GOOD FOOD GUIDE REVIEW 2010 -
No gimmicks, just first-class food
Cooking score: 5

High praise has been flowing in for this tiny 16-cover restaurant in the shadow of the Humber Bridge near Hull. 'Fantastic flavours and textures', enthuses one reporter, 'extremely friendly and welcoming', notes another.

Even the exceptionally short menu - two starters, two mains, two puddings and cheese - fails to draw complaints. There are no pretentions or gimmicks, just first-class food and anyone feeling short-changed can actually eat through the whole menu - though in smaller portions - with the 'Taste of Everything' option.

What Richard Johns has always been good at is the kind of cooking that allows the inherent quality of ingredients to shine. The freshest fish appears in main courses such as sea bass on herb risotto; the meat alternative might be a definitive slow-cooked local pork with crackling.

This meal also saw first courses of scallops and bacon with cauliflower puree, and rose veal with foie gras veloute, both delivered with pinpoint accuracy.

There is much praise, too, for Lyndsey Johns' tirelessly warm service front-of-house. This is a classic example of the very best of small enterprise.

back < < <