EATING OUT REVIEW: Andrew Pern's new Star Inn The Harbour, Whitby

I HAVE found the taste of summer – inside a crab shell.

If you want to seek out this culinary Holy Grail, then set your compass North East, make full speed ahead for Whitby, drop your anchor in the harbour and command a table at Andrew Pern’s new Star Inn satellite (following in the wake of the Michelin-starred Star Inn, Harome, and the Star Inn The City, York).

The Whitby-born chef has opened the Star Inn The Harbour in what was once the town’s tourist information office. It is moored in a bustling spot in the centre – great for passing trade, but perhaps not so great for al fresco eating because of the surrounding traffic.

Not that it stopped punters enjoying the outside tables during our visit on a flaming hot Saturday teatime.

We took shelter inside, and took in the many nautical nick-nacks, including lobster pots and fishing ropes hanging from the ceiling and models of vintage-looking ships displayed on wall shelves.

We booked a berth: three of us sitting on a padded banquette, the other two on not-so-comfy wooden cafe chairs. As the menus arrived, we huddled conspiratorially, studying the choices like pirates scanning a map for treasure islands.

And what riches. We’d had lager shandies in the small bar area to cool off before arriving at the table, so plumped straight for a bottle of cold, crisp, dry white wine: Petit Papillon Grenache Blanc (£22), and a selection of “Bar Bites” as appetisers.

Inside the new Star Inn The Harbour and some of the "Bar Bites"

Each dish was small but just enough to give a taste sensation to savour. We liked the light tempura batter on the tiny whitebait (£3.50) lending them some crunch. The shellfish crackers were close relations of prawn crackers, but with a stronger flavour, and came with a creamy guacamole (£5). But my favourite were the pickled cockles and mussels (£4), which had their sharp and salty essence tamed by a cool and slightly sweet sour cream. Just lovely.

And there was more heavenliness to come in the shape of my main choice: dressed Whitby crab salad with avocado ice-cream, seashore vegetables and "scallop sand" (£16). Three of us ordered this, and boy (or should that be buoy?) we were pleased we did.

L-R: Dressed crab, fish and chips and chocolate pot at the Star Inn The Harbour, Whitby

If you eat with your eyes first, then we were already salivating at the sight of this pretty dish. The crab shell was brimming with fresh, undressed meat, with two meaty claws protruding either side like a Viking’s helmet. Scattered around were salad leaves and samphire, some savoury shellfish crackers, all dusted in a light coloured powder – the intriguing-sounding “scallop sand”. On top was a scoop of avocado ice-cream (a first for all of us). This held the key to the dish’s magic – lending an ice-cold creaminess to cut through the sweet, dense crab meat. The other details all added an intense salty dimension, particularly the scallop sand, which just oozed moreish-ness.

The other two in our party kept to the fish side of this appetising menu too, although there are plenty of meat options if you prefer turf to surf, including rump of Yorkshire lamb (£20), rib eye steak with frites (£25) and veal ‘schnitzel’ (£17).

Culinary surfers can ride mouthwatering waves such as monkfish scampi (£19) and poached lemon sole Veronique (£21).

Of course, fish and chips are on the menu too and my teenage daughter plumped for that. It was a whopper of a dish: the fish glistening fresh, the chips chunky like Jenga pieces (£14). Not to be faulted.

My hubby chose goujons of local breaded fish, in this case coley (£10). These were a bit bland, on account of under-seasoning, but the accompanying Parmesan frites (£4) packed plenty of flavour, making up for it.

We shared two desserts: Black Forest gateau (£6.50) which despite being a deconstructed affair, was a heavenly marriage of chocolate cake, cherries and cream, and chocolate pot (£6.50), a slab of gooey loveliness perfect for chocoholics.

There's an ice-cream parlour too – something we will have to try on a return voyage.

Fact file

The Star Inn The Harbour

Langborne Road, Whitby, YO21 1YN

T: 01947 821900

W: starinntheharbour.co.uk

Food: Accomplished 4/5

Service: Attentive 4/5

Ambience: Relaxed 3/5

Value: Worth it 4/5