Malmaison

(ad – pr) Since it opened I’ve made a number of trips to the Malmaison in the centre of York which is housed in a former insurance office that for so many years was a beacon of mundanity and grey. I can attest to that being the case on the basis of having worked there…

Neverland at Castle Howard

In the headlong rush toward Christmas it can be tricky to fit in all the experiences one wants to give a family. Between seeking out Santa, picking out and decorating a tree, writing and planning a menu in great detail (just me…?), finding shelves for elves, extracting Christmas lists from children (and adults come to…

LNER Centenary

I’m quite open that running this site affords me plenty of opportunities to eat out, which I regard as a huge privilege, but that doesn’t mean I’m not always on the look out for opportunities to enjoy meals out that don’t just fortuitously drop into my lap. I’m certainly not averse to spending my own…

Batanga

I can’t remember the last time we had a good Mexican restaurant in York. I recall Fiesta Mexicana being decent, though tailing off in its latter Fiesta Latina incarnation in latter years. Mexicano can be found on Blake St but there’s not been any restaurant to speak of recently, until now. Batanga York appeared seemingly…

William’s Den

(ad – pr visit) Since Baby Fork joined us in 2018, I’ve become a lot more familiar with the concept of soft-play than I ever previously thought I would. As she’s grown, I’ve encountered more and more of these garish, cushioned, overwhelmingly noisy and generally not relaxing establishments and have come to the realisation that,…

Tasca Frango

Isn’t it wonderful when you get to see nice people come up with a good concept and product that’s rewarded with success? Spark has been the platform for a number of businesses in York, food and otherwise, to move from its safe confines out to brick and mortar premises and the latest among this number…

A new start for Forage

(ad – pr visit) It’s fair to say that Forage York has had a bit of a bumpy ride recently. After working hard to establish a reputation for good food and show-stopping cocktails in their bar, restaurant and hidden speakeasy, the team were hit with a sudden closure that, quite understandably, gained traction in the…