Yorkshire Life lunch

Fossgate was once York's Bermuda triangle. Restaurants came then disappeared without trace, never to be seen or heard of again. But all that has changed now and the street looks set to become the city's culinary epicentre.

The newest kid on this block is Harvilles Restaurant, Champagne and Oyster Bar. lts slick, art deco interior is ceftainly eyecatching, as is the menu which states that this is one of the finest restaurants in the city. A bold statement indeed.
 
It also proclaims that the secret to fine dining is to take the best quality beef and fish available and cook it simply. Very simply, Well, it's not a secret to any good chef, which is why I'm surprised so few follow it, but does Harvilles?

Each course at our lunch came from Harvilles Express lunch menu, which at £7.95 is one of the best value quality meals in York. The only exceptions were the Deutz Champagne and moreish canapés served on arrival, which were a special addition for us.

Lunch started with a crusty ficelle of olive oil bread and tiny pots of butter, quickly followed by a starter of potted salmon and tartare, which arrived looking very smart on a grey slate tile.

It was a long time since I had had this underrated dish and it was lovely to see it revived. Juicy flakes of succulent, creamy salmon spread easily on to the chunks of granary toast, with the sharpness and crunch of the capers and onions in the tartare tantalisino the taste buds.

Wine for a dish of this complexity was a tough call for any expert, but Francois Morillon of Pagendam Pratt knows his stuff. He served a bold ltalian white made from Vermentino, Viognier and Verdicchio grapes, three tough cookies well able to stand up to the dish.

The main course was simple and direct: an unadorned 8oz Aberdeen Anous steak with confit of shallots on the side. The searing on the steak produced a caramel-flavoured gloss and my fork pierced the meat as if it was a pudding.

The steak wasn't the only delicious item served though. A frighteningly good bowl of fat, golden chips and a creamy sauce had me breathless with pleasure.

A dark, cherry red, rich Rioja from Vina Salceda, with its well-developed bouquet and spicy, complex aftertaste, was a perfect wine for the steak.

Could the pudding deliver the same gasps of appreciation? Not quite The orange bread and butter pudding was well-executed and bursting with syrupy orange, but was overpowered by the heavy spicing, as was the delicate, gently sparkling Moscato d'Asti wine. Not that this spoilt the lunch.

Chef Jonny Davison showed a sound appreciation of good ingredients The staff looking after us were excellent, showing what felt like genuine friendliness and enthusiasm. All in all an extremely enjoyable lunch.

January 2, 2008
Yorkshire Life