The Good Food Guide’s out today, now under the auspices of Waitrose, so you should be able to pick up a copy in your local store.
Yorkshire restaurants as ever gets a good show with more than 65 entries and top marks going to the Yorke Arms at Ramsgill, the Box Tree at Ilkley and Van Zeller’s in Harrogate with an impressive 6/10. The Burlington at Devonshire Arms comes in a touch lower at 5/10 presumably because new chef Adam Smith is still finding his feet.
Other 5’s include the Fox and Hounds at Goldsborough, the Star Inn at Harome, Samuel’s at Swinton Park, Vennell’s in Masham, the Pipe & Glass at South Dalton, and Le Langhe and Melton’s both in York.
Congratulations to all the new entries: The Buck Inn at Maunby, the Broadfield Ale House in Sheffield, the Grapes at Slingsby, the Park at Sutton on Forest where Adam Jackson popped up after serving time at the Black Swan at Oldstead and York’s big new opening, the Star Inn the City. Special congratulations to the Spiced Pear at Holmfirth where Tim Bilton and his team also picked up the Readers’ Restaurant of the Year award for the north east.
If you think these scores sound on the low side, think again. Only three restaurants in this year’s guide scored a perfect 10/10 L’Enclume, The Fat Duck and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. Four restaurants score 9/10 and a handful 8/10 and 7/10.
A score of 6/10 according to the Guide means: ‘exemplary cooking skills, innovative ideas, impeccable ingredients and an element of excitement’.
While 5/10 means: ‘exact cooking techniques and a degree of ambition; showing balance and depth of flavour in dishes’.
So if you agree or disagree with these entries and their scores, have found somewhere good or better, let them know. The GFG hold great store by readers’ responses. To do so, log on to www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk, and tell them what you think. But make sure you tell us first.