We try £20 Restaurant Week deal at York's 22 Yards
York Restaurant Week ends on Sunday – so you still have time to grab a bargain.
And it is so worth it, as my dining experience this week proved.
It's not the first time I've taken advantage of York Restaurant Week offers.
And it certainly won't be the last.
But I will admit to being a bit late to the table (excuse the pun).
The event, running for its 14th time, has proven so popular that scores of hospitality venues are now taking part twice a year: every March and October.
Two years ago, I remember securing a whopping £20 meal deal at Zaap Thai. Earlier this year, I was even more happy with my £30 tasting menu offer at the smart eatery York Minster Refectory.
But my first experience was at 22 Yards, the wine bar and small plates bistro in High Petergate in the former Cafe Concerto.
22 Yards in High Petergate
And I returned again this week.
I booked a table online but had to change it via a phone call to an earlier time because we were hoping to grab a bite to eat and a glass of something cold and delicious before a date at the theatre for 7pm.
Arriving at 5.30pm last night, we were shown to a fantastic table by the window: from my seat I could look out on to York Minster and watch people come and go.
The table also afforded my dining partner the chance to observe all the people struggling to get into the cafe/bar because of a stiff door handle.
No doubt that is on the 'to fix' list.
The menu was great, and really generous: two plates each and a small glass of wine for £20.
Considering some of the dishes were almost £15 at full price, we were impressed.
Under the Restaurant Week offer, we could also have chosen a cheese board with wine for £30.
Under our £20 a head option, we were invited to choose from a decent list of dishes, listed under three sections: snacks,plates, and sides.
We could pick a plate and a snack or a side along with a small glass of wine: a red, a rosé or a white. We plumped for the latter and enjoyed a refreshing and zingy Portuguese Vinho Verde.
We agreed to share, and began with a plate from the snack section: the caramelised red onion houmous with confit garlic breadsticks (normal menu price £8.50).
The description conjured in my mind an image of a teeny dipping pot and a few cigar-like crisps, so when a giant plate of creamy houmous framed by giant Jenga-sized garlicky focaccia appeared, I actually double-checked with the waiter whether this was the correct dish!
Generous houmous starter at 22 Yards
It was handsome to look at, with rocket and pieces of feta and poached pear on top of the houmous, adding colour and more flavour.
When our waiter checked in again, I actually did inquire whether it was the same houmous as was on the menu because I couldn't really detect the caramelised red onion. However, she assured me it was as described and the feta and pear were just added interest. They certainly were.
After a short break of 15 minutes or so the remaining dishes arrived together.
A decent hunk of confit pork belly was accompanied by some apple purée, turnip and crackling, and black pudding. (£14.50)
Belly pork dish (Image: NQ)
Our feedback here was that the pork was a bit dry and we would have liked more black pudding and the deliciously squishy and slow-cooked turnip (which had turned sweet and almost apple-like). Our waiter brought us extra apple sauce which worked a treat.
More impressive was the herb gnocchi with delicious triangles or salt-baked celeriac which had been cooked to the point they were almost like roasted potatoes. Delicious.
Gnocchi with delicious kale and celeriac
Our surprise of the night, however, was the kale scattered around the plate, which had been cooked to take out its toughness and bitter tones and flavoured with a deeply savoury sauce. Quite something, and a culinary first for me to be singing the praises of kale!
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The truffle fries (£6.50) were everything you could hope for: hot, fresh and crispy, with just the right amount of earthy seasoning.
We told our waiter about our theatre date and they were spot on at serving us and settling up in time for us to head off for curtain up.
Truffle fries - hot and crispy and all you could hope for
York Restaurant Week runs until Sunday and with more than 100 venues across York it is the ideal time to grab a bargain.
The event features 244 special offers at restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars and street-food outlets across the city.
York Restaurant Week is organised by York Business Improvement District (York BID) to promote the city’s hospitality sector and encourage residents and visitors to discover new dining experiences.
Since the event began, more than 1,000 businesses have taken part, generating an estimated £3.5 million in direct customer spend and a wider economic impact of around £7 million.
No booking is required: to take advantage diners need to download a free voucher and follow each venue’s instructions on how to redeem it. Find out more at: yorkrestaurantweek.co.uk
FACT FILE
22 Yards, 21 High Petergate, York YO1 7EN
Phone: 01904 651215
Reservations: 22yardswine.com