A good country pub is a joyful thing. Getting out of the city, though York is hardly a sprawling metropolis, to stretch one’s legs before enjoying a pint and a hearty meal is a basic pleasure for which there is little substitute. York boasts plenty in the way of quaint pubs, many of which have…
York might look like it’s been frozen in time when viewed from many angles, but it doesn’t take much scratching of the surface to start uncovering the ways in which the city has changed as buildings are repurposed and residents impose their personalities upon them. Buildings find themselves subjected to the whims of those changing…
There’s a lot to be said for slightly unambitious but tasty pub grub that can be knocked out relatively easily for sensible amounts of money. Sometimes the opportunity to fill up on ham egg & chips or scampi & chips with a pint on the way home from work is just the right level of…
The way that the last two years have compressed into themselves gives us a slightly odd sensation when returning to once familiar places. Strolling round Leeds at a more leisurely pace than I’ve done in a couple of years leaves a vague sense of unfamiliarity as I try to recall which of the establishments I…
A friend was recently telling me how intimidating they found cooking seafood at home, the irregularity with which they prepared it paired with a fear of ruining expensive products playing on their mind. Entirely understandable if one doesn’t have access to a reputable fishmonger. Similarly sourcing top quality seafood can be an daunting experience if…
I seldom seem to end up dining in restaurants just outside of York. I’ve done plenty in nearby cities but oddly few just a couple of miles from the centre of our wonderful city. That’s not to say though that there’s nothing on offer. So, when I was invited along to the opening of Bosun’s…
The back end of 2021 seems to have featured a disproportionate number of trips to Harrogate for me, with Hospitality Action, Golden Fork Awards and the Deliciously Yorkshire Judging and subsequent ceremony all pulling me in that direction. Another reason to make that recently familiar trip dropped into my lap recently with an invitation to…
After a bit of a pandemicy pause, I’ve finally got round to visiting London again. Most York residents are keenly aware that the capital city is just a couple of short hours down the East Coast Main Line, making it an easy regular day trip where cost allows. As life inches back toward a greater…
We Brits aren’t in the habit of getting excited about tinned fish. The only time I’ve seen any overt display is in the kind of Lisbon gift shop that has the walls lined with them, each with a vibrantly illustrated tin. In fact Iām proof of this myself, as illustrated by the fact I still…
It really doesn’t need saying again that the last 20 months have been challenging for hospitality. While the picture is looking a bit more positive as pent up demand works its way through the reservations book, we mustn’t get distracted from the need to make sure those individuals and organisations impacted by the crisis receive…