Flying the flag for the best of British

​Roy Woodcock begins a new year of dining out by visiting York’s Churchill Hotel, recently awarded a second AA rosette for fine dining. We name it The Journal’s Restaurant of the Month for January . . .

The Churchill Hotel in Bootham, not far from York city centre

What’s in a name? Well, they don’t come any better than Churchill if you want to convey that innate Britishness. Which must be very handy in a city that thrives on tourism (particularly foreign tourists) like

York . . .

So, say the Churchill Hotel, and what do you imagine? An elegant, historic, country house-style property?

Stylish, genteel, impeccable service and with traditional British dishes taken to the ultimate level of fine dining?

At the Churchill Hotel, just off York city centre, in Bootham, you would find all of these things.

Set in its own grounds, the building is a superb example of a late Georgian mansion (it was built around 1827). Local directories of the time described it as having its own “pleasure grounds” and this must truly have been a very select address.

Later it became a “school for young ladies” and then a Government property lived in by various high-ranking officials in the war department.

One of the many distinguished visitors was the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), who stayed as a guest while visiting York in 1898. And if you, like me, want to extend your evening out with an overnight stay, the Prince of Wales Suite, complete with a period half-tester bed and huge, free-standing, copper bath is the grandest of the 32 bedrooms.

The elegant surroundings of the hotel’s restaurant

The Churchill was given a new lease of life by its current owners in 1995, who undertook extensive alterations and repairs to the building, thereby restoring it to former glories. Initially, with 14 bedrooms, a recent modern extension has increased that number to 32.

Magnificent, rounded, bay windows, a high ceiling, chandeliers and a baby grand piano set the scene in the restaurant, which was recently awarded a second AA rosette for the standard of its food – only the fourth establishment in York to receive such an accolade.

Head chef Glenn Morrill is passionate about “proper” British food and sources the best produce from small independent producers, rare breeds farmers, specialist fishermen and artisan producers to ensure meals of the highest quality. The menu is kept relatively tight (eight choices per course on the night we dined), which to my mind is always a good sign that the kitchen is determined to deliver dishes that are spot on.

To start, I enjoyed rolled loin of rabbit, served with a root vegetable and grain mustard dressing, with pistachio crumbs and a crispy rabbit “lollipop” (lollipop-shaped meat on a stick basically!)

Chris, meanwhile, had a confit duck leg ravioli with butternut squash, confit onions and roast hazelnut, while other choices included a Whitby crab and crayfish cocktail with marinated fennel and sourdough wafers; breasts of wood pigeon with sauteed wild mushroom, wilted spinach and celeriac puree; warm Blackstick’s Blue cheesecake with olives, baby basil and beetroot puree; and home-smoked halibut with porcini mushroom and chestnut risotto.

My main course was the real high spot of the night – pan-fried seabass with seared scallops, a crab and scallion risotto and garlic foam. Firm, sweet-tasting flesh, a deliciously thin and crispy skin and a melt-in-the-mouth quality that was just divine; that sums up this perfectly cooked bass; the added fishy bits of scallops and crab risotto took it to an even higher level.

Chris also enthused about her roasted rump of Yorkshire lamb with sauteed sweet potatoes, aubergine cannelloni, pancetta and pine nuts; while other main course options included local rare breed belly pork with a black pudding boudin, roast parsnips and an apple jus; an east coast fillet of hake in Parma ham with fresh tagliatelle, wild mushroom and a leek and mussel cream.

Puddings maintained the high standard of what had gone earlier – my egg custard tart with a plum compote and nutmeg ice-cream being outstanding; as were caramelised Granny Smith applies with shortbread and Yorkshire honey ice-cream. Other choices included poached autumn fruits served in a warm port and Merlot “soup” with a vanilla yoghurt sorbet.

Our meal for two, with wine and coffees, cost £68. Truly excellent value.

Bookings on (01904) 644456.