The White Swan has a good name as a hotel, which in no small way derives from the care and attention which goes into the restaurant, in itself an inner centre of excellence. It is always refreshing to see a hotel that lists matters gastronomic near the top of it promotional effort.

Confronted with one of those menus that causes you severe angst, such is the variety with not an instant reject in sight, the great secret is to take your time. No panic, nice and gentle, apply a little hardness of heart even, and it will come right. Says he! For starters how about the Whitby crab cakes with lemon, shrimp and sorrel sauce, or a carpaccio beef with rocket, Yorkshire Blue cheese and pickled red onion or some of their fish soup with rouille, crisp breads and gruyere. Amongst the main courses you will discover such delights as Ampleforth apple sauce, Whitby fish, leek and mussel pie, Yorkshire saddleback sausage, not to mention 'posh' fish and chips with the obligatory mushy peas, sauce Tartare or home-made ketchup.

The most gorgeous rum and raisin rice pudding comes with caramelised bananas and the return of the blessed savoury is marked by the inclusion of a Yorkshire rarebit with onion marmalade and dressed herbs. This is a county that is proud of its cheeses and at The White Swan you can savour, amongst many others, Shepherd's Purse Dairy, Rowley Round and Hard-smoked buffalo - and yes, the buffalo do reside in the county.

I do like restaurants that give their suppliers a share of the glory and every month as the menu changes a list of the current suppliers is available at reception. An elegant wine list travels the globe with a discerning eye. I particularly liked their description of the 1997 Chateau Musar, "a subtle blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrian tanks and Israeli jets".

It would be interesting some time to find out how many people stay at The White Swan because of the excellent food - my hunch is that it would be a sizeable proportion.