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The Star at Harome


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That's a lovely idea--we're off there today. We got engaged after dinner at Le Bernadin--it's a bit more expensive to fly back there every year (actually with the exchange rates, it might not be..)

lucky you!

i knew i shouldn't have gloated about my trip, and not factoring in the ability of mrs marshall to change her mind, looks like i am now cooking on christmas eve instead grrrr!

gary

indeed mind has changed again, at the minute the trip is back on!

you don't win friends with salad

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  • 1 month later...

The star has been a personal favourite of mine for some time now. We got engaged after a lunch there on christmas eve, i held my stag do there (apparently) and we spent our wedding night there too! We have returned on subsequent Christmas Eve's for lunch to start the festive season rolling. This relies on A) both of us having christmas eve off and B) the goodwill of the mrs to drive me back. Neither can be taken for granted.

The week leading up to christmas was a frought one for one who thinks through his stomach like me as the date was on/ off and back on again, but finally it was agreed the two us would head up for an dinner then head home.

I was off on the day and spent the morning wrapping presents quite happily, looking forward to my dinner. Then the mrs came home. I', not quite sure what i did. Breathed the wrong way? Left fingerprints on the doorframe? Anyway my hideous behaviour left no room for manouvre 'That's it, i want a divorce'. said she. I was very concerned now. What was i going to eat? In my caring considerate manner the situation was resolved. ' Go to bed and have a nap' . Said nap worked its magic and before long we were heading up to the star, phew!

To ensure we got a table we were forced into the unthinkable, arriving at the star at 6.20pm and waiting for them to open, otherwise it could have been a long wait. There were a few others waiting but with my six foot 14 stone bulk, granny stood no chance of beating me though the door .haha!

Once safely ensconed at my required table (the two next to the bar and toilet, near the fire) -remember, never a favourite restaurant, always a table! we could get on with the business of ordering For me i had a saute of autumnal wild mushrooms, with deep fried goats cheese wilted baby spinach and nutmeg cream. It came as a giant mushrooms on toast with a generous portion of the wild mushrooms, the cheese didn;t massively add to it but hey, deep fried cheese, who's complaining?

Mrs Marshall thinking of the exertions of Christmas Day declined starter and went fishy for main course, i can't remember her dish exactly- hopefully she'll call before i finish writing this! My main was a first for me at the star, a truffled chicken breast. I don't ever recall seeing chicken on their menu. This was a sizable breast no doubt from 'loose birds' a free range chicken farm in harome liberally stuffed with truffles under the skin and also in the accompanying gravy. There will no doubt have been some other bits and pieces but i forget and i don't take notes. Suffice to say it was very good not unlike the classic ivy poulet des landes, but better. The sauce more refined than the overly veal stocked ivy version.

Obviously i was way too full for desert, but not for the montgomery cheddar rarebit with bacon! To be fair it was sheer greediness and probably a bridge too far but a delicious elysium black muscat helped it down. The rarebit was properly done and slightly souffled on a big chunk of brioche from memory.

we also had a bottle of gruner veltliner with the main courses which i find is a good general food match and was not silly money at about £25 i think.

One thing i really like about the star is i can find virtually nothing to complain about/think they could do it better. It is an extremely tightly run ship with attention to detail in all areas. An example. Many pubs over winter were selling mulled wine out of vac pacs running through a heater on the bar. At the star there is a stainless sauce pan with red wine and clearly identifable spices gently heating on the open fire.

We retired to my local for a few more christmas pints, a most enjoyable christmas eve!

However it was not our only trip to the star over the period, Knowing that they close for a several weeks in January i had to get my fix so we were back one sunday, before they shut for their hols.

This time sarah had the sauteed mushrooms and i had another new dish to me, Risotto of braised oxtail with dark beer, root vegetables and fresh horseradish baked thyme tuile. pickled shallot salad. Now this was a great dish i assume they made the risotto with the braising liquid for the oxtail. it was almost the essence of winter, dark and brooding but unlike winter, exceptionally warming! the thyme tuile was very good and the shallot salad in a dinky pot a livening dish.

We were both a bit dull for the main courses, a roast loin of pork for me and roast beef for sarah. To give it the full kudos 'roast sirloin of village reared beef (med-rare) with yorkshire pudding, confit root veg horseradish, onion gravy', and 'roast loin of helmsley reared pork with 'boudin noir' raisin forcemeat, stewed fruit compote sage and cider juices', they did as they say on the tin/menu.

It seemed a shame not to have the selection of star deserts in minature, so we did, likewise, rude not to have some more black muscat, so i did! Wine with the mains was a very drinkable rioja £20 something i think.

coffee and excellent homemade fudge and choc truffles finished us off and thankfully they re-open soon!

