Restaurant at Hob Green Hotel

Hob Green is set amongst rolling acres of Yorkshire countryside, only a few miles from both Ripon and Harrogate. Its rural setting underlines its commitment to local produce, not least what they grow themselves in their own walled garden. Two of the specialities at Hob Green are the superlative contents of their cellar and their celebration of fish on Fridays. At some restaurants chefs come and go like the laundry, but not at Hob Green where in 23 years there have been only four Head Chefs, and the current one is clearly enjoying himself.

Fish is well to the fore, and starters include half a dozen Pacific oysters grilled with pancetta, red peppers and pesto sauce, oak smoked salmon with creamed horseradish, or sauté lambs kidneys in coarse grain mustard, red wine and spring onion sauce. For main courses a pan-fried whole Dover sole catches the eye, or a roast whole partridge with black cherry and cassis sauce. Fish on Friday depends, as ever, on the market but likely encounters are grilled Portuguese sardines in lemon scented olive oil, a freshly dressed Cromer crab on a bed of pickled samphire, or for the really indulgent the deep fried gougons of sole with garlic mayonnaise.

Heading towards recovery time lend a thought to the tuile basket of bananas, Greek yoghurt and warmed honey, or the plum and port fool with shortbread hearts. Hob Green is somewhere to go when you have time; time to enjoy the scenery, the setting, the care taken over presentation, as well as the competent service, and certainly not overlooking that wonderful cellar.