Star Inn the City review: MAXINE GORDON gives her verdict on this York riverside restaurant
WHEN the sun is shining and the evenings are balmy, it's understandable that you might want to dine outdoors.
York has a growing number of places to eat al fresco – from riverside patio-style dining to roof-top experiences.
There's just one catch.
When you book ahead, you often have to do so with fingers crossed.
Such is the fickleness of British weather, that even a heatwave is no guarantee the sun will still be shining on the Saturday night you want to dine out while still wearing your shades.
And so it was when we booked a table at Star Inn the City, the York outpost of celebrated North Yorkshire chef Andrew Pern, famous for his Michelin-starred Star Inn at Harome, near Helmsley.
On booking online you are given the option of selecting a restaurant table indoors or on the outdoor terrace.
We took a gamble and picked outdoors, but as the afternoon sun disappeared behind grey clouds we questioned our boldness.
Armed with a jacket and hope in our hearts, we arrived at the restaurant, on a handsome spot just below Lendal Bridge and overlooking the Ouse and at the entrance to Museum Gardens, in time for our 6.45pm booking.
We needn't have worried. Since last November, the terrace now has a roof cover with sliding glass doors on to the river front, providing the best of both worlds: protection in the event of a change of weather while preserving the view, which must be one of the best dining vistas in the city.
So the Star Inn the City wins top marks for its setting and ambience: but what about food, service and value?
Well, service is excellent. It is welcoming and attentive without being intrusive.
We started with a spritz each: an Aperol (£13) for my dining partner and a grapefruit-flavoured Pampelle (£12) for me. My cocktail was nicely tart and suitably refreshing.
The a la carte menu is nice and compact, with starters, mains and sides on one side and desserts on the other. Look out too for specials menus.
The emphasis is on meat and fish, with some veggie options; and as you might expect given the culinary pedigree of the owner, many dishes come with a surprise ingredient or food combination that makes dining here fun, if occasionally hit and miss.
To begin, we dived in for some fishy plates: an Indian-inspired scallops starter and a plate of sardines.
The 'Tandoori Spiced King Scallops in the shell' (£18) were sensational – the combination of the lightly-spiced chana dahl, dollops of yoghurt flecked with saffron, and a chilli, spring onion and coriander salad, was a new one for us. The warming Indian flavours worked brilliantly with the sweet succulence of the meaty scallops. Despite them being fabulous, the price tag was rather eye watering.
Almost as impressive to eat were the sardines (cheaper at £13): butterflied and nicely cooked (I might have liked the skins more charred); they sat upon a creamy base of sweet brown crab meat laced with fennel and a tangy romesco sauce, 'nuttified' by pumpkin seeds rather than the traditional almonds. Tiny pieces of Granny Smith apple were an ingenious touch, adding a bite and note of bitterness to balance the sweetness of the dish.
For mains, my dining partner only had eyes for the steak: a chargrilled 10oz sirloin, which was by far the most expensive item on the menu at £38 with an additional £6 for a peppercorn and Madeira sauce. Thankfully, the price included some skin-on skinny fries and a small Yorkshire Blue salad.
The steak was ordered medium rare, however, parts were veering towards 'medium'; not perfect, but not a disaster. Despite this, it was a great piece of beef, with plenty of flavour, and was enjoyed The sauce was tasty and a good accompaniment while the fries were decent too.
For me, it had to be the chargrilled Yorkshire pork chop (£28) after I noticed it came with spiced poached pineapple. I'd eaten hot pineapple in a chicken dish on a recent holiday and was won over. This dish came with a fried hen's egg, which I passed on because I don't like eggs.
The pork chop was cut into strips which I was surprised at – and I fear this made it a bit drier than I would have expected. However, when forked up with pieces of the hot, juicy pineapple, and an absolutely 10/10 chorizo jam which was heaped on the side, this meat really came to life. I loved every bite and I was also impressed with the side of chunky proper chips with 'hot buffalo ketchup, £7.
The pork came with some tenderstem broccoli and 'puffed cracking' (imagine giant Quavers and you almost get the texture!). A really good dish that I'd recommend.
We each ordered a medium-sized glass of wine with our mains: a jammy and earthy Spanish Tempranillo, Finca La Estacada (£9), to go with the steak, and a lighter Portuguese rosé Monte Velho, (£8.50), full of summer fruit flavours, for the pork.
Although quite full by this point, we couldn't resist the lure of the dessert menu which had plenty of intriguing offers.
A tip: different desserts are listed on the a la carte and specials menus, so make sure you study them all before making your final decision.
Choices included a rum-infused 'Mojito' trifle; Coconut set cream with poached peach and frangipane and marzipan; pistachio tiramisu, and upside down strawberry cheesecake.
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I was torn between the trifle and tiramisu, but settled for the apricot and almond ice-cream sundae (£9) instead, swayed by its delicious-sounding components of apricot ripple ice cream, brown butter frangipane, poached apricots, nibbed almond, and Amaretto and chocolate mousse.
So, I'm sorry to report that this was the only fail of the night. The first off note was the fact it was served in a pudding bowl rather than a sundae glass, an almost unforgivable schoolboy error (and surely against Trading Standards laws for a misleading description!).
But of more serious concern was the lack of chocolate mousse – it was missing from the dish completely!
To make matters worse, the ice cream had no discerning taste of apricot. I called over our waiter, who whisked it away and returned with the pudding remade as described. The charge was also removed from the bill, so you can't ask for better than that.
My partner had no complaints with their choice: the milk and honey choux bun (£12), a lovely combination of buttermilk ice-cream with honey sponge, honeycomb, and burnt honey caramel, all served with an oversized 'profiterole'.
And so our meal came to an end. It was – mostly – a memorable dinner, but came with a memorable price.
Worth it? For the near-perfect setting, I'd have to say yes, especially if you are out for a special occasion. Dinner at the Star Inn the City is a pretty unique experience in York.
Reviews are independent and meals paid for by The Press
Fact file
Star Inn the City, Lendal Engine House, Museum Street, York
T: 01904 619208
W: starinnthecity.co.uk
Verdict:
Food: Big flavours and imaginative menus
Service: Very professional – a plus
Ambience: Riverside table is hard to beat in York
Value: Expensive, save for a special date
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