldn’t resist when I noted it was served with gooseberry and kohlrabi. This was another unique pairing that I hadn’t come across before and could have ended up earning such euphemistic praise as being “intriguing” but thankfully was just plain tasty and perfectly executed. The gentle earthiness of the kohlrabi offset the indulgent sweetness of the scallop neatly.

Next up was another new one to me in the form of teal which had been cured. This small duck had a deep and slightly gamey richness that made great friends with the Jerusalem artichoke accompanying it and a generous splodge of caviar for seasoning; a great introduction to this meat for me. More meat came next in the form of a perfectly presented piece of beef served with “Tokyo Turnip” and Nori seasoning. When I posted this one to Instagram, someone commented on what a perfectly cooked piece of beef this was and I can’t agree more, with rich braised beef on the side too. The dainty turnip was just as memorable with a lovely delicate flavour to show off and accent the beef.

Sweet dishes were no less accomplished with yuzu and matcha represented across the brace of courses that also used meadowsweet for an aromatic accent somewhat reminiscent of marzipan. These striking dishes were a perfect exclamation point to end a very special meal that also came with thoughtful wine pairing; the plum sake with desserts working particularly well to elevate both elements. This meal was within the first two weeks of Tsuchi being open but there was no sign of a concept being bedded in or any early teething problems, just a quiet confidence in the dishes and the people serving them. The marriage of quality local produce to elements that represent the chef’s character can be a compelling one and it really is so here, with clever accents brought to the dishes and a polished front of house keeping things ticking along nicely.

Breakfast the following day took place in the same comfortable dining area with mackerel and scrambled egg setting me up well for the return to York after a night in that tremendous hotel room. Tsuchi at The Black Bull is a destination worthy of a journey and the opportunity to stay in such a well appointed establishment afterwards is a compelling combination worthy of your time and money.

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Legacy at The Grand remains just the refined, cool and comfortable space you would expect with plenty of attention to detail in evidence. I particularly appreciated the bespoke printed welcome card on the table complete with York on a Fork logo! There are three variations on the menu which range from £100 to £130 per person, of these we went for “Steel” which is named in honour of the rail industry coming to York and playing a key role in the history of The Grand, which was built as railway offices. This menu plotted a route through many courses of which three required some input from me, while my companion opted for the vegetarian version, making an interesting contrast throughout the evening. As is customary for this style of dining, we kicked off with a trio of snacks presented on bespoke tableware before a soft pillow of bread arrived with flavoured butters that packed in The Grand’s own honey from hives on the roof given a twist by black garlic, as well as a cultured butter dusted with seaweed powder. All this was an effective prologue to the meal alongside a glass of sparkling wine before the first course arrived bringing together bream tartare and jalapeno sorbet with notes of bergamot. This one was packed with clean flavours and neatly presented with some pops of colour from edible flowers to break up the appearance. An intimidatingly large scallop was next across my palate topped with a generous topping of caviar and an earthy backdrop of turnip to bring counterpoint to that sweet scallop.

This was all an impressive start before the pressure shifted onto me to make a decision between spiced monkfish with Thai red curry or pasta with Baron Bigod, which being one of my favourite cheeses proved too hard to resist. The candy shaped pasta was topped with a foam and slices of truffle, an indulgence that didn’t take me long to polish off. Next up, another branch in the decision tree came down to braised King Edward potato or sweetbreads cooked over charcoal. It’s a while since I’ve treated myself to a Thymus gland (actually let’s stick with sweetbread, much more appetising sounding) so I went in that direction and was rewarded with a lustrous sauce covering a tender piece of meat that carried the kiss of smoke from a Konro grill. The penultimate decision came down to Halibut or Lamb loin, with the former garnering my allegiance this time, thanks in part to the promised pickled mussel and fennel notes that would accompany it. This was one of the stars of the evening with perfect fish cookery complemented by a rich fennel cream and a gentle prickle of sharpness from the mussel.

