It was a hot ticket – an invitation to tonight’s opening of the Star Inn the City, York’s exciting new opening in Museum Gardens. When I first visited two weeks ago the old Water Board Engine House was a building site – concrete mixers, piles of wood and gravel, walls unpainted, curtains yet to be hung.
The Garden Room under construction
Tonight though, it was transformed into a sleek city centre restaurant. The bar, the paneled River Room and the private dining room looked customer ready.
The Garden Room completed
The timber and glass Garden Room looked stunning with its red banquettes, upholstered chairs in muted tartan and rows of your granny’s lampshades over the tables. Outside an elliptical terrace gives a stunning view of the river and looks promising for summer dining, and tonight it was the place to hang out by moonlight.
The partnership Justin Brosenitz and Andrew Pern
Andrew Pern and his business partner Justin Brosenitz have played a blinder in transforming the derelict building. Getting it from building site to restaurant for tonight’s opening is little short of miraculous.
Champagne and canapés are all very well, but the food is yet to be tested. The menu is looking good though, starting with 8am breakfast: toast and jam; granola, full English, continuing through the day until late, much in the Star Inn style with the likes of partridge risotto, winter truffled macaroni, burger with blue Wensleydale, ginger parkin with rhubarb ripple ice cream and hot spiced syrup, a Pern signature dish. There’s Jeeves and Jericho tea with those nice little Chinese teapots and wood roasted single estate coffee from York Coffee Emporium.
We’ll be reviewing it soon, meanwhile here is a selection from the menu:
Breakfast from 8am
Porridge with whisky and honey, £5
Full English £11.50
All Day Menu…11.30am-10.30pm
Snacks
Yard ‘o’ Yorkshire … homecured meats, pickles and cheeses from the lengthe and breadth of God’s Own County £11
Yorkshire pudding with ‘Two Chefs’ ale and onion gravy £6.50
York ham ‘n’ egg pie, Yorkshire relish £4.50
Getting Started…
Risotto of Harome shot red legged partridge with braised chestnut, wilted curly kale, Hawes Wensleydale £9/£17
Yorkshire rarebit with heritage beetroot ‘salad’ . Pickering watercress, roast hazelnut pest £8
‘Cassoulet of Hodgson’s of Hartlepool smoke haddock, haricot beans, herb crust £8
More Substantial…
Ripley Estate mallard breast, confit leg, citrus forcemeat, anise carrot puree, mulled brambles, ‘sauce Yorkshire’ £17
Harome shot roe deer cottage pie with thyme and celeriac mash, brussel sprouts and bacon bits £15
Winter truffled macaroni with wilted greens, chanterelle mushrooms and Hawes Wensleydale £10/£16
From the chargrill … with shallot and thyme butter, fried mushroom and plum tomato
‘Porterhouse’ sirloin on the bone £25
Barnsley chop with rosemary and kidney skewer £15
8oz burger with blue Wensleydale and onion marmalade £10
Puddings & Cheese
Ginger parkin with rhubarb ripple ice cream, hot spiced syrup £6.50
Shot of Rhubarb schnapps £3
Caramelised damson gin rice pudding, sugar’d skin, homemade hedgerow jam £6.50