Restaurant-Guide.com
hand picked restaurants

The country house hotel is very much a part of British life that has largely survived the vicissitudes of the hotel and catering business, sometimes with adverse effects when "old is beautiful - regardless" was allowed to become the mission statement.

Dunsley Hall was built for a Victorian shipping magnate with an extended family of 13 children so presumably somewhere pretty big was needed. No expense seems to have been spared and successive owners have cared for the place so that today's guests are still able to enjoy the same high standards.

The present owners, Bill and Carol Ward, run a tight ship, which is to say that it's difficult to fault any aspect of the business. This includes the dining room and its supporting kitchens. Following an amuse bouche of, say, homemade soup starters of carpaccio of venison or lobster and salmon terrine can be on the menu, and there is a complimentary sorbet before the main course.

This might be fillet of Whitby cod, roasted seabass or perhaps a fillet of Kettyle beef served with seasonal vegetables that could include new season asparagus and wild garlic mash. Desserts are a high spot; keep an eye open for the warm ginger parkin with brown sugar ice cream and port soaked figs, or baked Cornish yarg with quince and apple served on walnut bread.

For a consideration Chef will put together a tasting menu of your choice, and your children will delight to hear they have their own menu which carries items such as cod fillet fish fingers, and Chicago Town cheese and tomato pizza.

This is country house living in more than customary style. The rooms are beautifully furnished and equipped.

Green's came to Whitby at the start of the new Millennium and its story since then is one of success and progress. Founded by Rob and Emma Green, who went into the business for all the right reasons, theirs is a story of vision and purpose and Green's relates closely to the desperate times that afflict the fishing industry, the preservation of the countryside and the heritage of the East Coast in general.

In the short space of time they have been operating the accolades have flowed, and deservedly so as you will quickly find out when you visit this charismatic restaurant on the Abbey side of the Swing Bridge.

The proximity of the sea and the countryside makes the sourcing of first-rate fresh ingredients a pleasure. Dishes such as fresh mussels with tomato, white wine and garlic and carpaccio of local fillet beef with Cipriani dressing and rocket salad tend to attain an added piquancy under such conditions, but for a truly sensational starter look for the seared Whitby squid with potato, chorizo and garlic. A signature dish of bouillabaisse with rouille and croutes should not be lightly ignored, nor the tempura of fresh Whitby langoustines with a mild red Thai curry sauce.

Surrounded by such largesse it is inevitable that the menu will fluctuate - to be sure of a particular dish a quick phone call can be helpful all round. Amongst the main courses expect to find a chunk of roasted Whitby turbot, as likely as not brought in by the trawler "Good Intent", with a ragout of queen scallops, some prime selected Yorkshire beef, a char-grilled sirloin with real chips, or a trio of Moroccan style Ryedale lamb in the form of a pan fried chop with warm aubergine salad, noisette with hot mint sauce and roast neck fillet with chickpea purée.

I was very impressed with the number of meat dishes in relation to fish, displaying an open-ness of mind not always encountered in what is primarily a restaurant the monitors on fish.

Amongst desserts frequently sighted at Green's is the Yorkshire curd tart with clotted cream, or a white chocolate cheesecake with dark chocolate and orange sauce. An unusual, but very pleasing dish is the trip of peaches - poached melba, peach yoghurt with a little doughnut and a Bellini shooter.

The arrangements for cheese would satisfy the most demanding enthusiast, culminating in a grande assiette of selected cheeses and a decanter of Porto Pocas, served with walnuts, apple and savoury biscuits.

A comprehensive and well travelled wine list embraces many of the known favourites with some tasteful additions that should bring out the best in those who enjoy their wine. House wines start at under £12.

Times change fast at Greens; a recent innovation is the opening of Green's Deli, with a range of homemade chutneys, oils and chocolates, with mouth watering hampers for special occasions. Greens features in the Egon Ronay Guide, the Michelin Guide, and A Taste of the North East.

Whitby, for me, always conjures up a community hanging on to the steep slopes leading down to the grey North Sea, but well populated with Yorkshire good cheer. Inspection of the menu is encouraging - anywhere that offers a Power Breakfast has to be on the right track, and that's before you even start thinking about the local kippers, Buck's fizz and Bloody Mary's.

Eating at this splendid place is not for the faint-hearted; punches are not pulled, even if the excellent local ales are. I can imagine that discussions with management about cuisine would engender a robust response, along the lines of "but it's all food". And all food it most certainly is; no wonder it's always full.

Look out for beef carpaccio with a caperberry and Reggiano dressing, or mixed cheese terrine with mulled pear salad and a walnut salad. Game in season is never in short supply, and an excellent range of steaks starts with a carpetbagger, with oysters or scallops. But it would be a foolish man who ignored what are referred to as the fishy mains contains a bouillabaisse, packed with the catch of the day, and Quinnie's (don't ask) locally caught lobster, prepared either Thermidor, Mediterranean, Lemon mayo or Newburg.

Puds offer poached pears with pot au chocolat and pistachio biscotti, or perhaps a delicious apple and Armagnac prune crumble, with crème anglaise, finished with a spiced caramel glaze.

Everything has about it a freshness that is convincing. If this kind of food was to be offered in London at the same prices, with allowances made, it would be mobbed.

This is a place with a menu, and good ones at that, for each and every occasion, set amidst the stunning scenery where the Yorkshire Dales shake off their smooth rounded shapes and become more verdant and covered with trees. Arncliffe Arms is now under a new management and offers sophisticated surroundings to match its own particular style.

The delicious smoked salmon parcels, prawns wrapped in smoked salmon in a Marie Rose sauce, makes the perfect starter, with options of moules marinee, mussels in shells with a cream and white wine sauce, or deep fried brie served with a cranberry coulis.

One of the specialities is their steak and ale pie with a puff pastry crust, and beef lasagne. Peppercorn pork, sliced pork medallions is served with a peppercorn sauce and a 16oz T-bone, fillet or rib-eye arrives with deep fried mushrooms, onion rings and grilled tomato. With the talents available in the kitchen it would come as no surprise to see a steadily increasing level of achievement that could become a hot spot for the foodies of Yorkshire.

If you think seafood restaurants are mostly characterised by nautical paraphernalia then think again. The interior at Trenchers comes across as more graceful and pleasing to the eye with stained glass lamps and spurts of greenery everywhere. Located in the heart of Whitby on New Quay Road they are renowned for their high quality fresh fish, bread crumbed and floured, and legendary light batters.

The menu is steeped in matters piscine but some hints of waywardness come across in the traditionally roasted ham served with a cranberry sauce and stuffing, or roast turkey breast with lemon and mayonnaise; both arrive with a deliciously crisp mixed salad. The rest of the carte is a collection of time-tested favourites, fisherman's casserole, selected prime fillet of poached haddock, fish and chips, and Whitby haddock, plaice, skate wing and halibut steak, all served with chipped potatoes, lemon, tartar sauce and salad garnish. Juniors and vegetarians have menus dedicated to their tastes.

The impressive wine list at Trenchers includes a notable bottle of blush from California amongst its many exciting choices.