The Blacksmiths Inn, Westow

[Gavin Convery]

Gary, How long from the A1 would you reckon?

I'm back up to Newcastle next week for Easter and thought I could make a detour....How are your bookings looking for Easter Monday?

Edit: Just looked at your winelist...very nice!

Edited April 6, 2006 by Gavin Convery (log)

[Gary Marshall]

On the positive side, we're not that far from the A1, take the green hammerton juntcion A59 to york then round the york ring road signposted A64 scarborough.

about 45mins depending on traffic on the ringroad.

unfortunately on the negative side, we're not open on mondays unfortunately.

[Gavin Convery]

hmm, might have to delay the return until Tuesday, but I think the schools go back then :-(

[Gary Marshall]

hmm, might have to delay the return until Tuesday, but I think the schools go back then :-(

←

guess what?

closed tuesday for food too!

we do dinner wednesday - saturday eves 6-9 pm, lunch saturday 12- 2 pm & lunch sunday 12- 3.30 pm

[YKL]

I don't have a spare weekend for ages and all this talk of roast beef is killing me!!

Gary - would it be a complete pain if I brought a veggie friend along for lunch / dinner? (we are talking May time here!) I could see soup and the hash brown on the menu - but wondered if there is usually something else?

Yin

[Bapi]

Gary - would it be a complete pain if I brought a veggie friend along for lunch / dinner?  (we are talking May time here!) I could see soup and the hash brown on the menu - but wondered if there is usually something else? 

Yin

←

Knowing Gary's fondness for salad and all thing's vegetarian- I would be intrigued.

Mmm, come to think of it - how about a vegetarian tasting menu Gary?

[YKL]

Gary - would it be a complete pain if I brought a veggie friend along for lunch / dinner?  (we are talking May time here!) I could see soup and the hash brown on the menu - but wondered if there is usually something else? 

Yin

←

Knowing Gary's fondness for salad and all thing's vegetarian- I would be intrigued.

Mmm, come to think of it - how about a vegetarian tasting menu Gary?

←

yeah - thought I'd check!! she might be ok with just chips - but that seeems mean!

[Gary Marshall]

we don't have a seperate vegetarian menu but we will make something especially. if we have notice all the better, the chefs do try and do something creative for the veggies, to my knowledge we have not yet served a goats cheese tart!

[Gavin Convery]

hmm, might have to delay the return until Tuesday, but I think the schools go back then :-(

←

guess what?

closed tuesday for food too!

we do dinner wednesday - saturday eves 6-9 pm, lunch saturday 12- 2 pm & lunch sunday 12- 3.30 pm

←

Oh, bu**er! Sorry, Gary - can't fit those times round my travelling schedule...ah well maybe a special trip called for?

[Gary Marshall]

one of my dad's favourite mottos is 'if it aint broke, don't fix it'.

so it was with some trepidation that we tried out some new beef on sunday, unfortunately our current supplier can't keep up with our demand so we're trying a few other potential suppliers.

Chef Andy had found a great supplier of dexter beef, a local farmer who feeds them on grass and dry ages the meat for 21 days. We were hopeful of being able to source some prime cuts from them but unfortunately anthony worrall-thompson got there the day before and took the lot

however we managed to get a large bone in rib of beef for sunday which Andy duly roasted. Unfortunately i didn't see the uncooked joint (i'll try and get a pic of the next one) as i was out on my bike building up an appetite, but apparently it was fattier than a normal rib, and the fat was yellow.

However when roasted the internal fat wasn't obvious and the meat itself was genuinely different in taste, i could best describe it as 'caramelised in taste but quite patently cooked rare' my accomplice-in-dining i think went for 'buttery'.

put it this way we want it as our regular cut from now on

Coupled with duck fat roasties & fresh horseradish sauce it was a very enjoyable. With some seared scallops and confit bacon to start with, montgomery's cheddar to follow and ginger parkin (i think) to finish, aided and abetted by a vat of domaine d'arlot cote de nuits village 1999, turned very rapidly into evening/ crashing out on the sofa, waking up at 4 am!

[Matthew Grant]

I'm the biggest fan of Dexter there is. Try aging it for a little longer Gary, 4 - 5 weeks brings out some excellent gamey flavours.

[Gary Marshall]

we'll keep some back next time and see what happens!

a pity that they are a little small for the steak size we like to use, only little these dexters!

[Matthew Grant]

Yep, really tiny buggers, if anybody is planning on ordering one take into account the small size of the ribs.

[Gary Marshall]

what a difference a few months make!

we've changed our menu format tonight, trying to add a few more dishes and make it a bit more accessible to the non-foodie. We now have 'simply yorkshire' & 'blacksmiths british classics' What do you think?

Gary & Sarah Welcome you to the Blacksmiths Inn!

Thursday 11th May 2006

We now offer an early bird menu Wednesday to Friday ! Selected Dishes (*) are available at £12.95 for two courses or £14.95 for three for orders taken before 7pm.

