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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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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Cave du Cochon was always a characterful and buzzing place to hang out, helped along by former manager Ian always being keen to offer samples of new and interesting wines, and I’ve no doubt we’ll see Josh & Vicky build on their success with ‘Aveugle and Cave’ in due course. The latest addition to Walmgate in place of Cave is being run by a couple who found previous employment there who’ve now taken the plunge and refurbished Cave into a relaxed and comfortable space that serves coffees and pastries through the day before transitioning into wine, pizza and small plates in the evening. It would feel odd if there was no longer great wine on this site and they’ve made sure there’s no danger of that, with an extensive wine list from which over 50 can be sampled by the glass. Showcasing these wines are a monthly series of Sunday night wine tastings at The Wright Place that each focus on a particular geography or grape, I was lucky enough to attend the first such event.

I’d called in to The Wright Place a few times for coffee and pastries so quickly felt at home in the space that while it recalls its previous occupant to some degree has been notably reworked to provide space for the bakery element of the business (which turns out excellent bread I should add) while remaining welcoming for guests. This first tasting was rather more loosely structured than those currently listed on their website, with wines from around the world to enjoy along with a platter of cured meats, cheeses and bread to soak up the wine.

Being greeted with a glass of Cremant from The Languedoc is seldom a bad thing and was a perfect start to this event as I started picking away at olives, and before long our second wine arrived, this time from the Molise region in Italy. As the wines were delivered we received an introduction from one of the staff with a bit of back ground and notes on tasting that was informative without interrupting the flow of the evening. A selection of orange and red wines from Croatia, Australia and South Africa followed that were each distinctive and memorable, perfectly backdropped by the platter that was a treat in its own right with each element being top quality, including a piccalilli that was one of the best I’ve ever encountered and that fantastic bread that’s baked on the premises.

The Wright Place has made a confident start to life on Walmgate, fulfilling the various roles that it’s placed itself in very well. The coffee and pastries in the morning are some of the best in York while the transition to wine bar throughout the day is seamless. You can find more details of future events here.

(Disclaimer – PR invite)

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Forage York is part of the Yorkshire Bartender Group, which offers bar services for events, as well as the Yorkshire Explorer distillery which makes spirits using Yorkshire produce. Unsurprisingly this broader expertise can be felt at Forage through the presence of what must be one of the most original cocktail menus in York. With that side of the business clearly increasingly well established, the emphasis at Forage seems to have shifted a bit, taking the food service side of things in house rather than using a partner to run the kitchen, as Kieran Duffy takes charge of the food side of things. With stints at Roots and Le Cochon Aveugle under his belt and a menu with some intriguing options, I was very keen to pop by and see for myself how things were going.

True to its name, the interior of the restaurant and bar area are splashed with foliage amongst smartly laid tables which are just distressed enough to have character without looking tatty. Our friendly server had us seated with no fuss and suitably furnished with a pint from Brew York and a refreshing mocktail as we paid lip service to making it appear we’d not chosen from the online menu hours earlier. The menu hits a number of notes that speak of a variety of quite diverse influences, from which we opted to begin with pigeon and mackerel. The mackerel had been cured with soy and paired with pickled fennel as well as a tease of dill, all of which played nicely and worked in to a very pleasant dish. While fennel is something we really don’t see enough of on menus, pigeon is an even rarer treat which I wasn’t going to miss when offered alongside a duck fat rosti and served with a “devilled sauce”. This was all rather reminiscent of devilled kidneys but with a pleasantly game-y twist and a parmesan crisp to throw more seasoning into the mix along with the pleasant heat of the sauce, a definite winner.

With starters successfully squared away, it was quickly onto rather contrasting mains of stone bass and fried chicken, which we were alerted would use thigh meat rather than breast. I do wonder if that would actually put anyone off given how much more flavour is in thigh but it was clearly suggestive that the server knew the menu well too. Stone bass was paired with some good punches of allium courtesy roscoff onion and onion puree with wild garlic splitting a fish sauce for good measure too. All this came together very nicely indeed and didn’t overwhelm the plate, or the fish for that matter, and was a real highlight of the evening. Fried chicken was a little more eccentrically paired with not just a garlic aioli but also a tub of caviar, a first for me and arguably unnecessary but it certainly didn’t detract from the well executed fried chicken (thigh) or the aioli. To add a bit of light relief to that chicken dish, we also grabbed some baby leeks that had a nice acridity of char across them and a truffle emulsion for a bit (more) luxury.

Generally this would be the point in a meal at which my appetite would give up but, sufficiently intrigued, a black sesame financier caught my eye and turned out to be a well judged portion size that rounded things out nicely with a generous amount of rhubarb involved too.

I may not have had my ear to the ground as effectively as usual for this one but one visit was enough to really get a sense that Forage is already a well resolved concept that has a good idea of who its customers are and what its product is. It’s early days here but this selection of refined dishes that aren’t afraid to have fun and aren’t surrounded by over-bearing trappings of fine dining really makes its mark. It’s going to be fun watching them develop after this assured start. Oh and don’t forget to look for the hidden room when you visit…

(ad – pr visit)

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January
January started with the first government u-turn of the year, screeching from the kids returning to face to face learning to a full lockdown over the course of an astonishingly po-faced series of announcements from our inglorious leadership in just 48 hours. This irritatingly coincided with our decision to replace our decrepit kitchen, rushing us into the Magnet showroom to prod fixtures and fittings at a moment’s notice and sparking a number of virtual planning sessions to ready ourselves for the disruption.

The dental chickens came home to roost after a year of managing an abscess at home, which had required bursting on a daily basis (I had to endure the actual sight and process, so you can at least cope with the thought) and necessitated an extraction. I’m assured that this is generally an uneventful process but this particular outlier took 2.5 hours of traumatising wrenching leading to surreal scenes as I twice had to renew my parking from the dentist chair while the nurse cancelled subsequent appointments between attempts to dislocate my jaw. At least the abscess was sorted and pretty much all the tooth removed. For the record, I’m still very happy with my dentist and happy to accept this was simple bad fortune, I don’t take it personally Andrew!

On a more positive note, I continued exploring at-home cookery lessons with Vanilla Black whose “twisted chip butty” was a vegan delight from which I learnt a good deal. Also present virtually in my home were the good people of Love Cheese who have now become well versed in offering virtual tastings while Heslington Fresh Foods were a lockdown saviour thanks to delivery being available in less than 12 hours. Robinson’s made their fantastic brunch menu available to enjoy at home while Kings Fish & Chips opened up nearby to comfort us as Little Fork entered a period of isolation while her nursery was ravaged by Covid. In related news, I discovered that Argos did same day delivery on slides.

The good news story of the month had to be Roots being awarded a Michelin star, oddly enough the subject of conversation between the head chef and I only a few weeks previously. CS Sourdough started their deliveries and we rounded off the month with at home kits from Juici Jerk and Patty & Bun that both felt like a special occasion. In true 2021 form though that positivity was literally burst by a nail in a car tire to punctuate the end of the January blues.

