Harvilles Restaurant Review

A glance at the menu at Harvilles Restaurant is enough to stop passers-by in their tracks.

Nestling within York's fine-dining heartland, this swanky seafood and steak specialist boasts dishes with price tags soaring as high as £225 (which buys a 30g portion of Royle Beluga caviar with a shot of Belvedere Vodka and savoury biscuits).

But don't be put off by such princely sums. At the other end of the spectrum, a battered haddock with chips and mushy peas will set you back £11.95. And there is a range of Aberdeen Angus steaks of varying cuts and weight to tantalise the taste buds in between.

As it was my birthday, I decided to live it up and booked a table for two last Saturday evening.

On our arrival, we were led up a spiral staircase to the new Art Deco-styled cocktail lounge where we sank into deep brown and tan leather armchairs.

We snacked on olives and smoky almonds which had a bitter aftertaste as we perused the drinks menu, spotting a £5,000 Diamond Martini.

Moving swiftly on, my husband Gary settled on the Vesper Martini (£7.95) which was straight from Casino Royale: Lillet Blanc vermouth shaken with Plymouth gin and Belvedere vodka, delivered with a citrus twist. Very James Bond. Very potent too, but Gary happily sipped away.

I was tempted by the white chocolate and raspberry upside-down Aussie Cheesecake Martini with Belvedere vodka, raspberries, mascarpone cheese and a biscuit layer.

However, I chose the Rambling Rose (£7.95) which was created exclusively for Harvilles, with a cunning plan to save the cheesecake for dessert. It was a refreshing blend of strawberries, rose-infused Plymouth gin, rosewater and sugar syrup, with a crisp, clean taste.

Back downstairs, our attentive waitress brought canapés of butternut squash soup in shot glasses while we waited for our meal. It was a pleasant surprise, and the soup was tasty with a hint of coconut. It was a delicious promise of what was to come.

As oyster novices we sought advice before our starters on "oyster etiquette" - when to eat them and how. Gary's natural oyster on ice (£1.55 for a single) came in an open shell, on ice.

He drizzled it with Tabasco sauce before knocking it back in one smooth go. Easy done, and he looked relatively unscathed.

I chose griller oyster with herb breadcrumbs (£1.65) which sounded more appetising but, as I realised afterwards, the coating made the otherwise slippery oyster more difficult to swallow.

I doused mine in a sweet caramelised onion sauce, but this failed to disguise the sea-salty aftertaste. I was proud to say I'd done the deed - but never again.

A large sip of Calendar Girls syrah wine (£15.95 a bottle) helped, and we agreed that oysters were like Marmite - you either love or loathe them.

For a starter, Gary chose queen scallops (£6.65) which were lovely and soft, and full of flavour, swimming in a tasty bacon and tarragon butter sauce in an open shell.

I chose Whitby crab which was finely shredded and served cold with chopped tomatoes and spring onion on little gem leaves (£6.95). It had a clean, fresh taste, with the sweetness of the tomatoes and wedges of lemon complimenting the strong crab flavour.

Gary ordered a 12oz rump steak (£18.95), which was marked with five stars on the menu, along with chips (£2.25) and salad (£2.25) for his main course.

His medium-cooked steak was cut thick to retain the flavour and chargrilled, so it was well done on the outside and pink on the inside. It was well seasoned with salt, pepper and butter, and he declared it incredibly tender and the best steak he had ever had.

The chips were chunky, fluffy with a crispy coating while the mixed salad portion was disappointingly small but fresh, with a light dressing and scattered with pine nuts which added a nice texture.

I chose Harvilles fish trio - salmon, halibut and red snapper - in a white wine and prawn sauce (£18.95) from the specials board, which came with a herb mash, kale and sugar snaps.

I asked for the snapper to be cooked slightly longer, which was no trouble, and the piping hot dish which came back looked like a completely fresh serving (although I recognised my piece of snapper from where I'd cut into it).

The halibut and salmon were succulent and soft, with large meaty flakes which broke away easily. The red snapper was light and tender with its own distinct flavour and there were plenty of prawns, in a delicate creamy sauce.

I really enjoyed the mash which was herby and smooth, while the sugar snaps were crunchy, and the kale added a strong flavour.

For dessert we shared posset (£4.75), made with cream, sugar and fruit - in this case, raspberry and apricot - after being advised it was the lightest of a heavy-sounding selection.

It was far from light, but its creaminess was incredibly more-ish. It came with a chocolate twirl, fresh raspberries, and orange-infused shortbread biscuits which were still warm, tangy, and perfect for dipping. Chocolate pralines - like everything, they were made on the premises - came with the bill to soften the blow: it was close to £100.

Gary's mantra of the moment is that you get what you pay for. And, although I hate to admit he is right, it is certainly true with Harvilles. I didn't have space for the Aussie Cheesecake Martini - but there's always next time.
 
Nadia Jefferson-Brown

March 22, 2008
The Press