Frankie C’s licensed bistro, 50-52 Walmgate, York (From York Press)

Frankie C’s licensed bistro, 50-52 Walmgate, York

11:03am Saturday 6th June 2009 in Food & Drink By Jeremy Small

WHEN you step into Frankie C’s, it is like being transported from York to a restaurant in the south of France.

Now, how on earth do they do that? Well, the eatery has an earthy feel to it, a rustic touch that tells you you’re in a... French farmhouse perhaps.

The dining tables, chairs and the floor are made of wood, which further eases you into a kind of rural European experience.

There’s a Greekness about the place too, a bust here, a goddess painted on the wall there.

Perhaps one of the first things you notice is how quiet it is, even though it’s moderately busy. The atmosphere is relaxed – as you would expect to find on the continent.

Chilled-out music is played on a stereo at a gentle volume.

My dining partner, Nicola, and I ordered a bottle of Hardy’s Crest Semillon Chardonnay 2006 (£15). This was a full-bodied, smooth, fruity wine, which was so agreeable I hardly noticed I was drinking it.

We both decided to have starters. The menu boasts an impressive array, ranging from linguine and honey basil cream to deep-fried brie and cranberry sauce.

I opted for the wild mushroom medley (£6.50), a field mushroom served in a dish and smothered in chunks of tomato and bacon, prawns, melted mature cheddar and creamy garlic sauce.

I say without reservation that this was the most flavoursome first course I have ever had – it was bursting with intense taste.

The ingredients combined so well, and I savoured every mouthful. The only criticism I would have is that the dish was a tad large for me, and I was feeling fairly full by the time I had eaten it.

Nicola went for the salmon, sweet potato cake, rocket and pea purée (£6.50), which arrived delicately presented on a white plate. Nicola said she could tell it was freshly made, but was disappointed by the lack of flavour. The taste of the salmon didn’t come through, she said.

For me, deciding which main course to go for was less easy. There is a good selection of chicken and steak dishes on the menu, but two in particular caught my eye – the lamb and the duck.

It was a tough choice; kleftico – lamb shoulder cooked slowly in the oven with red wine and served with vegetables and potatoes (£14.95), or duck breast, grilled polenta, creamed spinach and cherry sauce (£14.95).

Nicola chose the lamb, so I ordered the duck. It came in long slices arranged in an arc-shape alongside the polenta and spinach.

The duck itself was very pleasant – tender, sweet and moreish. I didn’t dislike the polenta, which I’d never tried before, but found it a bit bland. I also thought the spinach was a little mushy. But these were minor disappointments, and did not detract from what was a rather splendid dish.

Nicola described the lamb, which came as a very big portion, as “first-rate”; tender, moist and melt in the mouth. She did say, however, that the sauce was maybe a fraction overpowering. The vegetables were fresh and cooked to perfection, with a crunch, she said. It was time for dessert. Being a big fan of Haagen-Dazs’ Cookies & Cream ice-cream, I asked for the cookies and cream and chocolate sauce cheesecake (£5). It was a delightful mix of sweet, rich sauce, chunks of biscuit and fresh cream. Though it was possibly slightly sickly for my liking, I enjoyed it all the same.

Nicola spoiled herself with Frankie C’s “stickiest toffee pudding imaginable”, which was covered in toffee sauce and accompanied by vanilla ice-cream (£5).

She said it was moist, gooey and wonderfully rich, but slightly spoiled by too many granules of sugar. Another lover of the frozen stuff, she concluded the ice-cream was gorgeous.

We were served by a waiter from Corfu named Alex, whose quirky charm and wit enhanced our evening.

Although our bill was almost £70, we felt it was worth it for the quality of food, good service and pleasant environment.

Frankie C’s licensed bistro, 50-52 Walmgate, York.

Tel: 01904 652383.

Jeremy visited on Saturday, May 23, 2009