Hazelwood Castle dates from 1086 and is now one of Yorkshire's leading hotels and conference centres. The restaurant, housed in what could have been a former Orangery of the Victorian period, in fact is not, and makes an ideal location in which to step aside from the main hotel and enjoy food as it should be enjoyed.

Starters of shallot and savoury risotto with fresh truffle shavings, or carpaccio of tuna with scallop tartare, soused vegetables and caviar with ginger and soy dressing set the pace. With the deer population on the increase, causing more damage to crops, more road accidents as they try to get in the car with you, it is always encouraging to see venison on the menu. It is, of course, also one of the healthiest meats in the market place.

Here a saddle of local venison comes with celeriac and red cabbage and sauce chocolate opera. A pan-fried fillet of line-caught sea bass is accompanied by lentils, tomato fondue and bay leaf infusion. In season go for the delicate assisette of early season Wakefield rhubarb, or a pepper and vanilla pannacotta with candied tomato and basil syrup.

House wines of real quality start at £14.95 a bottle or £3 a glass, and it is also good to see Chilean wines gaining the respect so many of them deserve.