Matthew Taylor (10 July 2007)

As I travel extensively with my work it is fair to say that I have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly of British restaurant fayre. To be impressed by an establishment takes a combination of factors, rather than picking out a single element and when it comes to ticking all the boxes, the Sportsman's Arms is up there with the best.

The setting is glorious and as you approach the hostelry via a stone bridge over the river Nidd, one is seduced by its tranquillity and the romantic box is ticked. There is no grand entrance, as that’s after all a gastro pub, not a downtown restaurant. The bar area is welcoming with an open fire, interesting water colours and antique wall clocks from railway waiting rooms, which tick soundly in a comforting way.

The menu is both bar and a la carte with a varied, imaginative and well priced wine list. In the restaurant the lighting and décor work perfectly with a mix of period furniture, wine racks and more clocks. The tables are nicely laid with linen table cloths, napkins, silver salt and pepper pots and fresh flowers. The attention to detail is good, but not to the point of being intimidating and that only adds to the intangible feeling that the proprietors genuinely care about quality and service.

By now your thinking, get to the point, what’s the food like, but as I said earlier it’s the sum of the parts that makes the experience. The menu is well thought out and caters to a wide variety of tastes from seafood to wild game with white meat and vegetarian in the middle. The meat and vegetables are sourced locally and the fish from Whitby and in keeping with the theme of the Sportsman's, the quality is excellent. When you place an order there are expectations and the kitchen does not disappoint. Bread rolls are served warm with butter from a dish! The red meats and game are always tender and pink, the fish is fresh and not over cooked and the vegetables are always crisp and have flavour. Desserts are homemade with the toast of the house being an exceptionally well balanced summer pudding. Last but not least, the service is always welcoming, courteous and not obtrusive. I have eaten there on many occasions and always been impressed with the consistency. I have tried to be unbiased and give the Sportsman’s the credit it deserves for providing an eating experience that would appeal to all occasions.