Restaurants and stuff

It depends how much you want to spend really and how formal you'd like it. I can recommend the Game *@?$ Inn at Austwick in the Dales. The menu is standard pub fare in the main but the chef Eric is French and there are a number of French specialties on the menu. You need to order the duck confit parmentier in advance.
I am not sure why Bantamtalk is censoring the name of this pub. It is The Game Male Chicken at Austwick.

 

We have booked lunch at the Tempest Arms. It is near The Bull. Thank you for all your suggestions. I will let you know how it goes. Phil’s barber recommended it.

 

Yes.

 

We went to the Box Tree early last year. I didn’t rate it at all, I’m afraid. The A La Carte menu has gone - just a multi-course tasting menu at £90 a head without wine pairing, which I found very underwhelming. Atmosphere was stuffy and over formal and the sommelier loudly delivered annoying long-winded lectures to the adjacent table with the wine pairing. I wouldn’t go back in a hurry.

 

That's my stance from now on. We treated ourselves to an overnight stay at L'Enclume in the new year. All fantastic, but the wine matches felt a bit tight-fisted when what I really wanted was a decent swig of summat.

 

We've swerved for a few years now due to reviews, mainly. I hope the new chef adds a bit of spark.

 

Doesn't mean owt to a lot of folk, granted, but Restaurant Myse up in Hovingham - and my favourite meal last year - got a Michelin star last week.

A blow-out, absolutely, but worth it for me.

While I'm here, I see Rick Stein went to Bundobust on his latest series roaming the UK. A shame that despite it being Bradford-owned I imagine there'd be little point in them opening in their hometown city.

Also while I'm here, it's fashionable (and understandable in many respects) to turn yer nose up at Brewdog, but we recently found ourselves in the Bradford spot (the BD BD perhaps?) and shared a more than serviceable bit of scran. Kitchen run by Red's True BBQ I believe.

 

Nusret shawarma on Saturday. Chicken shawarma and can of pop. 7 quid. Banging. You can shove yer Michelin star up Gregg Wallaces arsehole.

 

Only been to Bundobust once and they did my head in. There were 4 of us and never been before, so we thought we would order whatever they call their selection for 4 people, and then add some bits and pieces. Several of the dishes in the selection for 4 only had 3 pieces! Like for example, 3 bhajis. When one of the guys asked if everything was ok, I said the food was fine but why is there only 3 Bhajis etc. He answer was "because there's 3 in a portion". I said but it's a meal for 4. Anyway he just didn't get it so I gave up and haven't been back.

 

A fizzy aperitif.

 

I'm not sure that some of these recommendations are too practical for me and my other half.
We like a drink with our meals, so most of these out in the sticks restaurants would involve a night's stay (if available) or a very long taxi ride there and home, which will cost as much as the meal.
I suppose an alcohol free trip is the answer, but that ain't gonna happen.
Napoleons it is then, excellent value and not being a food snob it will do for me.
The Corn Dolly being 100 yards away is an added bonus.

 

Is the box tree still going we have had some lovely meals there over the years

 

I don't think it's being a "food snob" to enjoy a "nice" restaurant, but I agree a decent meal doesn't have to cost the earth, and the atmosphere/not having to cook/set the table/wash up is all part of it. Equally not all chains are bad and not all indepenents are good.

I enjoy eating at places where there's a bit of technique and creativity on show, and am forunate to have got a bit of work out of this, but I'm also a sucker for a sarnie in a market caff or a pizza at the family friendly Italian.

It's the mid-market nothingness that irks me; the microwaved main course at 20 quid.

Anyway, re Napoleons - several people have talked about how good it is over the years. I also think the Midland and the Victoria hotels have loads of potential to offer up something decent.

 

A new French restaurant opened in Horsforth this week, Bavette. It was only a small menu but very well done and not silly money. Some of the wines are produced by the French co-owner's family. It's only been open since Wednesday but was full on Saturday and already has a great buzz about the place. I think it will soon gather a big following locally.

 

It is. But it was terrible when I went last March. Overpriced; average food; tiny portions (even for a tasting menu); no a La carte menu; very stuffy ambience; pompous, loud sommelier who bored on forever about the wine pairings.
Someone said they have a new chef but I don’t know if that’s before or since I last went. I’d want to know that it’s very different before I’d spend any more money there.