February
February began with the government setting out their “cautious and irreversible” (for the moment) “Roadmap to Freedom” as well as a healthy amount of snow, from which Little Fork was able to construct her first snowman. Truth be told this was a relatively quiet month as we maintained great familiarity with the interior of our house. Vanilla Black popped up again with their unrestrained twist on a stir-fry that featured sticky rice krispies amongst other things, while another more conventional virtual lesson came from The Grand Cookery School who took me through their version of a Thai Green Curry.

Star meal kit of the month came from Berenjak Bazaar whose kebabs were an almost revelatory experience while Patty & Bun earned a repeat order for their superbly detailed burgers. Obviously the most important day of the month was Little Fork’s birthday, which we celebrated with the maximum level of socialising allowed…i.e. sod all. Thankfully as she was only turning 3 she didn’t realise quite what was missing as long as we kept her fed with cupcakes made in honour of her beloved donkey soft toy. We ended the month by virtually joining both a friend in Norwich and Courtyard Dairy for a cheese tasting that looked at raw and unpasteurised cheeses.

March
March saw our freedoms begin to creep back up on us with permission granted to meet another person returned to us at the beginning of the month and the “rule of six” making its debut towards the end. Another debut this month came from Frango Eduardo in Spark York, whose peri-peri chicken shot to the top of the delivery charts immediately with a well judged degree of spice and zingy fresh salads. Another restaurant to adapt to delivery was The Blue Barbakan in York whose pierogi, potato pancakes and goulash (amongst other things) were as hearty and satisfying regardless of who ended up with responsibility for washing up (me, obviously). Pan Sushi made headway in York with their pleasingly eccentric sushi creations such as surf & turf and fish & chip while the Yuzu empire continued to expand at an admirable rate, this month testing the waters with an at home kit.

Easily one of the best value at home experiences of the pandemic so far came from Aktar Islam whose sensational curry national delivery worked out to hardly more expensive than a run of the mill takeaway while another high watermark was set by a sensational Sunday roast collected from The Bay Tree at Stillington, which has sadly had to close subsequently.

From a personal perspective two things dominated the month with the installation of that new kitchen causing plenty of disruption and opportunity to order takeaways, including singularly wonderful fried chicken from Clucking Oinks. Less productive and rather more painful than the kitchen (physically if not financially) was the impressive shade of black I turned an entire toe by dropping a jug on to it in an impressive physical expression of the pandemic.

April
Life seemed to gain a little momentum as things started to finally reopen including Pat the Barber who keeps me looking vaguely presentable. You can find him at The Corner Barbershop in South Bank if you want some cracking chat while receiving a reasonably priced haircut.

The reopening of outdoor hospitality was a relief to the sector and the general public, if not marking a return to anything approaching normality. The idea of loitering at a bar or strolling through a restaurant was still some distance away but a return to dining out at Middleton’s on the first day possible was an enormous pleasure nonetheless. Takeaway boxes remained a significant part of the industry that we had the pleasure of sampling from Ippuku Tea House, featuring an improbably cute cat faced omelette. Our returning freedoms also enabled an afternoon in Peterborough (quite the glamorous destination) that marked my first train journey in longer than I could recall, but was a brilliant reunion with old friends. We also made the trip to The Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey whose champagne and seafood terrace was a fabulous addition to their offering, making eating outside in Yorkshire in April a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

The big domestic news of the month was the kitchen being completely finished, finally banishing the previous range of slightly damaged appliances and blemished surfaces to history.

May
Surely there could be no bigger news this month than the pubs reopening? This was possibly only overshadowed by a text from the landlord of the Phoenix asking if I (in my capacity as being involved with York Bar Billiards League) knew who the owner of a cue he had found might be…I did know, it was me and I’d lost it 4 years ago! Quite the reunion really, though I’m still unsure if the cue counted toward the rule of six in force this month.

This is the month Ambiente opened their Tabanco concept in the former Press Kitchen which hit their formula for great value and plenty of flavour perfectly. I called by Shori in Spark to try out a few of their small plates and marked my final meal enjoyed outdoors for legislation rather than preference at the now sadly closed Bay Tree Stillington which was just as brilliant as their at home meal suggested it would be.

I also returned to the Blue Barbakan whose standards certainly hadn’t slipped during any of the restrictions and checked out newbie to York Cafe21 at Fenwick which served a peerless soufflé amongst other accomplished dishes. Another new opening was Impossible Bar in the former Carluccio’s & Terry’s building whose food was, in truth, much better than I expected which marked it out as a dining destination as well as drinking. A real personal landmark came with a meal at Le Cochon Aveugle, which was both representative of the hospitality industry really starting to hit its stride again and a great opportunity to revisit this deservedly renowned place to eat. The evening was only enhanced by the General Manager of another well known Yorkshire restaurant attempting to demonstrate that the glassware was ‘slightly flexible’ while finding the exact point at which it stopped flexing and started shattering dramatically across the table.

Rather more medical news than was expected also dominated with our first doses of vaccine (full clot AstraZeneca for me ta) taking their toll and an MRI for Mrs Fork disproving a diagnosis of sciatica in favour of a severely prolapsed disc requiring immediate cessation of child carrying and urgent surgery, which was not an outcome we’d hoped or planned for really.

June
Our expected egress from lockdown took a stutter this month as we gave the vaccination program a bit more time to take hold so I took comfort in food as usual, starting with Sloppy’s Burgers who’ve gone from strength to strength in York since opening at Spark. Popping up in the kitchen of the Lighthorseman not too far from me was all the temptation I needed to grab a Trufflepuff burger from them.

I also got to enjoy some unique and inventive fried chicken dishes at The Lazy Bird in Wetherby as well as an indulgent gastropub meal at The Punch Bowl in Marton Cum Grafton, with which my only previous association was a failed attempt by Neil Morrissey to run it. Two new experiences came to York this month with Sora at Malmaison offering a unique new view over the city to enjoy with a range of Asian influenced small plates. As far as I’m concerned though the biggest news was reserved for Gray’s Court which saw Adam Jackson take over as head chef at its restaurant, The Bow Room. Adam’s reputation precedes him, as do numerous accolades so it’s hardly a surprise that this turned out well. His appointment has made The Bow Room one of the stand out restaurants of the region without question and I can’t wait to return.

The end of the month saw domestic life dominated by the surgery which had been indicated by the preceding month’s MRI. This took place in Darlington, which was just as convenient as that sounds, but went smoothly and after a period for recovery appears to have been a complete success.

July
Finally the remaining legal limits on our day to day activities were lifted and we were free to re-engage in all manner of activities, whether by previous obligation or genuine preference. One of the most acutely cruel effects of the restrictions placed on us has been the way in which we’ve been unable to drop things and support friends in need as one usually would so this month. That’s made reunions with old friends rather emotional occasions so welcoming visitors to York and paying a visit to a friend’s new place in Suffolk were extremely noteworthy occasions. The visit to Suffolk was even more so as the new place in question is but a few miles from Fen Farm dairy whose cheese and raw milk vending machines would have merited the trip from York by themselves.

It wouldn’t be a pandemic year without the news of undeserved suffering in someone’s final days and the death of Tish left a hole in the crowd of misfits who frequent The Fulford Arms. Her stoicism and sense of humour right to the end were as remarkable as it was jarring to go from laughing with her to toasting her life within 24 hours.