Starters

Wild Mushroom & Watercress Soup, Home Made Bread £3.95*

Hand Made Scotch Quails Egg, English Mustard Mayonnaise £5.50*

Fillet of Peppered Beef ‘Carpaccio Style’, Montgomery Cheese Shavings, £6.50

Red Onion Rings, Aged Balsamic

Beer Battered Black Pudding Fritter, Beetroot Chutney £5.50*

Seared Shetland Scallops, Crayfish Risotto, Broad Beans, Garden Peas, £8.00

Plum Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs / £15.95

Simply Yorkshire Produce

Plate of Nobles of Whitby Oak Smoked Salmon, Soda Bread £6.00 / £12.00

First of The Season Sand Hutton Asparagus, Melted Butter £6.00 / £10.00

Fletchers ‘Parma’ Style Ham, Pickles, Home Made Bread £6.00

Main Courses

Bradley's of Staxton 21 Day Aged Fillet Steak, Red Onion & Celery Salad, £19.50

Yorkshire Blue Cheese Fritter, Bacon Vinaigrette

Free Range Pork Fillet, Black Pudding, Cider Potato, Coxs & Lovage Butter £13.50

Rack of New Season Spring Lamb, Hot Pot Potatoes, Rosemary Broth £15.50

Chicken Breast, Asparagus, Girolles, Mash, Fresh Tarragon Reduction £12.50*

Poached Turbot Fillet Spring Vegetables, New Potatoes, Shellfish Juices £16.50

Blacksmiths British Classics

Bradleys of Staxton 21 Day Aged Sirloin Steak, Béarnaise Sauce, Chips £18.50

Fletchers Free Range Pork Sausages, Mash, Onion & Thyme Gravy £9.95*

Blacksmiths Salmon Fish Cakes, Lemon Cream, Chips & Salad £10.95*

All main courses are accompanied with Vegetables

Bowl of Triple Cooked Chips £1.95 Extra Vegetables £1.95

Edited May 11, 2006 by Gary Marshall (log)

[Champagne Sadie]

Do you do much fish?

It all sounds yummy - I'd struggle to choose.

When did Bearnaise become British?

Edited May 11, 2006 by Champagne Sadie (log)

[Gary Marshall]

Do you do much fish?

It all sounds yummy - I'd struggle to choose.

When did Bearnaise become British?

←

when made with yorkshire butter, thirsk eggs and tarragon from the garden

still a work in progress, we're trying to find a balance between changing the menu frequently but keeping some of the favourites on. At the moment the only dish that's always on is the steak. We happen to have some good fillet at the moment so we have two steaks on, i think we'll eventually put the sirloin back as a 'normal' main course and add more to the 'classics'. Our wild garlic chicken kievs went very well, they could be a permanent dish in summer.

the pork was looking good last night, poached in stock then grilled, very tender and we're going all 'marco' at the minute, barrel carving veg for the turbot!

[Gary Marshall]

Good News!

Just found out we are going to be in the 'Good Food Guide' 2007!

[Bapi]

Congratulations mate- that's fantastic news. Although - I have to admit yours was one place I didn't write to them about. Section on knowing the owners and all that, meant I couldn't. It's called ethics dear chap- not something that I am sure you are familar with in your other profession.

In any case - well done, you have worked hard or at least Chef and Sarah have.

[Champagne Sadie]

I have to admit yours was one place I didn't write to them about.

←

I did.

[Gary Marshall]

thanks sadie

a few more of you and a few less bapis would make this an easier job

(honestly the special service he demands on the rare occaisons he ventures out of his mansion it's a book in it's own right!)

cheers

gary

[Champagne Sadie]

thanks sadie

a few more of you and a few less bapis would make this an easier job 

(honestly the special service he demands on the rare occaisons he ventures out of his mansion it's a book in it's own right!)

cheers

gary

←

You know me and Mr. Champagne - very simple tastes.

[Bapi]

a few more of you and a few less bapis would make this an easier job 

(honestly the special service he demands on the rare occaisons he ventures out of his mansion it's a book in it's own right!)

←

That's very hurtful Gary- you said that your staff didn't mind scattering rose petals around in front of me.

But - what's this special service you talk of? Last time we were there, Slacker and I had to pour our own beer at the end of the night- because you were, er, somewhat indisposed.

Will get my arse over to Westow in late September to celebrate properly. A week in Ludlow to get through before then- so if you are imbued with a generosity of spirit at your good news and feeling generous. Feel free to to buy us a drink at "you know where" Oh look, a pig just flew past my window.

Edited September 2, 2006 by Bapi (log)

[Andy Lynes]

Good News!

Just found out we are going to be in the 'Good Food Guide' 2007!

←

Congratulations - well deserved in my opinion. Any idea of your score?

[Gary Marshall]

thanks!

don't know the score, just got a letter confirming inclusion and how to download a copy of the sticker, which now adorns our window.

book out october.

[Gary Marshall]

But - what's this special service you talk of? Last time we were there, Slacker and I had to pour our own beer at the end of the night- because you were, er, somewhat indisposed. 

←

i was just letting you fulfill your childhood fantasy of pouring your own pint!

i was allowed to be tired, i had just flown back from hols that morning!