Edited by Gary Marshall (log)

you don't win friends with salad

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  • 5 months later...

wandered onto their website and found this:

"The Star Inn is to be featured in an ITV programme 'Hot Hotels' to start on Tuesday 28th June 2005 at 7.30pm for 30 minutes. The series comprises of 6 programmes each featuring a Northern hotel - The Star has been saved until the last episode on Tuesday 2nd August.

Don't miss it!"

rather annoyingly it only seems to be on Tyne Tees TV whereas I get Yorkshire .... will have to try and prod one of my northern friends into recording it for me ...

Yin

X

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  • 1 year later...

We enjoyed a genuinely excellent late lunch at the Star last Sunday as a beautiful Autumn day faded into a crisp and clear night for Bonfires and Fireworks. As I'm sure others have, we left thinking how pleasant it would be if only more pubs were like The Star at Harome...

So the good news for those in East Yorkshire is that The Pipe and Glass in South Dalton, nested just North of Beverley amidst the rolling Yorkshire Wolds, is starting to shape up nicely within these fine-traditions. The chef-proprietor is James MacKenzie, formerly sous- and head-chef at the Star. After three visits, I'd say the starters and mains are a little less complex than the Star's, but nevertheless deliver good quality in substantial portions. The menu is also more extensive than (the smaller) Star's, and there's normally one of two clearly-labelled 'pub-classics' such as 'Proper Prawn cocktail' on offer (although I've not tried these yet). The local provenance of most produce is noted clearly, and seems to be celebrated by the chef. There's a longer wine list than you might expect, and while the dessert choices aren't as extensive as the earlier courses, they nevertheless stand up well against gastropub fare. I should note that MacKenzie has been at pains in the local press to distance himself from the 'Gastropub' label and the baggage it entails. In his words, if I recall, he wants this to remain a local pub that happens to do good food for a bite after work, or for more special occassions.

Whether or not the market positions The Pipe and Glass as a gastropub regardless of all this remains to be seen. Anyway, the place boasts several advantages that might help it span all these constituencies. It enjoys a idyllic location down a country lane and is very nicely set out within. There's a sizeable bar, a comfy lounge and two very spacious dining rooms with big solid tables, big chairs and plenty of room all around. There's also a huge conservatory with a splendid table for c. 14-16 flanked by two long pews. Meanwhile an embryonic deli is taking shape in one lobby. On my visits, the service was well-drilled throughout.

So, get there while it's new (c. 6 months old at the moment); there's already a 5-6 week waiting list for weekend evenings. And finally, my apologies for this slight detour from the theme of this thread. Let me redeem myself by saying this is further evidence that it's no longer grim up North...

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We enjoyed a genuinely excellent late lunch at the Star last Sunday as a beautiful Autumn day faded into a crisp and clear night for Bonfires and Fireworks.  As I'm sure others have, we left thinking how pleasant it would be if only more pubs were like The Star at Harome...

ahem

i think you'll find a very welcoming hostelry not a million miles away from the star, what is the name again? :laugh:

really must go and say hello to james & kate at the pipe soon, been threatening a visit since day one!

star really is a one-off though it does tick all the boxes you need in a country pub.

you don't win friends with salad

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  • 1 year later...

Helmsley fast becoming the new Torquay/Ludlow, with Andrew Burton, late of Swinton Park (which deserved a star for its Samuel's restuarant), moving to the Black Swan. Menus look good, haven't had a chance to go yet. Apparently the clientele is still rather aged and country though.

Not quite sure how Burton is still going to be on the Schrager TV programme as the schtick is he's head at Swinton, but apparently that's still the plan. Swinton, meanwhile, is suffering. THe food is great, but the service on a recent visit was dreadful. Seemed like only a handful of people were in the kitchen.

It no longer exists, but it was lovely.

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  • 2 months later...

Made a long overdue return to the star over Easter, it never fell off the list of favourites it just relies on Mrs M to drive me there and her willingless to drive is more capricious than my interest in dining there shall we say!

It was Saturday Lunchtime and the bar was busy, which is not unusual and i'm quite happy to have a pint or two before lunch, as i'm trying to lure myself off the amber nectar at lunctime i took the bar manager elliot's suggestion of a pint of eggscellent from a nearby micro brewery which was very good (though despite my new interest in real ale i have only sampled about 5 so far).

As per, there's a short ALC menu and a longer specials, usually quite fish oriented. On the drive up i was thinking 'must not have risotto, must try something different' but on the menu was risotto of home grown wild garlic with baked doddingtons cheese 'wafers' and crispy waberthwaite ham. So i had it, and quite marvellous it was too, kermit green and seasoned within an inch, no centimetre of its life, salty, ricey, garlicy, cheesey perfection It was to paraphrase my hero 'historic'. My Driver (as i'm in winner mode) had a local marinaded goats cheese salad the exact details escape as i was far too content with my own but it too was pronounced a winner (no pun etc)

For mains i was struggling between a variety of fish courses, but in the end we both had the Halibut with montgomery's cheddar rarebit topping, some saldady leaves and a pancetta vinaigrette, i immediately went for a taste of the rarebit, eeh, it were good, as southerners imagine we say. Fish was spot on and decent chunks of pancetta enlivened the greenery.