I’ve walked past Drake’s Fish and Chips many hundreds of times throughout my time in York without ever giving it much thought but a trip inside converted me quickly to its charms after it had received an extensive makeover. I also picked up some tips on curry making with an online lesson from Sharmini Thomas as well as enjoying a trip out to The Crown and Cushion at Welburn for another tremendous gastropub meal.

This month took us on holiday to Apppletreewick from where we obviously had to visit Courtyard Dairy for phenomenal cheeses as well as Keelham Farm Shop, whose breakfasts are incredible value and feature a bacon chop quite unmatched by any other item on an English breakfast I’ve encountered anywhere else. I hadn’t intended to mention here the run up to Harome we took for a quick sandwich at The Star but the subsequent fire has rendered the memory rather poignant. Thankfully the team managed to save the irreplaceable Mouseman furniture and I’ve no doubt they’ll be open again as soon as is practical.

The month ended with my first face to face food awards judging since all this began; what a pleasure to be sat around a table with fellow food obsessives arguing the case for our respective favourites! We also enjoyed a night at The Principal, a stunning place to enjoy our first ever night away from Little Fork!

August
This was a bit of a quiet month but still featured some notable highlights. T’Art popped up at The Fossgate Social as the new venture from Allesandro who had previously shown what he was capable of at A’roma pasta, the memory of which is as enduringly positive as the new stuff he’s showcasing.

Leeds still felt a bit further away than it used to but we braved a trip that far and enjoyed lunch at The Owl in Kirkgate Market, comfortably one of the best value meals of the year and quite outstanding. A trip to Estabulo was a meaty treat and the at home star of the month was Octagon Hotpot that made for a memorable event. Little Fork enjoyed a trip to the Balloon Fiesta, where she got stuck into a quite intimidatingly tall slide and actually got to see Andy & The Odd Socks in person. Gigs have changed a bit for us over the years it seems!

September
September started with a trip to Alnwick to take in the famous Alnwick Gardens and relax in places such as Barter Books, as a bonus we even took a granny with us to take on babysitting duties. Alnwick also is home to one of my favourite pubs, The Tanners Arms, which is perfectly constructed around a tree feature, inspiring conversation and conviviality. It’s also a top place for spotting cute dogs!

The final third of 2021 featured a disproportionate number of trips to Harrogate for some reason, first amongst which was judging for the Deliciously Yorkshire Awards. It’s an enormous privilege to be invited to judge but never discount the impact of trying forty condiments before similar quantities of meat and cakes. This month also saw the Garbutt & Elliot Food Entrepreneur Awards ceremony, it was such a pleasure to be able to see how happy the winners were face to face! Next up was a return to Il Paradiso Del Cibo after a gap of a few years to sample their new tasting menu composed of hearty dishes that beautifully showcase quality produce.

As usual September was dominated to a large extent by York Food Festival which was enormously well attended by appreciative crowds. It was the usual massive effort for all involved but we loved seeing York coming back to life. The day after the festival finished, it was back down to Earth, more specifically Peterborough, with a bump for a rushed trip to replace my passport for an event that ended up being cancelled anyway. It wasn’t totally fruitless though as I caught up with a friend and managed to visit House of Feasts whose Steak Tartare in particular sticks in the mind. Last up was Andrew Pern’s Supper Club at The Star Inn the City which was a suitable flourish on which to end the month. These events are a great value way to find your way into some dishes from Andrew’s repertoire.

October
October featured more discussion about roofs than I’m accustomed to with Spark putting on its winter coat at the same time as our house was festooned with scaffolding to receive a whole new roof and make it thoroughly watertight for the first time in the years we’ve lived here. During this period, it would seem that a significant portion of the roof was constructed of wasps, which did not improve the roofers’ experience.

We enjoyed a pair of noteworthy brunches, firstly from Robinson’s who never seem to make a mistake and secondly from Source to try their new fully vegan menu which featured some quite remarkable meat substitutes such as a spookily accurate black pudding.

This month also saw a slightly sad landmark too as an old haunt in Cambridge shut, prompting a pilgrimage to The Flying Pig for one last visit before the apparently relentless redevelopment of Cambridge robs the city of another key part of the community. Destroying a pub pivotal in the formation of Pink Floyd can only be a crime right?

Later in the month, I got the blues in the best possible way, thanks to an evening of Blues & Blue cheese with Love Cheese. Keep an eye on their events calendar – this was packed with blues and cheese, both of which are fine with me. I then made my way back to Harrogate for the Golden Fork Awards, one of the winners of which was a lobster butter that left me seriously contemplating spending the hundred pounds on a single piece of butter such was the intensity of enjoyment it elicited.

The big family event of the month was the press night at the North York Moors Railway to check out their light up disco train, a quite unique experience that I can’t recommend enough even if the soundtrack was a little safer than my usual taste.

November
Throughout the year, I’d been getting bread delivered from Paul, the lovely chap behind C&S Sourdough, so seeing him open his shop was a real pleasure. This spot on Fishergate will continue to go from strength to strength without doubt. Some Rockfish tinned fish were the perfect excuse to stock up on loaves!

I popped across to Leeds again and checked out House of Fu which thoroughly deserves all the plaudits it’s been earning since opening but the longest trip of the month was a return to London for the first time in two years, where I checked out Sticky Mango after it had been on the list for a couple of years. Trips to Harrogate were necessitated for The Deliciously Yorkshire Awards ceremony, at which I was lucky to collect an award on behalf of ShutiShuti Patisserie, as well as The General Tarleton and a Hospitality Action dinner at Rudding Park. The latter of those was probably the standout meal of the year, unsurprisingly as it featured Mark Birchall and Shaun Rankin amongst other talented chefs, but the former was also a hugely enjoyable tasting menu in its own right. Speaking of ShutiShuti, they can be found at Food Circle Markets which offers small producers a route to market and was nationally recognised this month in the BBC Food Awards.

As far as personal achievements go, getting Little Fork hooked on my Sunday Roast and gravy strongly enough that she rejects gravy from granules ranks pretty high as does winning the (much delayed) 2019/2020/2021 York Bar Billiards doubles tournament. Backdropping all this was a healthy slug of stress as builders set to work laying waste to our conservatory in preparation for its rebirth as a fully fledged brick structure. Last minute wrangling about planning permission really added the sprinkles to the experience.

December
With what was previously our dining space razed to the ground, this was always going to be a bit of a stressful month, in particular for dining at home. The general uncertainty around the level of restrictions added a dystopian nuance to proceedings too as our cautious and irreversible exit from restrictions began reversing, albeit cautiously. Snagging tickets to see Damon Albarn perform in York Minster meant a nice distraction while equally wholesome and even more spectacular was Christmas at Castle Howard, a family tradition we were particularly pleased to resume.

Jorvine opened their doors a little way away from us in Fulford and I finally made it to Acomb to try Bluebird Bakery’s new spot, but the real food highlight of the month was the opening of Bosun’s in Bishopthorpe which has successfully set out its stall as a destination restaurant with great food and an engaging brunch menu.