Moving through to sweet dishes the pre-dessert found me presented with Annabel’s Strawberries which are always a thing of beauty, brought to life by ginger and vanilla here with a citrus zing. Finally I went for chocolate with a suitably lustrous touch of gold leaf matching the indulgence of the environment, making this a lovely end point, fittingly giving me the choice to choose chocolate over cherry, which is something I’m not a great fan of. This rather proved the concept of the hybrid Tasting/A la Carte concept which I thought was executed superbly, with well thought through choices and some interesting dishes with produce not seen often enough….I’m looking at you Thymus! It’s also noteworthy that my companion felt like the vegetarian version was no poor relation, with potato, beetroot and celeriac all featuring to great effect. I’ve noted before that Legacy at The Grand seems to have overcome the slightly tainted perception that seems to attach itself to restaurants in hotels outside of London; this is further evidence that Ahmed and the team are continuing to build on an already strong offering with a winning blend of innovation and common sense.

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The Pentonbridge Inn is a remote outpost with little around it to distract from eating and drinking within its confines. The views from the car park are unsurprisingly remarkable and the overall effect is of isolation and escape. With a Michelin star proudly held for three years and 3 AA Rosettes, there’s little to doubt the credentials of the kitchen here, but first impressions as one enters are of a welcoming bar space, basic without feeling sparse, and with a pleasant hubbub. After settling into my comfortable room, I had a bit of a shock at the bar with less than a fiver demanded of me in return for a pint. I know this isn’t in the costly South where I’ve recently taken a £7.25 beating for a pint, but that’s still more than accessible enough for a Michelin Star establishment.

Having established The Pentonbridge Inn’s credentials as a pub were intact and having readied myself for dinner, I took refuge in the corner of the room and surveyed my surroundings in preparation for the serious business of dinner. An open kitchen gave view of clearly well disciplined chefs working efficiently and with purpose, dutifully ticking off dishes on a chart as they worked their way through service. First up, in typical fine dining style, was a trio of bites showcasing Montgomery Cheddar, beetroot and Limousin Beef. Each bite presented itself on delightful bespoke tableware and delivered impressive injections of the promised flavours, with beetroot being worked into a macaron to memorable effect and a delicate beef tartare playing strongly toward my preferences. Next up, fresh peas worked their magic against a savoury Japanese-style custard before bread appeared with house-made butter as well as a deeply meaty potted beef that compelled me to eat more than was probably wise for my appetite.

Next up was a first fish dish that showcased mackerel with a fresh backdrop of tomato and seasoning via another delicate tart case with generous quantities of caviar and a peppery nasturtium backdrop. With a vibrant green herb oil splitting the sauce for visual appeal, this was a confidently executed dish that preceded another fish dish. This time, it was a piece of halibut joined on the plate by langoustine and cauliflower with a lobster sauce bringing cohesion to the experience; another well-judged and executed dish with bags of flavour and indulgence. The meat course followed after an appropriate pause to catch breath and made lamb its centrepiece. Augmented by smoked beetroot and a carrot puree, it also pulled haggis just across the border into the mix with a topping of earthy mushrooms. The sauce across it was so shiny as to be almost a reflective surface with there being bags of flavour to back that up too. A generous helping of smooth and rich potato to luxuriate in made sure this was a hearty and well put together plate to round off the savoury elements.

I skipped the cheese course on the basis that I’m well familiar with how good Kit Calvert and Yorkshire Blue are, so found myself next on the precipice of two sweet dishes, the first of which centred around milk and honey with a superb ice cream joined by shards of honeycomb, whilst the second was a Mille Feuille making use of raspberry and white chocolate. Petit Fours were a step too far for my appetite by this point but were very much appreciated as snack later on. The rest of the stay was seamless with the well-appointed room carrying me through to a hearty breakfast just the way I hoped.

This meal hit all the notes I expect for a Michelin and 3 AA Rosette starred spot with the impeccable service provided by clearly knowledgable servers and every bit of food delivering everything you could hope of it. The sense of indulgence conveyed by the plates of refined food was palpable. This is somewhere I’d unreservedly recommend you getting booked into for a night of indulgence and escapism.

