Before I became a parent I didn’t really give much, or indeed any, thought to the concept of soft play. I’d been a few times with friends who wanted to entertain kids, but the idea of an extended visit only became reality as my daughter became more ambulatory. In my experience they vary wildly in quality from the mildly grimy through to tolerable, with the food offerings similarly variable. I’ve eaten far too many soggy leftover pizzas from my daughter’s plate over the last few years. One spot that I hadn’t made it to was Agility over on Millfield lane, but a real reason to pay a visit appeared a little while back when chef Sam Willis took over the kitchen at The Shack. Previously of Skosh, Sam has serious pedigree so when he started to flex his muscles a little more in the form of themed nights I made my way over to see what was what at Agility York.
Situated on an unassuming industrial estate on the outskirts of York, the Agility York street presence is rather understandably more akin to your typical play-barn than a restaurant but once inside and in the surprisingly spacious upstairs dining area things are just as comfortable as you’d hope and well separated from the more active areas, the noise from which didn’t impinge on our meal. We quickly rattled through the Tapas menu, also ordering from the children’s menu and settled in with a cold Estrella.
First to arrive was a generous platter of Spanish meats and cheeses generously scattered with olives and cornichon that was perfect grazing while the other dishes shuffled onto the table, starting with salt cod croquettes with a saffron dip that were crisped to perfection externally and unctuous inside with plenty of cod present and a deep hit of saffron to add breadth. Albondigas came next with a rich tomato sauce and generous notes of garlic while we also grazed on bread with olive oil and balsamic, a satisfying trio that’s slunk back from its ubiquity a decade ago. Green beans sautéed with more garlic and some pumpkin seeds dropped next along with calamari rings, something that can trip up this sort of menu. No such worries from Sam though as they were blessed with a satisfying crunch, soft calamari and a powerful lemon mayo for balance. That just left patatas bravas which had been executed to the same high standard with crispy potatoes paired against a good punch of heat from the tomato sauce.
This would all have added up to a top-notch tapas meal from a specialist restaurant, let alone a single night in what’s primarily a fitness/play destination but, in truth, knowing Sam and his pedigree that’s hardly a surprise. The menu full of tapas staples was not only well put together but great value and bodes well for the future. Next up is a Greek night on 6th July; on the evidence of this, it’ll be another great evening.