How then to sum up this year. Undoubtedly one of the most challenging most of us have had to endure, unusual personal tragedies excepted. Amongst friends and relatives, the consensus is strongly that the toll all this is taking is becoming less bearable by the day. Indeed, over lunch recently, the sheer number of tragic turns caused or exacerbated by all this uncovered by just 3 people was startling. It seems fairly clear that the weight of science and common sense is bearing down on the pandemic now in such a way as that next year a compromise between protecting the NHS, allowing the economy to operate and providing individuals with the freedoms to recover should be found. Quite when and how comfortable a compromise that is remains to be seen and we’ll be finding collateral damage for years to come, before which we’ll have a view of where this leaves hospitality. Thanks to grants and furlough, we’ve seen less loss of business in York than I expected but perhaps the tricky bit is to come in the next six months as restrictions balance against consumer confidence, staffing issues and supply chain issues. Fingers crossed this time next year finds an actively upbeat review of the year rather than this cautious assessment.

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Le Cochon Aveugle has been a prominent feature of the York food scene for more than half a decade, during which time it’s won national acclaim from respected critics as well as sending chef/owner Josh Overington to make an assured appearance on Great British Menu. The restaurant is based around multi course tasting menu that is now served in a single sitting to all guests at that service, lending proceedings the sense of an experience shared amongst all those lucky enough to be in attendance. On arrival, it’s clear that the enforced lockdown closure has not been time allowed to pass unproductively, with a new cabinet for dry ageing meat drawing the eye as you enter and striking dark decor that’s been applied since I last visited. Sensibly, no change has been made to the open kitchen arrangement that lets you admire the skill and precision of the chefs as they work.

The tasting menu at Le Cochon Aveugle is served ‘Blind’ so the onus is very much on the servers to introduce the myriad dishes effectively, something achieved uniformly and effectively despite the extra complication of mask wearing. Whoever thought that elocution and received-pronunciation would be such desirable attributes outside of a career in news reading? After a refreshing and palate cleansing broth that combined mussels, wheat beer and herbs, the first few courses were single mouthfuls of goose ham from that striking cabinet and smoked mackerel as well as a much loved ‘Cochon favourite, the Boudin Noir macaron. This has been a staple of the menu both here and at sister bar Cave Du Cochon for some time and remains a delightful mouthful that balances savoury and sweet to memorable effect. An oyster and a delicately presented egg shell filled with a savoury custard complete the pre-amble with an appropriate flourish before we move on.

Next up was another dish that’s well on its way to becoming a ‘Cochon signature, Orkney scallop cooked in its own shell with sea-urchin butter, which made a perfect partner for sourdough that was also presented with cultured butter and a deliciously savoury buerre noisette. Scallops are one of those things that I never seem to quite get round to cooking at home, and the sense of occasion conveyed as the string holding the shell together was snipped really gave a warm feeling and made it feel like the restaurant experience was back!

The next couple of dishes ran through asparagus served with cream that had been split with nasturtium, thornback ray cooked in lardo and a meat course of lamb delicately served with sea herbs. I’ll not get into too much detail save for too much ruination of the blind tasting concept, but suffice to say each dish embellished the flavours of the headline ingredient with delicate presentations. We enjoyed one more savoury course of richly braised lamb shoulder crepe parmentier before shifting our focus toward sweet plates.

The trio of sweets began with an elevation of the simple strawberry, dipped in its own jam, with a tasteful smattering of edible flowers before continuing the theme with fermented strawberry juice accompanying vanilla ice cream alongside a rich pain perdu. Another beautifully presented egg completed this stage of proceedings, featuring chocolate, truffle and cep turned into an enjoyable talking point for the table to get stuck into. A few of us at the table then made sure to take advantage of the selection of cheeses from the reliably-wonderful Courtyard Dairy before a sweet canele with caramelised goats milk was a suitable exclamation on which to finish the meal.

This is undoubtedly some of the finest “event” dining to be had in York and the additions that have been made to the restaurant since my last visit only serve to further focus its appeal. It goes without saying that I’ve been itching to get back into restaurants and, while this isn’t my first post lockdown meal indoors, Le Cochon Aveugle felt like just the right kind of occasion to mark crossing the literal and figurative threshold toward indoor hospitality.

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The truth of it is that this has been a year that’s going to take some time to recover from for businesses and individuals, both financially and emotionally. All of the insidious inequalities that we’ve built into our society over the last couple of centuries have been wrenched open by this pandemic, which may not distinguish based on class in itself but is directed to do so by our economic and geographic makeup. I can’t remember where I heard this year described as as “the well off being paid to stay at home while receiving deliveries from those less well off” but there’s certainly some truth in that.

None of that is to say that this year has been bereft of enjoyment. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy some fabulous food in ways that I wouldn’t have expected a year ago and been forced into reprioritisations domestically that have improved my living situation (the house snag list is notably smaller than this time last year).The personal and societal challenge we now face is to learn how to unpick the changes forced on us by necessity over the last nine months into positive and sustainable changes to our behaviour and environment. I ended last year’s retrospective by saying “I can’t wait to see what the new decade brings. It’s hard to see it being more eventful than the last one!”. Let’s hope we’ve seen the really eventful bit already.

January
In retrospect, this was a gloriously average and mundane start to the year compared to what followed. A lunch at Kalpakavadi set a high watermark for value at less than £7 for a selection of curries, while visiting Leeds to check out vegan dishes at Comptoir Libanais comfortably justified the journey. Middlethorpe Hall compelled me into more formal clothing than I’m generally comfortable in for a tasting menu and another sortie beyond the outer ring road took me to The Twine and Barrel for some gastropub styled fun. All in all a rather low key month that ended with a trip to Buxton to catch up with some of my oldest friends, soon to become a presence on a monitor rather than in a pub.

February
The first couple of days of February finished off my trip to Buxton amid portentously stormy weather and a fry up at the amusingly named “Tradesman’s Entrance” cafe. Street Cleaver made their most recent appearance in York with a stunningly realised dippy eggs and soldiers dish at The Fossgate Social and I was happy to discover a cracking new brunch venue at Ingleby Arncliffe near Northallerton, The Joiners Shop. Ippuku Tea House made a perfect venue to catch up with a friend, who incidentally has a book out – perfect for picking up with any Christmas vouchers you may have burning a hole in your pocket. Grantley Hall is a venue that’s been at the top of my list since its opening and a trip to one of its restaurants didn’t disappoint, with Restaurant 88 delivering on its promise before I was lucky enough to enjoy a tour of this stunning facility. Baby Fork enjoyed her second birthday at the end of the month, while we were grateful for a few hours later that day to recover from that chaos with dinner at The Old House.

March
This was the month that 2020 really went sideways. While the first couple of weeks took place in relative, if slightly uneasy normality, the background chatter about a disconcerting new virus in China quickly increased to the point of drowning out many elements of regular life. The Grand Cookery School celebrated its birthday with an appropriately indulgent beef Wellington class and York Restaurant Week took place before the situation started to really deteriorate. We also took our last train ride for quite some time, with Rudy’s Pizza being the destination. Lunch at the Bay Horse in Goldsborough was a quiet affair notable conversation at the adjacent table being dominated by Coronavirus while the last meal before we were directed to deprive the restaurant industry of its income was comfort food at a largely deserted Fancy Hanks. Cancelling York Chocolate Festival, the organisation of which I was involved in, felt like a bit of a landmark moment but the conversations I had with restaurateurs and publicans in the week preceding lockdown really put things into perspective. The number of people I saw reduced from their usual ebullient selves to consuming anxiety was upsetting in the extreme, something mitigated to an extent by the introduction of the furlough scheme. The month ended with a first glimpse of the hospitality industry’s adaptability courtesy of a steak dinner to prepare at home from The Whippet Inn, my first look at a style of dining that would become a staple of the coming months.

