Harrogate Grille, The

Opened in April 2007, the second Grille in UK is housed within the completely refurbished Balmoral Hotel, presenting an interesting blend of Victorian and bijou as part of the sedate and slightly prim town of Harrogate, where I would never be surprised if Emily Brönte came bustling round the next corner.

An a la carte menu offers starters that nicely cover the spectrum of countering stark naked hunger without actually incapacitating yourself for the rest of the meal, witness the classic Caesar salad, a spinach and Roquefort cheese tart with hazelnut and apple dressing or a 'Grille' prawn cocktail with avocado sauce and wholemeal bread, and even the croque monsieur for which I always have the most dreadful fixation, particularly as a savoury.

Amongst the main dishes look out for coq au vin, a delightful mixed bean casserole, enough to turn anyone into a vegetarian, or more likely the pork escalope Holstein. Their side dishes would make the most reluctant take a second glance - broccoli with almonds, green beans and shallots, rosemary roasted new potatoes and that most superb of all vegetables, spinach, particularly for ladies who are with child, but served always with lemon to ensure it stays within you long enough to do good (the spinach that is) - or so Sarah Raven assures us.

Each day has its own dish at Grille, and no surprise for forecasting fish on Fridays, also on Wednesdays in the form of fish pie with mornay sauce and creamy mash. These people really have the gift of adding just a twist or two to turn the ordinary in to something special, as in rhubarb and oatmeal crumble with cinnamon custard, or lobster Thermidor with mustard and cheese glaze, and - wait for it - chips.

A well thought through wine list offers 25+ wines by the glass and 20 by the carafe, with a further 70 or so bottles awaiting your inspection. They also mix a pretty mean cocktail - ask for the spiced Polish martini to give a lift to a wilting spirit.