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The approach to Swinton Park on the Swinton Estate is suitably grand and features quite improbably picturesque herds of deer calmly surveying the scene while admiring one another’s splendid antlers, one assumes. Post meal we would get a tour of the wider establishment but first up we made our way over to the site of the Cookery School to make our acquaintance with Josh. It’s a relaxed space with a wide central island giving us plenty of space to sit side by side with a great view of the action. Before taking those seats we made ourselves comfortable in a snug corner area for snacks accompanied by a glass of local cider. The snacks were a puffed piece of beef fat coated in wild garlic and a dainty lozenge of salsify, both great precursors to the plates to come and more than enough sustenance to fortify us for the dozen steps to our seats.

We were greeted at the counter by a course that Josh had kindly thrown in and didn’t feature on the menu we’d been given. I’ve never been warned before to not eat something all in one go and as such was a little trepidatious as I breached the delicate sphere I’d been told held raw fish. What I didn’t expect to emerge was a puff of smoke! I’m not averse to a touch of theatre and the kiss of smoke wasn’t powerful enough to overwhelm the fish making this memorable and surprisingly well balanced. The first dish as we embarked on the menu was Lincolnshire Poacher with a leek veloute that pushed the cheese into a Dairy Lea like consistency for a tinge of nostalgia coupled with the formidable taste of the cheese, relieved by the alium sauce. Next up a pearlescent chunk of monkfish contrasted by XO sauce with kohlrabi and a sliver of pickled red cabbage to make up another punchy plate defined by delicate cookery and original flavour combinations.

The meat course showcased beef, with carrot and cabbage also on the plate along with a delicately constructed leaf and accents of both wild garlic and lovage. Again everything was allowed to reach its full potential but the starring touch was a lustrously indulgent beef sauce that used chunks of slow cooked beef tendon to give it a uniquely characterful richness. Tendon might not sound like the most indulgent ingredient but you’ve got to admire Josh’s boldness in leaving that word on the menu and not coming up with something more palatably euphemistic.

The first sweet dish was a mochi paired with kombucha and raspberry while a touch of luxury and salinity came from a dab of caviar. The texture of some mochi can be a touch gelatinous and unpleasant but this was a perfectly executed example, hardly a surprise at this stage of the proceedings, which set the stage for a final sweet dish. The use of savoury in desserts has picked up momentum over the last few years so the appearance here of chicken of the woods is less of a surprise than it might once have been, the mushroom notes rounding out the sweet milk ice cream and touch of bitterness from shards of brittle biscuit to come up with a truly impressive and original final course.

At £60 this lunch has to be one of the best value hospitality experiences of this nature in Yorkshire right now, not sacrificing the quality of the dishes in favour of showmanship or letting the environment compromise them. The menu was confidently put together and executed to perfection in front of us, with Josh never being knocked off his stride by our steady stream of questions. Chef’s Table by Josh Barnes deserves to be one of the key pillars of Swinton Park on the Swinton Estate’s appeal.

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Named after The family home of Winston Churchill, Chartwell, and with menus given designations based on his preferred cigars and drinks the marketing here invites you to expect the unexpected… Opting to avoid an excess of intrigue we broke the wax seals and buckled up for the “Romeo” 7 course menu, taking its name from the Romeo y Julieta cigar of Winnie’s preference. One of the first things to draw the eye and most striking features of the dining area is a large screen embedded in a mirror that shows a variety of angles from the kitchen, acting as a subtly voyeuristic twist on an open kitchen viewed through a looking glass. The rest of the dining room is bright and welcoming with an expansive (and indeed expensive) feel amplified by slightly reflective table surfaces and swathes of books, which would feature later in our evening. First up was the customary round of snacks: in this instance featuring Lincolnshire poacher, sea trout and allium across a delicate tart; a nori wrapped parcel; and dressed trout. Delicate additions of emulsions, herbs and the odd bit of dehydrated crunch helped them all stand out and make a strong start to proceedings in advance of a bread course. Cheddar brioche with whipped roasted chicken butter sounds like an easy way to win me over, and so it proved. It was nice to see a relatively conservatively portioned bread course too; filling up on bread when there’s so many memorable dishes in prospect being an occupational hazard that can lead to a distressing waste of bread.

Steak tartare came and said its hellos next, using caviar and smoked eel to accent the perfectly uniform dice of meat as well as a small scattering of peppery nasturtium. I’m not sure what it says about me that I’m drawn to raw meat in such a way but this example will stay with me for some time. Barbecue scallop was next on stage showcasing a heady char of caramelisation against buttery scallop sweetness, apple notes and earthy cauliflower. After the tartare, this was another open goal confidently taken!