April
With our wings clipped, this month found us exploring the minutae of our local geography in ways that we’d never anticipated before. Our daily permissible exercise invariably took us to “The High Bit” – in actuality a slightly raised drain cover in the middle of a field from which Baby Fork would take immense pleasure in repeatedly leaping from. I was lucky enough to enjoy a few examples of a chocolate themed beer from Brew York that had been brewed in collaboration with York’s Chocolate Story and had been intended to stock the bar at York Chocolate Festival, these made suitable drinking to accompany consideration of the growing range of at-home dining options I would enjoy sampling before long. One of the first innovations to spring from all this was the the virtual wine & cheese tasting from Love Cheese, which featured a cheese delivery to be enjoyed while taking tasting notes broadcast over Facebook. Le Cochon Aveugle and Roots both turned their hand to food served at home rather than in a restaurant with predictably strong results and Yuzu Streetfood started knocking out a roaring trade from the kitchen at Brew York. On a more personal note, this month brought the situation closer to home with the death of an elderly relative in a care home. I’m certainly not alone in having to watch a funeral on a laptop this year, but I can certainly vouch for that being just as unpleasant experience as it sounds.

May
Having enjoyed the Love Cheese wine & cheese tasting so much first time round, we snapped up the opportunity to repeat the experience before also seeing another slant on the at home cheese tasting experience with Homage 2 Fromage, who presented it via the medium of a great fun board game which I obviously won. Beer deliveries continued courtesy of Brew York and Ainsty Ales who were both doing their best to make up for the lack of business from pubs while the boredom really started to come in, manifesting itself through an uncharacteristically organised spice cupboard and the presence of a goat on a Zoom “pub” visit with some friends. This month saw the stream of at home offerings really pick up the pace with some superb creations, Zaap Thai in particular impressing by bringing a nationally available range of premium ready meals to market in double quick time. Source did a hugely impressive job of transplanting the feel of their food into a picnic that took full advantage of the good weather and it was a pleasure to make the acquaintance of Hog & Apple catering, who started delivering fantastic Sunday roasts in the absence of events at which they usually cater. Special mention should go to the at home tasting menu from Vice & Virtue, which was eerily close to their inventive restaurant menus created by Jono Hawthorne who’s just put on a sterling display to make the final week of Masterchef Professionals.

June
Our inglorious Prime Minister had initially been confident that we could “send this virus packing in 12 weeks”, which would have been roughly this month so at the time it was little surprise to see things start to edge back toward opening the economy a touch, though in retrospect we know that was the first of several false dawns. The first culinary treat of the month came courtesy of Ambiente’s heat at home offering, the selection of their greatest hits being comfortingly familiar. Skosh took their time to enter the at home fray, paying characteristic attention to every detail to successfully align the experience as closely as possible with that of visiting their restaurant. The next Sunday roast to grace our table came from somewhere a little off my radar, but Kennedy’s dropped off an absolute treat. The Chopping Block at Walmgate Ale House is very familiar to me for a number of reasons but a new French themed menu was the perfect excuse to check in with their new range of dishes. One thing that York is poorer for this year is the exit of Street Cleaver and Born to Lose from the city to set up a new venture in Hull called The Social Distortion so as travel restrictions eased, we made the trip over toward the coast to remind ourselves just what the city was missing out on, plenty as it turned out including a stunning Banh Mi. That easing of restrictions also led to a journey around a drive through petting zoo at Monk Park Farm, just another odd lockdown footnote I guess. On the cultural front, two things really struck home this month: The Last of Us Part 2 making its mark on the video games industry by dividing critics and players (the critics are right, it’s an emotionally devastating masterpiece) while a new documentary on the Wu-Tang Clan proved utterly unmissable. If you’ve even a passing interest in the genre then this will raise goose-bumps.

July
This was it, our Independence day! Or at least a hyperbolic construction likely to prompt people back into social situations on a strangely chosen date. This was the moment the hospitality industry was allowed to reopen subject to a range of restrictions. In all honesty, I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to pop out for a pint but curiosity got the better of me and I decided Spark would likely be the safest bet for a cold beer and some Philly cheese steak spring rolls from Sloppy’s Burgers. Take out fish and chips from The Star Inn the Harbour was exactly the kind of indulgence I was ready for but the big activity this month was an actual honest-to-god holiday. This was originally intended as a few days away after Easter and rescheduled to a random date which turned out to be permissible to proceed with. The Craven Arms might have been a different experience to usual but still remains one of the country’s finest pubs, The Lister Arms at Malham also earning a spot in our affections when we visited after popping into the incomparable Courtyard Dairy. The journey back took in Yolk Farm, the new place to eat at Minskip Farm Shop to top off a pleasant break. I was also lucky enough to get an invite to The Star Inn the City, whose high standards hadn’t dropped over lockdown. Special mention needs to go to Bluebird Bakery, Haxby Bakehouse and Little Arras for stepping up and the city with sensational bread, semi regular strolls to Bluebird’s shop on Shambles market and to Little Arras on Goodramgate were wonderfully achievable treats.

August
‘Eat out to help out’: reckless invitation to the virus to spread far and wide or dynamic economic stimulus? History may judge it more harshly than we did in the thick of it when we were desperate for an excuse to socialise. However it’s rendered by history, I had some lovely meals with Robinson’s, Shori and The Blue Barbakan from it. The Blue Barbakan meal in particular was memorable for the staff’s calm response to a power cut. The biggest event of the month was the takeover of Shambles Market by Shambles Kitchen for a live fire cooking event, which was a superb way of showcasing the true potential of the space. The Pheasant at Harome has been on my list for quite a few years now so obviously I wasn’t going to miss the chance to check its quality matched the reputation (it does) when the opportunity presented itself. One of the month’s big landmarks was Baby Fork’s transition to a bed, mercifully sparing our backs from the strain of lifting a growing child in and out of a cot. On the motoring side of things, it was quite inspiring to see Melbourne Raceway rise from the ashes of York Raceway to bring Drag Racing back to the north, crowdfunding enough to pull that off is genuinely inspiring in the circumstances.

September
September started with a few days staying in Swainby, a beautiful village that was home to my grandparents and where my mother grew up. If you’re ever nearby then check out Whorlton Castle, a beautiful ruin with precious few restrictions on access where I spent a good deal of time playing as a child. From this base we revisited Monk Park, this time as a conventional rather than drive through petting zoo. We also popped across from here to check out how Adam Jackson was settling into The Feversham Arms, the answer bring “predictably well”. Forest is the new restaurant at Galtres Lodge. A little tired looking in its previous incarnation, a thorough refurbishment has made this a real asset to York. Mundane events became rather extraordinary things this year, making a train ride to Peterborough rather more of an event than usual when I nipped down to provide a bit of relief for a friend suffering more than most of us at the moment. Another thing I didn’t expect to be doing this year was helping run and organise a food festival but with support from City of York Council. “A Taste of York” went ahead as a three day event and received with great positivity by everyone to whom I spoke. To recover from all that excitement, I finished off the month with Ambiente’s new brunch menu, which, while superb, has been discontinued for the moment. Fingers crossed we see it back in the new year. This was also a month enhanced by a trip to Skosh, still one of the biggest draws in town with very good reason.