Although we were certainly at no risk of starvation for a few weeks, we went rapidly from no dessert to one assiette of desserts and a dessert. The assiette for me naturellement, lots of goodies that i have of course forgotten but certainly incuded an earl grey burnt cream.

Wine was a giradin st aubin 04 about £32 which wasn't too bad either, the wine list is more comprehensive of late and has a few more drinkable bottles at more reasonable prices than before, with a lot available by the glass, which reminds me i had a glass of riesling with my puds too.

so all in all despite many visits to the star over the years i would rate this as one of the best meals i've ever had there. I've had loads of risotto there and i'm sure i've had the fish and rarebit combo before too but never as spot on as it was that day, despite its star they do a lot of covers (83 the friday night before) and sometimes a little finesse is lost, but not this time. There are lots of places who try to imitiate and capture what they do (ourselves included when we had the pub) and you think you've got there but when you do return to the star you realise they have just pushed the bar higher.

Andrew & Jaquie aren't known for their inactivity and this years events incude extending the kitchen and their kitchen garden and livestock raising abilities. Pretty soon it will be a small farm with a restaurant attached! Also Andrews book is out in May entitled 'Foie gras and black pudding' which will certainly be in my bookcase on publication.

Edited by Gary Marshall (log)

you don't win friends with salad

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We're back there for two nights in May, in the lovely room five (the one with the pool table). Last visit included a starter featuring dill vodka, scrambled egg and potted shrimps. It was the best thing I've eaten/drunk this century. Raving about it for days I was...Wasn't so sure about the cheesy fish.

Mrs W wanted to nick the egg holders, but I didn't let her. She whipped me at pool instead.

It no longer exists, but it was lovely.

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Wasn't so sure about the cheesy fish.

I couldn't make my mind up about the fish'n'cheese dish either - I think I wanted to like it more than I actually did! We were there two weeks ago for a very enjoyable dinner, and Gary's right - I think they have nudged their standards still higher over this last year.

Edited by Kropotkin (log)
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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
first glimpse of the book....

http://www.blackpuddingandfoiegras.co.uk/

no point in troubling the postman with a heavy package when i can pop up and pick it up myself , oh and maybe a spot of lunch too?

Indeed i followed my own advice and took advantage of a day out for lunch last wednesday and picked up the book.

firstly lunch was very pleasant i had the risotto again which wasn't quite as perfect as last time but still very unctous and enjoyable, to follow i had a very seasonal sea trout , asparagus, chervil hollandaise combo whilst sarah had i think halibut with a crab crust and marinated tomato and basil salad. One point to note the menu is very fish/seafood heavy at the moment with nary a meat dish on the specials and only a couple on the menu from memory. I demurred over the usual assiette of desserts and instead had a banana 'tarte tatin' with pontefract cake ice cream (it was the ice cream that did it) tarte tatin was fine but think i would have preferred the assiette, which i've had 99% of the times i've been so quite why i deviated from the path of rightousness (sp) i have no idea.

anyway the book looks great with its brown suede cover and is quite a chunky beast, a good couple of inches thick. It's an interesting read and the nearest comparison is paul heathcote's rhubard and black pudding in terms of it talks a lot about the background of the restaurant, the suppliers, seasonal menus etc, it's a good book and has some excellent quirky photography that does a good job of conveying the attractions of the star.

you don't win friends with salad

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well there's certainly none of that sous vide nonsense!

it's bourgeois country cooking so there's not a lot in the way of new techniques, lots of the dishes are re-interpretations of french classics but done with local english produce, signature dishes are the likes of the aforementioned seared foie and black pudding or scallops with bloody mary dressing. it is very produce based so there's a lot on their suppliers etc. To be honest i've read the text but not gone through the recipes with a fine tooth comb, though i have spotted a couple of wintery dishes that i've somehow missed that i want to try when the time is right.

you don't win friends with salad

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i would expect it is made at their recently acquired butcher's shop in helmsley but i'm not sure. When we had our place our butcher made it for us to our recipe- and bloody good it was too with sweetbreads in it.

you don't win friends with salad

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  • 6 months later...