Next up was the meat course, centred around duck with plentiful notes of truffle as well as asparagus for freshness and lightly pickled mushrooms. The duck cookery was perfect with the fat rendered, skin crisped and flesh still pink and the elements served alongside it complemented rather than clashed with the duck. The pair of sweet dishes on which the menu ended focussed on passion fruit and strawberry with the former represented by a bite-sized, delicate tart and the latter a wide range of textures with the cheesecake element being particularly memorable.

Having finished our meal, we set about having a good nosey around the facilities, taking in the impressive amount of investment that has resulted in a wide range of dining options in addition to the higher end offering of Chartwell. The final surprise of the night came when someone emerged from behind the bookshelves I’d been noting earlier, an entire section of them swinging open without any external hint that they were movable! Making a beeline to check it out I found an entire other lounge bar tucked away. I guess they were right about expecting the unexpected! Fine dining restaurants in an estate such as this can be difficult to differentiate themselves from the competition but Chartwell at Aldwark Manor has done an effective job, not just delivering refined and well conceived food with a recognisable identity but also a dining space with personality.

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Thomas Carr at The Coast is twenty something covers across two small rooms with view out across the hills and, thanks to the weather when we visited, large opening doors that bring nature just far enough inside to be part of the experience, making a delightfully calming space in which to dine. Our server was quickly at our side with menus and water, and wine for the passenger in short order while we settled in and contemplated the dishes that would make this Friday lunch rather special. The Tasting Menu that we were being treated to came in at £65 a head and had some real star ingredients to easily justify that price. Bread came to the table first with a trio of flavoured butters comprising tomato and basil and beetroot as well as a rather more unusual mussel butter that reflected the seafood theme nicely. With that to pick at, we had a treat from the chef arrive to kick things off. Sweet and buttery scallops with a hazelnut crust alongside brown shrimp with a watercress sauce and sweet hints of white onion and a little kick of wild garlic resolved into an light, well balanced and beautifully executed dish that set the tone very well.

Rhubarb-cured salmon came next, a dish that could easily fade into contemptuous familiarity but here accented by sharp hits of lemon with pickled rhubarb and salmon pate to serve as points of difference and crispy salmon skin for textural interest. This pushed the boundary of a familiar concept just enough to make it memorable without straying too far from what makes it such a rightfully common combo. Next up was a chunky piece of stone bass with crab and fennel, an easy combination to elevate into something truly special that’s done so here with panache. The fish was beautifully cooked with the flesh flaking and skin crisped and all the other elements were as confidently put together. Fennel with an aniseed tang lifted the adjacent portion of white crab while richer brown crab flavoured a rolled centrepiece to the dish and a bit of samphire gave it more of a touch of the sea.

Monkfish was next up in this parade of seafood greatest hits with a bacon sauce underpinning it in lieu of the more common pancetta or similar wrap treatment. Asparagus and baby leek gave a freshness and a splash of green to the place while texture was taken care of by a generous shard of crisped chicken skin. What really pushed this one to new heights was a lightly spiced piece of chicken sausage that livened up the plate even further, with a gentle Coronation chicken spicing that was in perfect harmony with the other elements on the plate. Dessert was anchored by passion fruit with textures of meringue and a crunchy base, a light and zingy finish to the meal.

Thomas Carr at The Coast is offering something quite distinctive, a seafood heavy set menu that doesn’t make heavy weather of being a “Seafood Restaurant”, with all the constraints implied there. Every dish showed off the quality produce to its greatest impact with original twists that added to the experience without starting to feel forced or contrived. It must also be said that £65 for a menu executed this well featuring such a broad spread of high end seafood is great value too, with service up to par too. This really deserves to find a broad audience and is well worth the drive from York!

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The hotel itself was welcoming in the typical comfortably upmarket style of places like this but walking into Amber’s Restaurant is a distinct and impressive experience. They’ve also spent the time and money to bring what was a large corridor right up to date which will function as a buffet or mingling space but the private dining room is even more striking. Some private dining spaces can feel a little tokenistic or an addendum to the main space but there’s nothing of the sort here. Sofas and subtly included TVs fill some of the sprawl of this space which feels homely and comforting without losing that sense of luxury and indulgence. One could easily fill an entire day of meals here with a family or group of friends, periodically retiring across the room to relax.

