White Hart Harrogate Review
White Hart Brasserie
Harrogate
Reviewed by Sean Dodson
Found at the foot of Cold Bath Road in Harrogate, a mere scones throw away from the legendary Betty’s tearoom, the White Hart, has been quietly going about its business since 1847.
This modestly genteel, mid-sized hotel, with tearoom and brasserie, rather plays down its heritage; all high ceilings, narrow corridors and fine Victorian period detail. The brasserie’s style is suitably muted, some quite grand wood panelling has been painted in understated grey, the lighting turned down and the furniture equally unshowy although often quite original — look closely at the table mats and you’ll notice that you are eating from a slab of slate. Think Scandinavian eclecticism over stately home and you won’t go wrong.
The brassiere menu, as is the case with hotel restaurants, seems caught in trying to please two different mind-sets. There are Heston-style flourishes and imaginative signature dishes of the chef’s own, but also posh burger and chips. We started with chicken ravioli presented with a single, breaded and deep-fried langoustine (£5.95), an extremely delicate and well-arranged starter; and a smoked mackerel risotto (£5.95), silky and skilfully cooked. Main course kept us the standard: the belly of pork (£14.95) was light and fibrous — not a hint of grease — and served with a croquette of black pudding, a nice touch which balanced the pickled vegetables in an Arabic style. The sirloin steak (£19.95) was splendid, sourced from a local farm and hung for an admirable 45 days (three times longer than supermarket steak), as juicy as a plucked mango and as tender as the night.
Only the sticky toffee pudding (£4.95) was a bit pub-standard, save for a small helping of admittedly excellent ice cream; while the tiramisu (£4.95) was served in a tall glass that made it difficult to eat without lifting the whole thing from the table (although the accompanying chocolate sorbet was first-class). Still, the food and wine, a lovely Sibaritas Selection Riesling from Chile (£22.95), was served by knowledgeable and smartly dressed team who left you alone to eat but responded promptly when needed. If you are looking for a quiet, unfussy and intimate evening in a restaurant that offers a good range of culinary excellence, then the White Hart will meet your needs very well indeed.
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