Stone Trough Inn, The

In 1999 the present owners of the Stone Trough embarked upon the embellishment of this historic inn, a progress that has been marked by a number of Awards and a reputation for quality and use of local produce.

The setting is superb, looking over Kirkham Abbey and the River Derwent, and not far away is Castle Howard, that epitome of stately home elegance in Yorkshire.

Bar meals are served, and a traditional restaurant offers elegance on a plate, with starters of seared king scallops with a fine herb salad and foie gras, or fillet of smoked haddock with a leek and potato sauce.

Roast breast of guinea fowl with confit leg and a chanterelle sauce, or roast monkfish topped with parma ham on a lobster sauce could be followed by apple and raisin pancakes or a chocolate pyramid filled with chocolate and black cherry mousse.

In the bar a typical meal could consist of rustic salad of smoked chicken, goat's cheese and black olives with croutons and pinenuts, braised oxtail served with creamed potatoes, mashed turnip and a rich red wine sauce, and to finish, an iced banana parfait served with butterscotch sauce.

Their specials board is a constant source of delight taking as just one example the pan fried fillet of sea bass with a truffle ravioli on a bed of sauté Jerusalem artichokes and chanterelle mushrooms.

Only 12 miles from York this is a place well worth making a detour to savour.