As a steady buzz of Instagrammers (is that the collective term?) worked the room over we took on a brace of starters, which had been chosen for us. Citrus cured salmon with crispy capers and beetroot along with a heavily seasoned cream was well executed and benefitted from the sharp hit of those capers to bring drama to the soft ribbons of salmon. Beetroot and salmon being a well trodden path for good reason, this was a well concieved plate that could have been further lifted with a crunch of a sourdough crisp or similar for texture, as was found on the other starter of home corned beef brisket. The brisket had a pleasing richness to be tempered by pickled vegetables and a few baby potatoes, a reassuring pair of starters.

For mains we went for stone bass and duck breast, both comforting dishes with a good mellow sense of nostalgia and indulgence. The duck came with fondant potato which easily yielded to my cutlery with buttery smoothness as well as sweet carrot and a sweet blackberry jus. A few more blackberries on the plate and a bed of baby spinach finished the dish off. The success of a plate such as this really depends on the execution of the duck, which must be pink and well rested with the fat layer adequately rendered but not at the expense of overcooked skin. This example walked that line nicely, showing a deft touch from the chef that was a suitable centrepiece for this well put together dish; the fondant potato also being another potential pitfall avoided. The stone bass came with a few greens and potatoes but the sauce really starred on this, with a lustrous and creamy indulgence cut against pops of freshness from peas. The stone bass itself showed the same skilled touch as the duck, making for a pair of well executed main courses.

A pair of desserts featuring various sweet textures, with shards, brownie, parfait and fruit spread across a couple of plates finished things off nicely, the sugar rush jerking us away from somnambulance ready for the journey home. Amber’s Restaurant delivers a range of classic dishes that are satisfying and confidently put together, served in a beautiful new dining room. It’s easy to feel a sense of occasion in surroundings as refined as this.

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The York Minster Refectory “23 Days of Christmas” offer throws three courses at you for £29 which is fabulous value, even more so in the context of the relative cost of the a la carte menu. The dishes on offer hit all the seasonal notes one would hope for at this time of year across a brace each of starters, mains and desserts. The building itself is littered with pointers toward the musical nature of the school previously resident here, such as sheet music and instruments, but your arrival is dominated by the beautiful frontage of the building and its gardens. Do take a beat to turn and look back at the Minster across the gardens which is yet another beautiful view of York’s most famous building.

Of course I habitually review menus well in advance of meals but with two options per course and two people dining, I was quick to impose my decisions on my companion for the evening to make sure we sampled each option. First up were cauliflower cheese soup and pine poached salmon fishcake served with a soft egg and buttery sauce with chestnut. The egg had enough rigidity left to make it to the table and quickly coated the fishcake, blending with the buttery sauce and gentle pine note in the fish for a satisfying and gently seasonal dish. Cauliflower cheese is something I’d welcome at pretty much any meal and it made for an intriguing starter given breadth by sweet sultanas and crisply almonds which gave well judged contrast to the earthy and cheesy notes.

Mains came down to a choice between the York Minster Refectory take on a turkey dinner, or bubble and squeak with mulled poached pear, roasted fig and Yorkshire Blue salad. This is the point at which I fall down slightly and have to confess to not being a fan of dried or poached fruit, which can make me look rather a spoilsport at this time of year. I can confirm though that the bubble and squeak cake was a well executed take on this much under-utilised dish and my companion reported strong feedback on the pear and fig. The turkey breast was perfectly tender and generously portioned with a few of my preferred Christmas dishes such as a meaty pig in blanket, sprouts and roasties with a strongly thyme accented jus. Dessert showed me up again but Christmas pudding received a warm welcome on the other side of the table while I enjoyed picking the marzipan off my fruit cake and nibbling a lovely bit of Fountains Gold Cheddar.

There’re many, many worthwhile options competing for the Christmas market and I have to admit it was a surprise to see York Minster Refectory offering a comfortingly traditional menu at such an accessible price. I need to get back and explore the full range of the menu here but this is a very decent introduction which certainly deserves a place on your Christmas party shortlist.