Another trip to the star on friday night, it's become my favourite place to go now it's cold and miserable, it never fails to lift my spirits. so we've had a few visits recently and no doubt i'll be up on christmas eve as per usual too.

fridays meal was a return to a signature dish of theirs, black pudding and foie gras. i had it years ago and thought it ok but not spellbinding, but a another portion of it at the taste of leeds back in summer refreshed my memory as to how good it was and it was good again on friday, a nice chunk of Fg sandwiched between black pudding with a bruleed slice of apple atop. good stuff.

for main i had a 'posh' ham and pheasant pie with sherried cream, as well as probably being the worlds most expensive pie at £18 it was luckily one of the nicest, a with some good pastry skills being exhibited in the lid and a lovely grain mustardy/sherried cream sauce. It was great but it also put paid to any thoughts of dessert, probably the first time in over 30 visits that i've not had the star desserts in minature.

as i was in pie mode i didn't bother with wine (!) and instead stuck to several pints of nick hambleton's christmas ale, which was superb.

We also had a nose around the 'new' restaurant which is where the old kitchen used to be, and it looks superb, rather than try to fake antiquity in the new part, they've gone for a total contrast, think plush parisian bistro, huge red banquettes, expensive chairs and zinc topped bar, it might not sound right but trust me, it looks the dogs bits.

The new kitchen is massive, about the size of claridges' and the chefs table is very cool, it's not in the main kitchen per se, it's just off to the right but has it's own cooking station in there with a very dinky mini range (i want one) and rottisserie, only drawback is it's a minimum £800 spend for up to 8.

i'm looking forward to christmas eve already.....

you don't win friends with salad

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Just a thought, but why does a pub really need a chefs table? I know its the Star Inn, but Im still struggling with the concept, in view of the refined but rustic nature of the place. Just hope the Star isn't going to lose that real genuine feel that has always made it such a grand place to go.

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Just a thought, but why does a pub really need a chefs table? I know its the Star Inn, but Im still struggling with the concept, in view of the refined but rustic nature of the place. Just hope the Star isn't going to lose that real genuine feel that has always made it such a grand place to go.

more a function of the fact they have a customer base that will spring £800 + for a table so if it's there.....

this could also be the start of the push for 2*, the new room is well up to that standard.

you don't win friends with salad

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Interesting point on the 2 star front. This is where I feel there is a very fine line. When does a place like the Star stop being a pub of sorts and instead a full blown, fancy pants restaurant? My own thoughts on the 2 star ambition is that it may be the worst thing they could do, for obvious reasons. I honestly hope they don't piss about with their format too much, as at the moment they are on a winner.I suppose time will tell.

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for main i had a 'posh' ham and pheasant pie with sherried cream, as well as probably being the worlds most expensive pie at £18 it was luckily one of the nicest,

We are booked in over Christmas on our way up to Scotland and I am really looking forward to it.

We had lunch at Le Cinq in Paris on Friday and they may take the crown for the most expensive pie "Pithivier de Gibiers" is on their €85 three course menu. It was fantastic....but I am hoping the Yorkshire pie bests it...!

Any other must haves on the menu - the foie and black pudding also sounds great.

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  • 2 weeks later...

so to the star on christmas eve, we got engaged after lunch there a few years ago so there's a lesson for you, don't get carried away with the christmas spirit!

for reasons best known to myself i thought it probably wouldn't be too busy at lunchtime so rather than being there on the dot at 12 as usual, we sauntered in at 12.30 - ish, to a full bar, and a 2 table wait. No worries for me as i'd done my driving for the day but mrs m was in full 'i told you so mode' and indeed she had, hey ho, another pint of christmas star please, Elliot.....

to start for me what most would call a trio of salmon, hot house, a sort of salmon potted shrimp and smoked, a generous plateful and mrs m who of course didn't want a starter gleefully piled in too. For my main i had something i'd wanted to try ever since reading about it in the book, a braised beef shin with ale juices and horseradish risotto (though minus the seared fillet - no problem there though), it certainly lived up to the billing as a pile of unctous slow cooked beef arrived, i thought for a moment it might defeat me but of course i manfully struggled on whilst sarah made short work of her burger and skinny fries.

even though stuffed and with the festivities of christmas day to come i still managed to keep the marshall name in its rightful place by proceeding to polish off a plate of their desserts in minature.

to drink a few pints of their excellent hambleton ales 'christmas star' and a bottle of st emilion, for some reason i was on a bit of a bordeaux tack over christmas. Oddly the wine list seemed devoid of its usual descriptions but may have had an overhaul it certainly seemed as long as usual but just read as a fairly straight list with only divisions along the lines of red/white/champagnes etc which is out of character, i wouldn't be suprisied if it was an interim version and forgot to ask.

despite a <£40 bottle of wine we escaped at under £100 for two which regular readers/visitors will know that's a 'cheap' outing to the star, but as usual worth paying the extra for the certainty the star provides.

you don't win friends with salad

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so to the star on christmas eve, we got engaged after lunch there a few years ago so there's a lesson for you, don't get carried away with the christmas spirit!

You romantic bastard Marshall . That poor woman- what did she do to deserve a lifetime at the behest of your sweaty little digits? :laugh:

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