Rosslyn Brennan enjoys some home comforts on a trip to Grosmont.

A BRIEF telephone conversation with George Andrews, who runs Grosmont House, put me so at ease that when I arrived at the 19th century building in the tiny North Yorkshire village of Grosmont, I felt I already knew him.

The bed and breakfast, which is next to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, also offers evening meals to residents and non-residents and my initial plan was simply to try out the cuisine.

But as my boyfriend Andrew and I were hoping to camp nearby and it had been raining for hours, George quickly offered us a good deal on bed and breakfast. We did not need much persuading.

I had phoned four days in advance to book the table and George asked me what we were planning to eat - he liked to use fresh ingredients, he explained.

So when we came down for dinner there were no need for menus, we were simply invited to wait in the sitting room while George seated another guest.

Minutes later we were shown through to a very comfortable breakfast room with just four tables.

The dining room is currently under refurbishment but we were not disappointed by the temporary dining area, and an earlier tour of the building had satisfied our curiosity.

In fact it was relaxing to sit so close to the kitchen within earshot of the radio where we could see an apron-clad George coming in and out with various dishes.

Our pre-ordered bottle of medium dry white wine - nothing fancy or expensive, George reassured us - was already on the table and our piping hot starters arrived soon after.

I had some succulent tiger prawns encased in perfectly crisp filo pastry served with a tomato and garlic dipping sauce and Andrew had garlic mushrooms which came with plenty of buttery garlic sauce, perfect for soaking up with bread.

There was plenty of food, but as we had spent the day walking and travelling on the steam train which begins its journey just metres from Grosmont House, we were ready for it.

Our next course arrived very soon after our plates were taken away, and one small complaint would be that a break was needed.

I had salmon and Andrew had chicken, both served with the same creamy lemon sauce, and a generous side dish of crispy potatoes and other vegetables.

The generous slice of salmon flaked easily onto my fork and the sauce had just a delicate lemon taste.

Andrew reported that his chicken was a little tough, but still very good and he polished it off with gusto. He also said that the sauce complimented the meat well.

The carrots still had a crunch, just as I like them.

Despite the huge portions we were keen for dessert. George offered ice-cream, then straw-berries and cream or maybe apple pie. We were sold on the last suggestion.

The apple pie was cooked from frozen but it was delicious with a subtle cinnamon taste and it was served with vanilla ice-cream.

I don't know if George intentionally gave me a smaller portion than Andrew, but I was grateful.

Throughout the meal George checked we were okay and we chatted comfortably with the other guest eating at the next table.

Even if we had not been staying the night, we would have been reluctant to leave. We felt that we had been invited to a friend's house for dinner rather than eating at a restaurant, and it was a hugely enjoyable experience.

As there were no menus we had no idea how much each dish costs but while booking I was told that it was usually £8 to £10 for a main meal.

The total cost of the meal, including wine, was £35.50 which seemed reasonable, especially as the evening had been so relaxed.

I cannot imagine making a special journey to Grosmont House just for the restaurant, but if you are in the vicinity and want a delicious home cooked meal I could certainly recommend it.

Grosmont House Hotel, Grosmont. Tel 01947 895539 or visit www.grosmont-house.fsnet.co.uk

Grosmont is less than an hour's drive from York just off the A169 Pickering to Whitby road.

Fact File:

Food: delicious, home cooked

Service: very attentive

Value: reasonable

Ambience: relaxed

Disabled access: No

Updated: 08:51 Saturday, May 25, 2002