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Hovingham is a delightfully pretty Yorkshire village, fairly typical of the area, which incidentally hosts a superb produce market should you find yourself in the area. The building that Myse occupies had previously been a restaurant and a pub, neither of which were really familiar to me but the scale of the refurbishment that the guys have subjected the place to is entirely clear nonetheless. Walking into a flawlessly clean bar area that exuded calm, we quickly were settling into anticipation of the experience over a glass of fizz and a first bite. Summerfield cheese turned into a delicate leaf-shaped cracker which had been dotted with black walnut puree and strikingly presented with pine cones starting things off nicely, while the presence of a press to crack one’s way into walnuts was as functional as it was novel. Interest even more piqued than on arrival, we were ushered through to the dining area, with great views of the open kitchen and the chefs calmly working through their tasks, and were presented with a menu.

After being impressed by the “Wastage” starter at Pignut earlier that day, we started with another multi-part dish, this time based around duck. An accent of duck ham topped a diminutive crumpet which had been laden with duck liver, served along with this was a duck broth that delivered a remarkable contrast of deep flavour while never feeling heavy. The next snack took the form of an oyster, apparently simply served with a topping of fresh peas but the kiss of smoke given to the peas from their time on a charcoal grill was refreshing and original. To finish the snacks, we enjoyed a golf ball sized snack of braised ox cheek encased in Yorkshire pudding batter and deep fried, with fermented cucumber to puncture the richness.

A bread course came next and while top quality bread and salted butter is a given at a place like this, the other accompaniment for this course raised the bar. Chicken dripping heavily augmented with fresh herbs provoked rather spirited attempts to ensure it was totally fairly distributed, reflecting how desperately good it was. I make a point of minimising bread consumption at a meal like this, especially after a four course lunch, but nothing was getting between me and my fair share. Comically large scallops are something of a Josh Overington signature and this evening’s were no let down, presented at the table having been cooked in their shells with sea urchin butter these tender, sweet monsters realised their full potential.

There were a number of neat flourishes amongst the service throughout, with the appearance of the full lamb at the table before it was carved for us being a welcome chance to check out the full joint of meat. Transparent signposting of what each of the paired wines was intended to be enjoyed with was a practical thought, along with many of the chefs coming to our table to explain the courses. After that teasing gaze of the meat, we went into a dish of broad bean porridge with girroles, fresh cheese and whey. Enjoyable in isolation if perhaps a slight dip from the quite exceptional form so far. Things moved on quickly to another exceptional dish, this time pollock poached in beef fat sitting in an onion broth with punctuations of lemon verbena and caviar. This gave us a chance to have a slightly geeky conversation with Josh about the history of fish and chips in the UK, with the beef fat giving the fish a meaty note to reflect a chippy tea. The result was a playful and sophisticated dish that’ll stay with me for a long time, made even more memorable by the matched wine that smoothly transitioned from sherry notes to a refreshing white as it went with the food.

Closing out the savoury was a meat course of lamb saddle with pearl barley and tetragonia leaves. The lamb was as peerlessly prepared as it looked when passing the table for inspection earlier, with the fat deeply flavoured and softened perfectly while pearl barley leant an earthy quality to the plate. This was an illustration of brilliantly competent cookery that did no more or less than that required to showcase the produce on the plate.

Sweets came first in the form of citrus marigold ice cream with candied raspberries for a refreshing bit of sugar before a final flourish of “Day old bread and preserves”. Soaked in custard and fried to a sugar glazed crunch, this brought proceedings to an effective close before we were lucky enough to get a tour of the rest of the building to appreciate just how much thought and effort had gone into the details of the rooms as well as the restaurant and bar. Josh was quite justifiably proud of the place.

Le Cochon Aveugle was superb and the match of most 1 Michelin Star places I’ve eaten at, but the move to the country has given the Overingtons the chance to start with a blank canvas and set out their stall properly. The location may prove to be a barrier to some people making the journey but those that do will be rewarded with exemplary cooking executing original, but not unnecessarily eccentric, dishes in a stunningly realised environment that’s an active participant in proceedings.

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