IT'S one of those places you always want to take a look inside. Even among the grand and genteel buildings of Bootham that stand as monuments to York's prosperous past, the imposing hotel with its curved bay front, set back from the broad street, behind secluded lawns, catches the eye.

Like many people, I pass it every day on the way to work, and so it was high on my list of places to call at in the cause of Eating Out.

Even on a Sunday night, when we visited, the hotel was full, though there was no problem accommodating us when I rang to book for the restaurant.

The Churchill's disproportionately-tall main door is the kind of thing you'd expect to come up against in a castle - I felt like one of the little hairy folk in the Lord Of The Rings as I gingerly pushed it open.

Thankfully, rather than a vast stone hall or a dragon, it revealed nothing more scary than a small, bright reception area, and a friendly chap who transferred us into the care of a waitress.

The hotel, surprisingly, seems far smaller and homelier than its impressive frontage suggests - but the dining room is certainly unique. Circular, and looking out over the lawns to Bootham, the floor space is quite compact, with the tables rather close together, but the room is vastly tall, and grandly decorated as a cross between a Victorian stately home and a giant's living room, with massive clocks and candlesticks on an equally massive mantelpiece.

And then there are the portraits. An impressively-bewigged ancestor of the Churchill family looked down on me, while Vix had to contend with Winston himself glowering disapprovingly at her from the wall. Maybe it was the portrait, the unobtrusive soundtrack of swingin' and crooning classics or the largely silver-haired clientele, but the Churchill does feel like taking a trip back in time to the first half of the last century - if the air raid warning suddenly sounded or even if Hercule Poirot burst in to announce there was a killer in our midst, it wouldn't have seemed unusual. Which is not to say that the hotel felt stuffy or pompous - after all it is well known as a venue for parties and functions.

Anyway, to the food. The menu is as you may expect, pretty traditional quality hotel fare, with a reasonable range of meat, seafood and a few vegetarian dishes. We opted for the table d'hote menu - three courses for £14.95. (The a la carte options were mostly in the £5-£6 starters, £10-£15 main courses bracket). There weren't many staff on, considering there was a big party coming in later in the evening, but the two young waitresses were friendly, cheerful and efficient, providing bread and drinks while we studied the menu and taking our order promptly.

To start, I chose the feta cheese salad, which was small but tasty, in a very pleasant dressing. Vix's carrot and coriander soup, a favourite of hers, was judged fine if a little lukewarm. She was disappointed by the basket of bread which came with it, though, which was quite frankly, soggy.

Maybe it was Winston's proudly-British gaze boring into my head, but I felt compelled to have the beef for my main course. It was a large plate of braised beef and mushrooms, in a red wine gravy, and was fine, if unremarkable. Vix's verdict on her lamb was similar. It came in a rich and tasty sauce, but she said it could have been slightly more tender. A well-proportioned side plate of vegetables came with the main courses.

For dessert there was a pretty typical selection of puddings. I went for the chocolate fudge cake, which wasn't the best I've ever tasted, but pud-enthusiast Vix was more than happy with her selection of ice-creams, pronouncing them "very nice".

The bill came to a very reasonable £38.30 for two three-course meals and three glasses of house red wine.

If you're seeking a very traditional British hotel meal in stately surroundings, or just want an excuse to have a look inside one of Bootham's landmarks without breaking the bank, the Churchill is a good value place to take a trip back in time.

IT'S one of those places you always want to take a look inside. Even among the grand and genteel buildings of Bootham that stand as monuments to York's prosperous past, the imposing hotel with its curved bay front, set back from the broad street, behind secluded lawns, catches the eye.

Like many people, I pass it every day on the way to work, and so it was high on my list of places to call at in the cause of Eating Out.

Even on a Sunday night, when we visited, the hotel was full, though there was no problem accommodating us when I rang to book for the restaurant.

The Churchill's disproportionately-tall main door is the kind of thing you'd expect to come up against in a castle - I felt like one of the little hairy folk in the Lord Of The Rings as I gingerly pushed it open.

Thankfully, rather than a vast stone hall or a dragon, it revealed nothing more scary than a small, bright reception area, and a friendly chap who transferred us into the care of a waitress.

The hotel, surprisingly, seems far smaller and homelier than its impressive frontage suggests - but the dining room is certainly unique. Circular, and looking out over the lawns to Bootham, the floor space is quite compact, with the tables rather close together, but the room is vastly tall, and grandly decorated as a cross between a Victorian stately home and a giant's living room, with massive clocks and candlesticks on an equally massive mantelpiece.

And then there are the portraits. An impressively-bewigged ancestor of the Churchill family looked down on me, while Vix had to contend with Winston himself glowering disapprovingly at her from the wall. Maybe it was the portrait, the unobtrusive soundtrack of swingin' and crooning classics or the largely silver-haired clientele, but the Churchill does feel like taking a trip back in time to the first half of the last century - if the air raid warning suddenly sounded or even if Hercule Poirot burst in to announce there was a killer in our midst, it wouldn't have seemed unusual. Which is not to say that the hotel felt stuffy or pompous - after all it is well known as a venue for parties and functions.

Anyway, to the food. The menu is as you may expect, pretty traditional quality hotel fare, with a reasonable range of meat, seafood and a few vegetarian dishes. We opted for the table d'hote menu - three courses for £14.95. (The a la carte options were mostly in the £5-£6 starters, £10-£15 main courses bracket). There weren't many staff on, considering there was a big party coming in later in the evening, but the two young waitresses were friendly, cheerful and efficient, providing bread and drinks while we studied the menu and taking our order promptly.

To start, I chose the feta cheese salad, which was small but tasty, in a very pleasant dressing. Vix's carrot and coriander soup, a favourite of hers, was judged fine if a little lukewarm. She was disappointed by the basket of bread which came with it, though, which was quite frankly, soggy.

Maybe it was Winston's proudly-British gaze boring into my head, but I felt compelled to have the beef for my main course. It was a large plate of braised beef and mushrooms, in a red wine gravy, and was fine, if unremarkable. Vix's verdict on her lamb was similar. It came in a rich and tasty sauce, but she said it could have been slightly more tender. A well-proportioned side plate of vegetables came with the main courses.

For dessert there was a pretty typical selection of puddings. I went for the chocolate fudge cake, which wasn't the best I've ever tasted, but pud-enthusiast Vix was more than happy with her selection of ice-creams, pronouncing them "very nice".

The bill came to a very reasonable £38.30 for two three-course meals and three glasses of house red wine.

If you're seeking a very traditional British hotel meal in stately surroundings, or just want an excuse to have a look inside one of Bootham's landmarks without breaking the bank, the Churchill is a good value place to take a trip back in time.

Fact file:

Food: Standard hotel fare

Service:Friendly

Value:Good

Ambience:Stately

Disabled access: No

Updated: 08:47 Saturday, March 23, 2002