October
This was altogether a quieter month, though York BID ran another Restaurant Week with great success which took me to Tomahawk Steakhouse for the first time. I also visited Zaap Thai and The Whippet who all came up with top quality menus for very little money. I popped out to Estabulo at Vangarde shopping centre to see what its rodizio style dining added to the offering there. Supersonic Cafe is sister to Supersonic gym but I overcame my natural aversion to those sorts of environments to find some original and delicious brunch dishes. Away from the centre of the city, I was invited along to The Deramore Arms where I found good honest pub dishes with a neat pinch of refinement. A trip to The Ivy always comes with a sense of occasion, which is still intact post-Covid though a trip to The Star at Harome would always be hard to top as the highlight of a month. This really is one of the finest in the region and a meal here is always special.

November
What kind of prat replaces their car days before being locked down again? This kind! In my defence that replacement swerved a potentially costly MOT at the last minute and I’m now officially a middle aged Volvo driver, how very sensible. Lockdown MK2 was the story of the moment though, even if it felt rather less stringent and jarring than first time around thanks to less limited direction on personal movement. Thankfully I managed to snag a PS5 to soften the shock of restaurants closing again and on another tech note I had the creaking hard drive in my iMac replaced with an SSD by the good folks at Jennings Computer Services, something I can’t recommend enough as it’s utterly transformed this five year old unit.This was a month with relatively thin pickings for food, though a virtual pizza cooking class from The Grand pricked the monotony nicely and Ambiente delivered both literally and in terms of flavour. Hog and Apple dropped off another beauty of a Sunday roast and trips to town generally included treats from Krep, whose savoury pancakes are some of the best streetfood in the city without question. Seeing Jono from Vice & Virtue serve Grace Dent a bone marrow creme brûlée also raised a smile. In a further emotional rollercoaster, my dentist was able to reopen and look at the abscess I’d been managing since March, getting quickly tooled up for a succession of root canal sessions that would ultimately prove fruitless and put an extraction at the top of January’s to do list. A more positive end to the month came from Homage 2 Fromage who teamed up with the National Space centre to put up a chap-hop and cheese night. You may be unfamiliar with this admittedly niche genre but the combination of Professor Elemental and cheese was a strong and enjoyable one.

December
The final weeks of the year started with a visit to Yolk Farm to collect a Christmas Tree, neatly coincided with the reopening of hospitality for another superb brunch. The York Christmas Market is usually a fraught affair which obviously didn’t go ahead this year, but there was a minor approximation of it on Parliament St which featured Shambles Kitchen knocking out as good an approximation of currywurst as I’ve ever found in York. These guys could also be found catering at Thor’s Tipi, one of the few covered outdoor spaces with the potential to legally mix households in the city. Fish and Forest have served me some absolutely top notch food in the last 18 months or so and their at home offering didn’t disappoint, with salmon pastrami particularly hitting the spot. Even if afternoon tea isn’t one of my favourite dining experience I wasn’t going to forego a chance to try a savoury version at The Feversham Arms, something that didn’t disappoint. With not much time before Christmas left, a nice surprise came courtesy of Zaap Thai who sent me one of their meal kits to test drive. In truth this was closer to a stock cupboard provision of Thai ingredients for making a superb Massaman. I see much turkey Massaman in my near future… Special mention also goes to The Whole Hogg Farm Shop near Malton for their barn full of socially distanced sheds complete with heating that allowed Baby Fork to continue family contact.

I’m really not sure how best to characterise this year. On the one hand, it’s been unspeakably awful watching two funerals on computer screens while coping with the shift to working from home (and loss of income), a lack of childcare and family support and the mounting frustrated anger at a government apparently committed to u-turns as a policy and pursuant of self interest to the detriment of its response to this catastrophe. That being the case, I’m able to process that all from a position of relative privilege with my own outdoor space, access to the centre of a beautiful city and a reasonable level of financial security from which to view an industry I love reinvent itself overnight into something that will hopefully give it a good chance of survival now. It’s going to take years for our country to process the damage inflicted on it this year, and hopefully learn from its brutal exposure of everything wrong with our unequal society but hopefully we can accept this shock as the catalyst to do so.

2021 has the potential to be a positive year for York. As I write this over Christmas, it’s inevitable that the first couple of months will be a continuing horror for the whole of the UK but whether by fluke or design there’re signs that the flotilla of mediocrity we have to lead us are finally heading in the right direction. Once we’ve started to return to relative normality, or work toward a better version of what that was, then York is bound to be at the forefront of the staycation market that will prop up those in the hospitality industry still standing by that point. Speaking selfishly, I have enough to be excited about both personally and professionally as we start to pull away from this that I can start to lay aside the wounds of 2020 and do what I can to help deal with the collateral damage to family, friends and the local communities. This year has shown us that there’s greater resolve in many of us than we realise, to stand firm and reinvent where necessary while keeping focus on a better and more sustainable future. I look forward to brighter times soon and watching that come to fruition.

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Le Cochon Aveugle has a deservedly strong reputation both in York and nationally thanks to the efforts of owners Josh & Vicky Overington, who’ve created a gastronomical refuge that serves its tasting menu blind, to the delight and surprise of their customers. Not necessarily the easiest thing to translate to a home environment but, undaunted, it’s now possible to enjoy Josh’s deft touch in the comfort of your pyjamas, should you choose.

The format is similar to that which I enjoyed from Roots recently, a three course meal delivered to reheat at home which Cochon augment with a bottle of wine (or non-alcoholic alternative). This meal for two with wine comes in at £45 including delivery, an extremely fair price for food from a chef who showed so well on Great British Menu just a couple of years ago and whose establishment has been tipped to receive a Michelin star. Predictably enough it’s been selling rather well too, so I jumped to it when my diligently-set phone reminder went off.

Having successfully booked, the delivery arrived as promised. There’s not much specificity to the booking slots but with being in the house the default status, this is hardly an issue. Delivery was made onto our now semi-permanent delivery table in the corner of the porch and we were all set for the evening.

Everything was neatly & logically portioned and ready to go so a few hours later we were happily in the process of getting everything reheated for our meal. The first course was a soup of onion and cider along with Cochon sourdough bread rolls that paired up nicely with a Verdejo, coincidentally from sister establishment Cave Du Cochon. The bread gave the course substance, accenting the soup’s balance well and allowing each of the main elements to shine before we moved onto the main event of belly pork stuffed with sausage meat, apricot and breadcrumbs. This one was served with “Lentils Petit Salé” and green sauce that weren’t too taxing to get onto a plate, effectively being to get the pork into the oven on a hot enough heat to blister the skin into crackling while reheating the lentils in the microwave. We had to give the pork a few extra minutes to bring the skin to its full potential, an unavoidable variation from a domestic oven I suspect.

