Ask, Assembly Rooms, Blake Street, York

YOU know you are getting on when it's time to re-review a restaurant. It's six years since Ask opened for business in the grand setting of the city's Assembly Rooms in Blake Street.

Back then, my verdict was that the food was overpriced and uninspiring.

I'd visited since - memorably sending back a summer vegetable pasta on the grounds it breached the trades description act by featuring broccoli and cauliflower.

And so, I admit, my expectations were not high when I returned for dinner with my friend, Petra.

Rationally, I knew the restaurant must be doing something right. You don't survive six years in this business otherwise. And since Ask opened it has faced fierce rivalry from similar-styled restaurants close-by: Marzano, Tuscany and Orgasmic, not forgetting the grand dame of the upmarket pizza-pasta experience, Pizza Express, just around the corner in Museum Street.

So I was looking for answers.

When we arrived on a rainy Thursday evening I was taken aback to find a full house.

"Didn't you book?" hissed Petra, who added she was "starving".

In truth, I didn't think I'd need to. On the plus side: the sight of so many diners raised my expectations. And so it was with renewed interest and anticipation that I sunk into a large and low leather chair in the bar area and drank a G&T while studying the menu.

It was straightforward, spilt into starters, pasta, pizza and salad selections.

Petra was first to choose: smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, avocado in a lime and dill dressing (£4.50) followed by large ravioli filled with crayfish, crab, smoked salmon and mascarpone, with a white wine sauce and rocket (£7.95).

I went for the Chevre Grill, grilled goat's cheese topped with balsamic caramelised onions on beef tomato and ciabatta bread (£3.50) and spaghetti Bolognese (£6.75), purposefully choosing a simple main course just to see how the chef fared with an Italian staple.

Remember, I was at Ask looking for answers.

We shared a bottle of Merlot (£13.75), which lived up to its description on the menu: medium-bodied, well-balanced and fruity.

Our starters equally matched their billing. Both featured generous portions with ample fresh, crisp salad, lovingly caressed with their respective dressings.

"It's really limey," ventured Petra, when she paused long enough to pass comment.

In my dish, the sweet silkiness of the onions worked well with the subtle-tasting creaminess of the cheese, with the tomato adding a cool freshness.

We cleared our plates, passing on our compliments to the waiter.

Expectations raised further, I only hoped our pasta dishes wouldn't let the side down. But I needn't have feared.

Petra's ravioli looked like large buttercup-yellow pillows. Cutting through the soft texture, the fish stuffing fell out into the creamy and light mascarpone and wine sauce.

"Delicious," said Petra. I had a bite and had to agree. The ravioli was fresh and light, perfect for a summer supper.

My spag bol was served 'ready mixed' with the spaghetti well-tossed in the orangey-red sauce. After it received its obligatory topping of parmesan cheese and black pepper, I attacked it with gusto.

My tastebuds came to life as I stuffed the first forkful into my mouth. The sauce was really tomatoey - just how I like it - sweet and tangy with plenty of onion and garlic adding to the flavour. The spaghetti was cooked just to my liking, on the soft side of al dente. This was comfort food at its best.

The portion was more than generous and I was able to off-load some to Petra, who was equally impressed.

The only downside was that it ruined me for pudding, but luckily Petra still had an appetite, so I was able to sneak a taste of her chocolate cake and ice cream (£4.25).

It was sensational. It looked amazing - the darkness of the cake next to the creamy whiteness of the ice cream all drenched in cocoa powder - and tasted even better. It was proper chocolate cake: of the dark and devilish variety, and was suitably squidgy without resembling mousse or turning into mulch at the touch. The ice cream matched it in excellence too.

My caffe latte (£1.75) was another hit: with enough milk to temper the strength of the coffee.

Our only complaint was that the service, which had been professional, slipped into near non-existent as we reached the end of the meal, which seemed strange because by that point, the restaurant was emptying.

But such was our enjoyment of the meal, and my surprise at the quality of the food and cooking, that it failed to dent our pleasure.

So fully satiated, and completely surprised, we ventured back into the rainy night in search of a taxi home.

I'd gone back to Ask in search of an answer as to why it had survived so long in such a risky roller-coaster of an industry.

I went home, savouring the memory of its tasty and filling food, knowing I'd found my answer.

Ask, Assembly Rooms, Blake Street, York

Tel: 01904 637254

Maxine visited on August 26, 2004

Food: tasty

Service: mixed

Value: fair

Ambience: grand

Disabled access: Yes

Restaurant reviewers aim to be fair and accurate. Any comments on this review should be addressed to Chris Titley, Features Content Editor, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN or email features@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 08:37 Saturday, September 04, 2004