Tommy Banks has quite the reputation in these parts, with a reputation that shows no sign of losing momentum any time soon. Way back in 2016 he made a starring appearance on Great British Menu, leading me to book into The Black Swan at Oldstead in the middle of an episode before the waiting list got out of hand. I also leapt at the opportunity to book a meal at House of Tides in Newcastle at which Tommy was joined by his GBM contemporaries Josh Overington and Danny Parker to cook dishes from the competition, and I have been lucky enough to eat at Roots a few times, most recently just before it was awarded its Michelin Star. Things show no sign of letting up, with Tommy and his business partners recently announcing the aspiration to build a portfolio of pubs, presumably inspired to some degree by the success of The Abbey Inn Byland, which I called into recently for lunch.
I’ve got to admit to being late to the party on this one as The Abbey Inn Byland has been open a while and I’ve heard a number of extremely favourable views that should have got me out there sooner. Better late than never though! The pub stands in the shadow of Byland Abbey which makes the tables outside the front one of the prettiest places in the region to enjoy a pint. Inside there’s a flagstone floor and a few different rooms to dine in, with some bar space too, though this looked a little limited, which is understandable in what’s likely a food destination for most customers. We were furnished with drinks and menus and seated in an open dining room along with a number of families who had dogs dining with them – a bonus as far as I’m concerned! It should go without saying that the emphasis here is on produce from the Banks Family farm with accents of seasonality and regionality. From the half dozen starters, we pounced upon beef tartare and smoked cods roe, with a fruity spritzer and a beer to accompany. Timothy Taylor’s Landlord might not be the world’s most exciting beer but it has proper Yorkshire credentials at least and was pleasant enough to sip on while we people-watched in anticipation of our food.
I’m an absolute sucker for a tartare and this was up with the best of them; uniformly diced beef with a deep, rich flavour further emboldened by smoked bone marrow and a hint of lovage and a couple of crisp crackers for texture and presentation. On the other side of the table, smoked cod roe was joined by a dill emulsion in being daubed around a trio of hash browns to make for a striking presentation with a topping of pickled cucumber accented by a frond of dill. All the punchy flavours you’d hope for were here with the gentle smoked roe brought to life by the pickled and herbal elements and the richly indulgent hash browns underpinning things nicely.
Mains were headlined by venison and pork, with the venison joined on the plate by a venison faggot and a spear of asparagus and new potatoes served on the side. Perfectly cooked and with the asparagus to keep things fresh, this was a well put together plate and the faggot really elevated things with boldly meaty notes and a hint of offal-metalicness. The pork came with pointed cabbage dressed generously with black garlic that did a great job of pairing with the meat. The meat needed the fat on it rendering a touch more, but was otherwise perfectly cooked.
By this point, we were too well fed to contemplate dessert so made tracks back to York feeling well-indulged and contemplating a repeat visit. This time we’d consciously gone for more restaurant style dishes but I’m very much looking forward to trying out the burger as well as sausage and mash to see what they can do with quality produce cooked well. The Abbey Inn Byland is an excellent addition to the Banks family empire which is complemented with values of sustainability, quality, attention to detail and a more relaxed vibe than its Michelin-starred siblings, which may be more appealing to some. If this is the template on which further pubs in the group will be based, then they are likely to find a bright future and willing audience.
