Nadia Jefferson-Brown dines at Cut and Chase, Goodramgate, York

NEW restaurants are springing up in and around York almost every week it seems, leaving diners spoilt for choice and venues vying for our custom.

One relatively recent newcomer I've been meaning to try is Cut and Chase which opened just over a year ago in Goodramgate.

It bills itself as an independent restaurant and bar, with the promise of wholesome British food made from some of Yorkshire's finest produce.

With 12 months under its belt on the York eating out scene, we decided to indulge in a leisurely lunch to see if its fare met the taste test.

The restaurant had a handful of tables and chairs on the street in front, along with a very attractive open-air area down the side of the building, complete with blankets on the bench seats and little lights for cozy al fresco evenings.

As it was slightly cool, we went inside which was tastefully decorated in contemporary shades of grey and white, with black and white images on the wall, an eye-catching motif and industrial-style lighting over wooden tables as well as more intimate booths.

The choice of menus was slightly confusing – we each had four to look through, including drinks, lunch, specials and the set-priced, Monday to Thursday two/ three-course menu (£14/£17). The upside of so much paper shuffling however meant that there was certainly plenty of choice.

Thankfully, our friendly waitress was very attentive and happily answered our queries about the various dishes and offers before we ordered.

For starters, I plumped for the Pulled Duck Spring Roll (£6.50) which turned out to be a hearty offering, with tender meat, wrapped in a dry, crispy pastry, with delicate pea shoots for decoration. The thick, sticky Hoi Sin sauce was a delicious accompaniment to what was a very decent starter, making it easy to forgive the slightly limp side garnish of lettuce.

From the specials menu, the brimming bowl of mussels (£7) was such a generous portion we double checked that it really was just a starter. We all agreed it would more than suffice as a main, or as a starter to share. The mussels were cooked to perfection, accompanied by fine strips of smoky bacon and sweet chilli which was warming rather than fierce, with a tasty slice of homemade bread.

The Ham Hock Bon Bons (£6 or as part of the set-priced menu) were attractively presented and pleasant in taste, with extra seasoning added at the table to bring out the flavour. They came on a refreshing bed of mustard and apple compote, with a mild dash of black pudding puree on the side.

Staying with the set menu, the breast of corn-fed chicken as a main dish sounded tempting and proved to be very succulent, served with a bubble and squeak risotto which was creamy in texture and taste, and a soft poached egg cleverly encased in a crispy coating.

The specials' Caesar Salad (£14) was a large affair and won the thumbs up. It came with the same, appealing corn fed chicken, fresh, crispy lettuce, anchovies (often forgotten but thankfully not here), a poached egg, generous shavings of parmesan and topped with pancetta.

As well as the lighter lunch option of sandwiches, other dishes included salmon fillet, with herb crushed new potato, fine beans and hollandaise sauce (£15); braised Ox cheek on a carrot-infused mash, with artichoke and almond puree, wilted greens and stout gravy (£16); and a vegetarian filo pastry basket filled with bok choi, peppers, beansprouts, roasted sesame seeds and puy lentils, served with a spinach and pistachio pesto (£13).

With such a varied choice, it seemed boring to opt for the humble burger – a staple offering on most menus. But, fans of the meat feast will not be disappointed here.

The beef burger (£12) was solid, meaty and well seasoned, topped with smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and a sweet tomato relish which seeped into the meat to make it even more succulent.

There was no delicate way to eat it by hand, and I left most of the accompanying bun to save space for the appetising side serving of crunchy red slaw and large, twice cooked skin on chips.

We were all full after two courses but in the interests of a thorough review we ordered the Banoffee Pavlova with three forks, to share, from the set menu.

And it was worth the extra effort; the mouth-watering layers of crispy, then chewy meringue came with slices of fresh banana, toffee sauce, honeycomb and Chantilly cream which left us scraping the dish clean.

We washed it all down with coffees (£2.50) and a Goose Island Honkers Ale (£4.50), and declared ourselves royally full. The taste test was complete.

Fact file

Cut and Chase, 39 Goodramgate, York, YO1 7LS

T: 01904 655068

W: cutandchase.co.uk

Food: Tasty 4/5

Service: Attentive 4/5

Ambience: Chilled out 3/5

Value: Decent 4/5