The green sauce and richly nuanced lentils really made the pork dish feel like a well developed main course in a good restaurant and gave the sense of delivering something it’d be very difficult to otherwise replicate in a home. Soft meat, well crisped skin and sharp sauce were all underpinned by that bed of lentils, which was further developed by spikes of silver skin onion.

The experience was polished off by a strawberry jelly topped with a fig leaf chantilly that was just the kind of light mouthful you’d want to finish on. All three courses did a great job of recreating a restaurant vibe in the home, though the washing up will always be lurking to puncture that illusion at some point! Forty five pounds for a three course meal and a bottle of wine of this standard is great value and a fantastic way to stay in touch with one of York’s best places to eat.

Times are hard for restaurants at the moment and this sort of meal presents a whole new set of challenges for chefs to meet, requiring that dishes can be reheated at home by amateurs with (let’s be honest) something of a mix of abilities. That’s no comment on the standard of this excellent meal, but there’s no practical way to replicate the intricacies of high end restaurant service in the home. That said, this is a new problem which suddenly has the attention of a whole host of talented chefs whose solutions I can’t wait to acquaint myself with. I’m sure Le Cochon Aveugle will remain at the vanguard of this and the speed with which they seem to be selling out just serves to further demonstrate the gap that closing restaurants has left in our lives.

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January
The first meal to pierce this month’s post-festive vagueness was Sunday Lunch at Feed in a Leeds suburb that featured fried chicken and padron peppers to complement more traditional main courses. Coconut Lagoon hosted Baby Fork’s mate’s first birthday and was as fabulous value as ever while Alternative Sunday Lunch from (the now sadly departed Born to Lose) was in the process of establishing itself as the best value meal in York. We also sneaked in a trip to Keswick where we popped into the perennially tasty Square Orange and called by the Rheged Centre for a tremendous brunch with local ingredients on the way home.

February
Obviously the highlight of February was spending £3000 on a new boiler, but there was still time (and funds) for some food related fun. A sushi course with a Masterchef Professional at York Cookery School taught me plenty as did an evening learning to cook the perfect steak at The Grand’s new Cookery School. Mokosh started to make its presence felt with stunning pierogi and is hopefully bound for great things. We enjoyed an impressive afternoon tea at Oxo’s on The Mount on Baby Fork’s first birthday and also marked that occasion with a stunning cake from a friend that suited the occasion perfectly.

March
As we made our way out of the colder months, March turned out to be busy, featuring notable meals at Fish & Forest during their stint at Spark and brunch from The Press Kitchen. We also had a cracking light dinner at Cave Du Cochon on the way to a Goldie Lookin’ Chain gig (a unique combination I suspect). This month also saw the finalists awarded at the Garbutt & Elliot Food Awards, a judging panel that it was extremely rewarding to be a part of. The Whippet Inn also served up their pie menu and I was lucky enough to spend an evening with Masterchef finalist Nawamin over in Leeds. I also spent a day in Manchester exploring with a highlight being lunch at Cottonopollis, who turned out stunning steak tartare and sushi.

April
This is the month of our wedding anniversary so to celebrate, we scheduled in a trip to Chester, partly to have the opportunity to dine at the peerless Sticky Walnut. The city turned out to be beautiful, even if Baby Fork snoozed her way around Chester Zoo. Hanky Panky Pancakes is a top tip should you find yourself in the area. Back in York, a dinner featuring foraged ingredients at Mr P’s Curious Tavern really hit the spot, and I was more impressed than I expected to be with Comptoir Libanais in Leeds, but personally speaking the silverware my team bought back from an All England Bar Billiards association challenger event had to be the highlight of the month!

May
It’s always a pleasure to find the smaller players in York who maybe don’t have the time to shout about themselves, so Almaz was a treat after a well reputed chef tipped me off to it. An evening with Maktok at Malton Cookery School was a great opportunity to celebrate some lovely young people who’ve subsequently earned a chunk of investment from Dragons Den. Baby Fork took her first steps so we accompanied her on strolls around the National Railway Museum and Moorlands Nature Reserve. A musical highlight of the month was my success in persuading a friend to book Professor Elemental for an exceptional evening of steampunk themed chap-hop. Afternoon teas came from Hotel Du Vin and The Grand for some sweet indulgence.

June
Fossgate is one of the best served streets for food in York so the Fossgate Festivals that are held monthly through the summer are a great chance to sample some of its residents’ dishes. On this occasion Kiosk and Oshibi hit the spot. The Herbs Unlimited open day has been an annual highlight for the last couple of years and the addition of Josh Whitehead from Harewood Food & Drink and Nick Brown from the Black Swan at Oldstead to accompany the always fabulous Steph Moon served to ratchet things up another notch for fantastic day. I also had the pleasure of a cookery class with Riverford vegetable boxes and attending the Visit York Tourism Awards, the judging panel of which it had been an honour to join. The biggest event of the month was Baby Fork’s first trip abroad to Amsterdam, featuring a food walking tour, a science museum, Europe’s highest swing, food vending machines and a stunning brunch from Little Collins. Oh, top-tip too, much as I love my knife and fork tattoos…having both arms tattooed a few hours before a flight with a toddler did turn into something of a bloody endurance test.

July
This month started with a memorable brunch in Assembly Underground over in Leeds. This place is run by great people with the right idea about what constitutes good food, try the breakfast tater tots if you call by early in the day. I also made my first (overdue) trip to The Great Yorkshire Show courtesy of Slingsby Gin. York’s Chocolate Story welcomed me for an evening of cocoa based fun and I made the journey to Castle Howard for a look at their new adventure playground – Skelf Island. Notably that visit introduced Baby Fork to a Blue Peter presenter, at whom she scowled aggressively. Undoubtedly the biggest honour of the month was a trip to The Park at Marmaduke’s for a charity dinner that Adam Jackson put on for chef Tim Bilton. A trip to York’s first fairy sanctuary afforded Baby Fork ample opportunity to run away from us, acquiring her first ever scraped knee in the process. We then made our way to the interactive Van Gogh experience in a church on Coppergate. I got to spend a day reviewing the latest special edition Mazda MX-5 in the Cotswolds, oh and I turned forty. A perfect opportunity for a meal out surely, Bridge Cottage Bistro fitting the role perfectly.

August
Drag racing in the UK needs all the help it can get so an event at what was York Raceway was not to be missed. I also got to fulfil a personal dream by seeing the Dead Kennedys live over at the Brudenell Club in Leeds. Vice & Virtue hit me with a stunning tasting menu in further 40th birthday celebrations while I made my way back to Castle Howard to check out Countryfile Live. Hidden Harewood provided a stunningly memorable dining experience throughout the Harewood Estate and I also got to judge children’s art at the Bilsdale show – an engagement that puts me under most pressure annually.

September
This month brought more judging, this time for the Deliciously Yorkshire Food Awards. That might sound glamorous but 24 preserves for breakfast before 40 cakes and a selection of kombuchas, kaffirs and savoury items made for a taxing day. Homage 2 Fromage debuted in York at Lendal Cellars and Zaap Thai took over the former Gourmet Burger Kitchen site on Lendal. This month was dominated by York Food & Drink Festival though, my involvement with which was greater than expected this year.

