Mademoiselle’s Whitby is tucked on Skinner Street with an unobtrusive frontage that, while perfectly compelling, belies the comfort waiting within. The furnishings are ornate and engaging without becoming fussy or distracting, a description that could just as easily be applied to the menu. This wasn’t to be a lingering multi-course blow out in the time we had available, so we chose to share a starter before a couple of mains, skipping dessert.

In a French restaurant with a good reputation, it would be foolish to start with anything other than French onion soup and the example here didn’t disappoint. Served as improbably hot as is for some reason usual, this one was comfortably one of the best I’ve ever had. Rich, packed with flavour with a crouton nestling on top and an indulgent quantity of cheese through it.

At this point I regretted slightly our decision not to engage with the broad and varied wine list, though that can be rectified at a later date. Main courses quickly arrived to distract from those thoughts, taking the form of Croque Madame and local game Pot au Feu. I’ve had a few miserably dry croques in recent months whose disappointments were brought into sharp relief by this one which was presented with a delicately dressed salad, with a well judged spike of vinegaryness to give refuge from the cheese, should that ever be desired. The crowning egg being fried to perfection was further evidence of the attention lavished on the dish.

Pot au Feu brought everything to the table I hoped it would, both literally and figuratively. Chunks of slowly cooked meat with herby dumplings conspiring into a comforting bowl to warm through the most miserable of winter’s days.

This was a superb and modestly priced lunch from an independent who clearly cares about their output. Tremendous traditional dishes, delivered with care and delicacy where required. I very much want to find the opportunity to enjoy it again at greater leisure.

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Since striking out from his Harome-based mothership, Mr P has grown his “Pernshire” collection to include the urban Star Inn the City and Mr P’s Curious Tavern in York, but this most recent effort finds him moving back toward the countryside and his home town. The Star Inn the Harbour feels like a landmark development in Whitby which throws in an ice cream parlour along with the restaurant for added popular appeal.

The menu offers the obvious dishes to please those who descend on Whitby for the ubiquitous fish n’ chips, but when I arrived for a Saturday lunch I’d determined to run through the more intriguing notes on the menu. It goes without saying that Whitby in January is freezing cold so the welcome as we arrived was always going to be an open goal. Thankfully that goal was taken with enthusiasm as we made our way through the ice cream parlour to the restaurant. The interior of the building is kitted out by typical Pern zealousness with lobster pots, ropes and plenty of appropriately themed art and sculptures dotted about to break up the large, airy space that benefits from plenty of glass meeting the outside world. The glass expanse by which we sat let through appreciably more light than we’d guessed from scouting the exterior of the building when we’d noticed how tinted it seemed. The tinted glass afforded great people-watching opportunities as we dissected the menu and noticed how many people outside were surreptitiously sneaking chips to their dogs behind their partner’s backs.

As with much of the Star empire, there’s a lot going on with the menu. The Harbour offers plenty of meat dishes to complement the prominent seafood theme, though it must be said there could be more in the way of vegetarian options. To start with we went for calamari with squid ink aioli, also grabbing the chance to enjoy a lobster bisque from the specials menu. The preceding 24 hours had involved a sizeable amount of eating so the bread stayed pretty much unmolested, save for enough sampling to confirm it was up to standard. As we waited for starters we noted how spacious and accessible the building was, offering plenty of opportunity to stow pushchairs and step free access. When the starters were delivered after a suitable pause, we found the calamari thankfully not overcooked as is so often the case. The tower of calamari rings found a great home when dredged through the squid ink aioli, given just a hint of the ocean by the squid ink, which also lends its dramatic colour. The lobster bisque was absolutely outstanding, one of the best starters I can recall for some time. Inhabited by a generous amount of poached lobster meat, the flavour and seasoning of the bisque was utterly beyond criticism and only further enhanced by the saffron-infused cracker balanced across the plate. The punchy pickled fennel elevated the experience even more, making this a really memorable start to the meal.

To make sure we really got into the menu, we were then treated to a second starter of smoked and cured halibut that was served with samphire and egg mayonnaise along with capers and finely sliced shallot for assembly on squares of buttered bread. Each of the accompaniments gave an opportunity to vary the softness of the halibut, the sharpness of the shallot and luxuriant egg allowing us to tease out the flavours we fancied at each mouthful.

We’d made sure that the mains we ordered continued the seafood theme, with a tandoori fish curry and a sea bass fillet variously gracing the table. Both dishes were superbly realised and vied for our attention while neither emerged a clear winner. The curry was packed with a generous selection of cuts of fish, while the fillets were perfectly cooked with a suitably luxurious sauce that studded chestnuts through its variety. As I mentioned earlier, it’d been a testing 24 hours for my appetite so we opted for a light dessert option, just going for a few scoops of ice cream to round things off to make sure we also had a handle on the standard of the ice cream parlour too.

I’d been looking forward to checking out the Star Inn the Harbour for some time and unsure how high I should set my expectations. I’d expected good things but the standard exceeded those expectations at every turn. Each dish was well balanced and with complimentary elements while indulging Mr Pern’s desire to offer “Yorkshire Portions”. With pricing not too far off that which you’d expect from Loch Fyne, it’s hard to see many arguments against visiting next time you’re in Whitby. The next task I’ll lay at them is to convince me of how good fish and chips can be…

Disclaimer: While this meal was complimentary, opinions are impartial.

