The Churchill, Bootham, York

11:00am Saturday 27th September 2008

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I’D always considered the Churchill Hotel, in Bootham, York, as a venue for weddings and parties. But when it earned its AA Rosette earlier this year, I realised it must also be a worthy dining destination in its own right.

When we booked, we were told we wouldn’t be able to park because there was a wedding on that evening.

It wasn’t a problem because the Churchill is just a short stroll from the city centre.

On our arrival, we lingered in the entrance to get our bearings but quickly dived through the nearest door at the sight of an ivory dress heading our way.

We found ourselves in the Piano Bar, a stylish room combining original features including an elegant high ceiling with contemporary décor lit by candles flickering in glass lanterns.

We read the menu over a pint of Becks Vier (£3.30) for Gary and a glass of rosé for me – the rest of the bottle (Three Choirs £16.95) was reserved for our meal. I was surprised not to be offered a taster first but any little niggles were quickly forgotten when I saw the varied choice of dishes.

The autumn menu offered three courses for £24.95 (£14.95 main, £5 starters and desserts) with a promise of modern styles, fresh seasonal produce and an imaginative twist.

I liked having the fixed price so I could just get on with deciding on what appealed the most. It also seemed incredibly reasonable, given the range and unusual choice of dishes. Each course featured about nine options, with vegetarians well catered for. Dishes included monkfish cheek with curry spice, pumpkin, mussels and chorizo stew, local wild rabbit with pearl barley risotto, a special reserve Wensleydale cheesecake with warm Jerusalem artichoke salad and beetroot jam, and port and liquorice poached pear for dessert.

We were shown to our table in the neighbouring restaurant which seats about 30 diners and was almost full, with other couples and families. There was a comfortable hum of chatter along with easy-listening background music but nothing from the baby grand piano.

For starters, Gary had the home-cured salmon which was a thick fillet, delicately smoked, allowing the fish flavour to come through. It came with a refreshing and unusual garnish of Japanese radish salad, pickled ginger and coriander roots. It was an impressive start.

I chose the breast of wood pigeon, a first for me. I would liken the meat to steak, but far more tender. Unlike steak, however, I wasn’t given a choice of how I wanted it cooked and it was served quite rare. I usually ask for my steak to be well done, and so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the succulence and flavour.

It came with a cauliflower purée which was very tasty but, unexpectedly, served cold along with a roasted shallot tatin which melted in my mouth.

Walnuts and Wensleydale cheese added extra crunch and texture to what was another fabulous starter.

For his main course, Gary was not disappointed by the chargrilled ribeye steak. The meat – medium cooked – was just right; generously seasoned, succulent meat that was seared, red in the middle but not bloody.

The steak covered most of the plate, hiding the bed of creamy smooth pomme purée and curly kale, which was nice and crunchy with just some of the Bourguignon seeping out from beneath. Gary particularly liked the distinctive taste of pancetta which held its own in the rich sauce.

I chose the fish special – a trio of sea bass lightly resting on a bed of creamy mash in the centre of a very warm plate. The chef certainly did not scrimp on the brown shrimps, generously scattered around the edge of my dish which was delicately infused with a fragrant jus which complemented the fish beautifully.

A handful of small, barely cooked spinach leaves provided a token offering of greens, and I wondered whether we should have ordered a side plate of vegetables. However, the thought of a third course prevented me from requesting any extras.

For dessert, Gary chose the British and French cheese slate which included a Quicks cheddar – which had real bite – St Albans goat cheese, Somerset brie and a Yorkshire blue, served with a fig chutney and grapes.

I went for the jelly and ice-cream – a subtle cider apple jelly served in a Martini glass, topped with deliciously creamy vanilla ice-cream, a blackberry mousse and two crunchy hazelnut cookies.

Other temptations included mini bread pudding and mandarin sorbet, praline parfait and blackcurrant sauce, and a dark chocolate ganache tart.

Our total bill came to about £70 – £50 for food, which we thought was very good value for the quality and range of dishes.

We felt the atmosphere was slightly subdued compared with city centre restaurants, but the Churchill is now definitely on our radar for reasonably-priced delicious food.

Nadia Jefferson-Brown visited on September 20, 2008.

The Churchill, Bootham, York. Tel: 01904 644456.