October
October started with a quality steak at Firelake in Leeds before I made my way back to home turf to check out an expansion at Robinson’s on Bishy Road, thoroughly deserved success for a real gem of the city. Fine dining came from Melton’s and I got the chance to turn my hand to fudge making with York Fudge Kitchen. A trip around Shaws gave an insight into producing condiments, a contrasting experience to axe throwing with The Hilt. Fish and Forest also moved on from Spark to The Gillygate where they continued to provide some of the best seafood in York.

November
It would have been hard to turn down a couple of days in a French chateau that hosted a Michelin starred restaurant. So I didn’t (review to come). Covering that for Calibre was definitely the headline experience of the month, though that didn’t make me enjoy my other meals out any less. The Star Inn the City launched their new Supper Club, Castle Howard launched their typically breathtaking Christmas Decorations and I enjoyed the new lunch menu from Roots. A dinner at York College’s training restaurant was a new experience and Street Cleaver’s Thai pop up packed in lots of their typical flavour punches. I also finally got myself to Malton Cookery School to enjoy a course on game cookery.

December
In the run up to Christmas, I finally got round to sharing my experiences of my 40th birthday present, the Sage Barista Express coffee machine. Chef Lu’s Chinese was the latest York food gem I unearthed while I also had a day out in London that featured some excellent snacks at Seven Dials Food Court just around the corner from Covent Garden. The wonderful people at SASH put on an inspiring evening at the National Centre for Early Music to share details of the vital work they do with youth homelessness.

All in all, it’s been quite an eventful year, as seems to generally be the case these days. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy some stunning food, travel to some interesting places, drive some cool cars and (even better) involve my family in a lot of it. Baby Fork has made the leap to becoming Toddler Fork, helping us toward our 10,000 steps a day by demanding to be chased frequently and I can’t wait to see what the new decade brings. It’s hard to see it being more eventful than the last one!

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Vice & Virtue is the fine dining flagship of the small group of restaurants headed by Luke Downing and featuring food from Head Chef Jono Hawthorne who, after building his reputation with such exploits at XO Supper Club, has left his mark on fellow group restaurant Dough before setting about the fine dining menus here. I’ve had the pleasure of eating Jono’s food a few times, and his plating and dishes had obviously caught my attention, prompting enough comment from from me to elicit that voucher purchase.

We visited on a Sunday lunchtime to try out the tasting menu and found ourselves with the second floor restaurant pretty much to ourselves. Incidentally, the first is focussed on cocktails, something that V&V is equally reputed for with it being recently voted 9th best cocktail bar in the country. Comfortably seated, we started on some snacks to set the scene for the coming feast.

First up, pieces of crisp chicken skin cut through with pickled walnut to balance sharpness and fat far better than oily executions I’ve been served before, then a log of wood (not edible, though I didn’t risk my already ravaged fillings checking) gave penny bun mushroom and truffle tarts a place to nestle. This is exactly the kind of exuberant presentation that offends those looking for irritation but, having been served pate in a garden trowel before, I don’t find this is where I draw the line. Whatever issues you may or may not have with the presentation, truffle and mushroom is always a winner when the mouthful is as pretty at this one.

Star of the appetisers was the combination of duck liver parfait served with lingonberry and a Madeleine with which to scoop up the parfait. A shroud of nasturtium leaves is temptation for our fingers and a few bites that encourage us inwards to scoop up the sweet berry and superbly realised parfait with the Madeleine. Meals such as this are a chance for a chef to show off and the early signs were promising. Showing off remained the operative theme for the next few mouthfuls as a smoke filled cloche arrived at the table with a pair of chef Jono’s take on the L’Arpege Egg. Taking its name from the restaurant in which it was created, and popularised in Yorkshire by the fabulous Le Cochon Aveugle, this was a lovely interstitial course to reset before getting into the, figurative, meat of it.

Centre of the next dish were tomatoes presented over goat’s curd with plenty of edible flowers for embellishment. Rowan berries brought spikes of flavour to the fresh tomatoes and we were soon onto the next course. This first meat course was a tartare of venison served in a hollowed out pear on a bed of ice, of course. A few petals and and berries gave further breadth to the presentation, but didn’t need to distract from the beautifully earthy meat. I’m a sucker for a tartare so this deeply earthy meat did the trick for me. In fact, I could happily have dispensed with the fripperies.

Moving forward, we were served another visually arresting dish. A Yorkshire rose constructed of pickled turnip and seasoned with strawberry vinegar that needed nothing more to draw the eye to it. I felt like the pickling was a touch aggressive, but it was still a refreshing few swallows to break up the more substantial courses.

We stuck with seafood for the next course, centred on scallop this time with caramelised cauliflower, a salami jam and more of that pickled turnip. The turnip balanced better this time with something to take the edge out of it thanks to that salami and cauliflower, though perhaps it overwhelmed the scallop a touch. This one was more conventional but none the worse for it.

Our last fish course was a perfect square of sea trout sat atop tartare sauce with lightly pickled mussels and sea vegetables including the superbly named “salty fingers”. By now, we were appreciating dishes with a few more elements and that growing complexity let the flavours fill out the plate. The pickling on her mussels showed a real lightness of touch that balanced with the tartare sauce to let the fish show itself off.

Onwards now to a meat course featuring aged ribeye on a bed of sauerkraut with violet mustard and a sharply flavoured strawberry. Presentation for this one was divisive, the meat presenting a raw side while the seared sides of the two pieces resting against the sauerkraut. As my steak tartare fixation demonstrates, I’ve no qualms about raw meat, but I didn’t feel like this presentation did the cut justice. Nonetheless, The bold flavours worked and we were soon moving toward sweets via a few mouthfuls of compressed watermelon to refresh the palate.

Over the years I’ve had some unexpected flavour combinations, but every so often I’m taken thoroughly by surprise. It’s a huge pleasure when that happens and the next dish came totally out of left field. I’ve no particular affection for almond, but as the headline ingredient of a Financier that’s topped by honey truffle ice cream, that’s quite another thing. Throw a smear of Yorkshire Blue Cheese into the mix too and it’s transformative. By this point, we were struggling with our appetites, but the salt of the blue cheese channelled by the cake and tempered by the sweet/savoury ice cream combo was quite special. This joins oyster and mustard as a memorable ice cream.

The meal finished with blackcurrant leaf ice cream that I’m afraid to say left little impact on my memory by virtue of the previous hour’s notable consumption. That doesn’t imply criticism of the dish so much as my appetite. The shard of meringue topping it continued the theme of beautiful presentation though. That said, if you’re worried about being overfaced by the tasting menu here, please be reassured that Chef Jono was taking the opportunity to show off to a mate…you may not be pressured into the amount of food I describe here!

So did the plating that attracted my attention live up to the billing? Yep. I’d have made a couple of changes to a few dishes but none to the experience. There were stand out dishes to support plenty of memorable moments so this one will stick in the mind for some time. It’s pretty clear there’s more to come from V&V and Jono, I’m looking forward to following the ride.

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