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The White Horse & Griffin is a hotel centrally located in Whitby that dates back as far as 1681, since when it’s enjoyed a storied and eventful existence that’s even included use by Captain Cook and William Scoresby. After this initial burst of historic significance, the hotel closed in 1939 before settling into rather more ignominious use post-war when it was mainly used to store fishing nets and equipment. In 1982 the building was given the beginnings of a restoration and extension that continued until its opening 11 years later. Since then it’s continued to find its place as a characterful and comfortable bolthole right in the middle of town.

The entrance and small bar one is confronted by on arrival belies the rather labyrinthine nature of the building that twists its way past dining and relaxing spaces through to the bedrooms. Notably there’s a separate guests’ entrance away from the street to allow access without having to make your way through the public bar. The building is absolutely packed with characterful touches, open fires, exposed beams and low ceilings being littered throughout. We stayed in a room named “Wakeful” (after a British Naval Destroyer) that had a small anteroom with TV which was separated from the corridor. The bedroom itself had all the facilities you’d expect with tea making, TV and wifi all present and correct and the ensuite was basic but clean and functional. Having found a sense of our lodgings, I left Mrs YoaF for her afternoon rest (8 months of pregnancy having taken its toll) and headed out for a walk to see winter in Whitby.

First port of call was the Green Dragon Bottle Shop, which is in the process of setting up a tap room to give space to enjoy its vast range of carefully sourced beers. The tap room looks tantalisingly close to opening, so I just had to settle for a chat with one of the owners to reassure me that the passion for beer was reflected in the range available. This has all the makings of a great place to sit and try some unusual beers.

Next port of call was Whitby Brewery tap room, necessitating a climb of those famous 199 steps which have been a landmark for around five hundred years. The tap room is tiny enough to encourage conversation between all its inhabitants at once, including the four legged and enthusiastic type. Its position at the top of those steps ensures that everyone who arrives will be desperate for a pint of Whitby Abbey Blond, and fortunately it’s an entirely appropriate pint to recover with.

Having reacquainted myself with winter in Whitby through my strolling (including passing The Star Inn The Harbour, review to follow of course), I made my way back to the White Horse & Griffin for dinner, dodging the monstrously proportioned local seagulls who’re clearly well fed with leftover fish and chips. The Endeavour lounge is a quiet and warm space with a large open fire that’s separated from the main bar, best suited to residents in my view, and offers space for drinks and menu consideration before dinner. Also on offer are a range of board games, prompting conversation with a couple of other residents who were clearly enjoying themselves! After a short delay we were on our way to the snug, low ceilinged dining room, with another open fire keeping the January air at bay.

Having spent a good amount of time with the menu already we didn’t need the pause offered by bread and butter to place our order so quickly got on with ordering, making sure to include the chef’s suggestions. We agreed to start with pig cheeks and scallop dishes. After another pause the starters presented themselves smartly, with the scallop making the best entrance in terms of plating. Pea puree and squid ink crisps sat in the shell with the scallop while morels blended into the slate on which it was served. Pigs cheeks came with piped on truffled mash, apple puree and an “apple caramel”, all of which filled out the plate nicely. Pigs cheeks remain a sadly underappreciated cut of meat and the classic pairing with apple worked as nicely as one would expect, the “caramel” feeling more like an indulgent sprig of crackling to give texture.

By some margin I thought the most intriguing thing on the menu was a beef cheek and haggis pithivier so that was an obvious choice alongside a bouillabaisse to make sure we were taking advantage of the local seafood. The pithivier lived up to its star billing comfortably, with the pastry remaining light to give background against which the haggis accented beef cheek could shine. Shaved truffle was maybe an embellishment that the vegetables didn’t need but the plate really was well balanced and lived up to the recommendation. The bouillabaisse on the other side of the table earned similar praise with its generous mix of white fish and shellfish under a suitably rich sauce. Dessert came in the form of a chocolate coffee mousse that, while not hitting the heights of the mains, did a good job of finishing things off. We retired for the evening happy that we’d seen the best from the restaurant.

Breakfast the following day found us back in the restaurant, noting the neat slide out toast runners on our table to give a smidge more space. We had to show a bit of restraint to make sure we could eat at the Star Inn the Harbour a few hours later but the smoked haddock and eggs Benedict would have comfortably seen us through the majority of the day.

I really enjoyed staying at the WH&G, it was a great base for winter in Whitby. It would definitely benefit from a few rough edges being smoothed off in terms of painting and detail but the price is absolutely right given the location, character and lovely public spaces. The room rate we stayed in will come to about £120, including breakfast, and dinner was another £75 per couple depending on how generous a tipper you are, both very reasonable numbers for the location and character on offer. When we left the following morning we’d warmed up enough to allow us a stroll to the edge of the harbour before needing to find further respite from the cold. I’ve not spent enough time in Whitby in the last few years, but I’m thoroughly bought round to the idea of a winter break here. Even if you’re staying somewhere else to shelter from the cold, the food here is well worth a visit in itself.

Disclaimer: My stay and dinner were complimentary for the purposes of review

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The tourist information building will be the location for The Star Inn the Harbour that will, appropriately for the location, focus on seafood. The restaurant is due to open next spring with views of Whitby Abbey and the harbour and will fulfil Mr Pern’s desire to open a restaurant in the town which which he has such close familial ties.

We very much look forward to checking it out next year but, for the moment, wish the guys all the best for the hard work that’s no doubt to come!

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