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The Black Swan

North Yorkshire, Oldstead - Modern British - Restaurant with rooms - ££££

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Very Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Very Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

Tommy Banks has covered a lot of ground over the years. You may have seen him on TV, winning Great British Menu in 2016 or as a regular on Saturday Kitchen; you might even have received his cookbook as a Christmas present. The chef made his name here, at his family’s charming, picturesque stone-built pub with rooms set within the glorious North York Moors National Park. Upstairs, three dining areas neatly accommodate both traditional charms and contemporary expectations, while the kitchen brigade has the fabulous bounty of a two-acre garden at its disposal. Although enthusiasm can sometimes outstrip technique, ideas are interesting and ingredients are used imaginatively on the 11-course tasting menu. Things get off to a flying start with some fabulous little snacks: a venison tartare with blue-cheese foam and fermented mushroom dust; a delicate waffle filled with pea purée topped with freshly picked petits pois, tiny vetch flowers and a sharp but fragrant elderflower vineg...

Tommy Banks has covered a lot of ground over the years. You may have seen him on TV, winning Great British Menu in 2016 or as a regular on Saturday Kitchen; you might even have received his cookbook as a Christmas present. The chef made his name here, at his family’s charming, picturesque stone-built pub with rooms set within the glorious North York Moors National Park. Upstairs, three dining areas neatly accommodate both traditional charms and contemporary expectations, while the kitchen brigade has the fabulous bounty of a two-acre garden at its disposal. Although enthusiasm can sometimes outstrip technique, ideas are interesting and ingredients are used imaginatively on the 11-course tasting menu. Things get off to a flying start with some fabulous little snacks: a venison tartare with blue-cheese foam and fermented mushroom dust; a delicate waffle filled with pea purée topped with freshly picked petits pois, tiny vetch flowers and a sharp but fragrant elderflower vinegar gel; and finally a lobster claw and rhuboshi (salt-pickled rhubarb) topped with a hollandaise-style espuma that was ‘sharp, balanced and fun’. However, our watercress and chicken raviolo dish, its 'delicious' chicken fat and truffle jus poured over at the table, was then topped with a few shavings of truffle of the Périgord type, artificially implanted in Australia then flown over in the previous 48 hours – ‘completely at odds with the picked-this-morning-from-the-garden rhetoric’. Elsewhere, gloriously tender Herdwick lamb aged in a Himalayan salt chamber was over-seasoned, which ‘would have been OK had the jus not been intensely salty too’. Adroit execution and bags of creativity were back on show with a dessert of wood sorrel, woodruff and sweet cicely that was ‘rooted in Oldstead and transported the diner to this very specific time and place’, and ‘very bright and balanced’ petits fours included Jerusalem artichoke fudge, dark chocolate truffle with tagetes (Mexican marigold), and a mini tartlet filled with lemon-verbena curd. Service is a little light on Yorkshire wit and charm, and if you pass on one of the drinks 'packages', you are left to delve into the wine list on an iPad left at your table – ‘guidance on pairings beyond those packages would have been welcome’. Bottles start at £45.

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VENUE DETAILS

Main Street
Oldstead
North Yorkshire
YO61 4BLGB

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OTHER INFORMATION

Accommodation, Separate bar, Parking, Deposit required, Pre-payment required

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