The Star Inn at Harome, Yorkshire Michelin-starred pub review

There aren't many pubs that can lay claim to having had such a broad range of VIP guests as Oliver Cromwell, JB Priestley, Dick Turpin, Sophia Loren and Mrs G.

But then again, there aren't that many Michelin-starred pubs like The Star Inn at Harome in Yorkshire, whose story dates back to the 14th Century.

Since Andrew Pern took over the joint in 1996, The Star has gained a reputation as one of the UK’s best gastropubs. More recently though, they've become well-known for a massive fire which ripped through the building in 2021. Fortunately, The Star and its distinctive thatched roof rose like a phoenix from the ashes and it reopened in 2022 following a year of closure. 

Walking across the threshold on a Saturday lunchtime, it was lovely to see the low-ceilinged bar full of people enjoying a relaxed pint. It was only when we were diverted to the dining room that things took a turn for the lux.

The Star offers both a la carte and tasting menus, with dishes on the former including potted Thirkleby Mill duck (£15), roasted loin of Texel lamb (£40), and Yorkshire rhubarb souffle (£13.50).

But, we decided the lunchtime tasting menu (£65) would give us the best opportunity to try as many different dishes as possible. It also meant Mrs G would have a rare break from me taking photos of her food.

Wand-like breadsticks were very tasty but one was jawbreakingly hard in a few parts. When I flagged it, we were immediately brought a replacement set. There were no issues at all with an accompanying pot of delicious herb oil slicked smoked cod's roe.

The next dish felt like The Star’s philosophy on a plate - hearty pub flavours prepared with precision technique. The lightest of batter lollipops was filled with tender shredded ham hock. Topped with a grating of Pitchfork cheddar and a dollop of sweet and tangy pickle-like Pedro Ximenez gel, it's the kind of bar snack which would be a blockbuster behind bars up and down the country.

An intensely meaty, pepper-twanged chicken broth had all kinds of treats lurking in its depths - briny boquerones, aged parmesan, fatty garlicky croutons and charred lettuce. On paper it was a dish which shared multiple ingredients with a chicken Caesar salad, but the end product was entirely different.

A flaky AF piece of Skrei cod was topped with a smoosh of potato with an unmistakable vinegary hit. It made for an uncannily fish and chip-esque combination. However, the addition of melty lardo and a meaty green peppercorn and caper sauce brought levels of decadence to the prettiest of plates.

It's a cunning move serving your signature dish as an optional extra for £15, because most people are going to fork out the supplement for it. With shades of a luxury fry-up, it was well worth the extra dosh.

A Lady and the Tramp-esque combination of fatty caramelised foie gras and crispy earthy black pudding was accompanied by sweet and tangy apple and vanilla chutney, a sticky scrumpy reduction and a caramelised apple slice. The sweet and zippy garnishes all worked so well with the rich and fatty meat elements.

A gamey piece of hay-aged squab pigeon was given an Asian twist thanks to the addition of a dollop of thick hoisin sauce. Everything else on the dish was rather good too: a little spiced shredded pigeon pastilla, tart pickled rhubarb, charred pak choi and a light spiced pigeon sauce.

Dessert was one of standouts of the meal. It was thanks to the presence of a couple of clever savoury elements - an earthy Jerusalem artichoke parfait (which would have benefited from a few more minutes defrosting) and a drizzle of umami-rich truffle honey (doing a similar yet different job to miso or salt). A thick and toasty blonde chocolate cremeux, a ball of charred fermented apple, white chocolate aero and nut brittle were all also first-class components.

I'm used to just a couple of petit fours at the end of the meal to accompany coffee. But at The Star, a ceramic bag was filled from the bottom to the brim with blood orange pate de fruit, fresh mint scented dark chocolate truffles and lemon thyme topped buttery fudge. Of course, I polished them all off.

We had a delicious meal at The Star. The high-end classical cooking on their tasting menu certainly feels like it has more in common with fine dining than pub grub. In fact, if I have any criticism then I think the menu would have benefited from a few more carbs, whether that’s a bread course or some spuds. Next time we visit, I’d be very keen to try their a la carte to see if it sits any further along the spectrum towards pub cooking.

The Details:

Address -  The Star Inn, Main Street, Harome, near Helmsley YO62 5JE

Web - https://www.thestaratharome.co.uk/

Telephone - 01439 770397

21 Newcastle Quayside restaurant review

If you’ve been dozing off at the number of North East restaurant reviews I’ve written over the last few months, then I’d like to reassure you that I’m not gradually becoming a Newcastle-based food blogger.

However, if I ever did, then Terry Laybourne’s Newcastle-based 21 Hospitality Group would be top of the list of places I’d be banging the drum about on a regular basis.

Their gastropub, The Broad Chare, serves exemplary takes on pub classics as well as an interesting selection of craft beer.

Whilst neighbouring St Vincent serves a corking selection of wine by the glass as well as a captivating menu which draws influences from across France and Italy.

Located just around the corner on Newcastle's Quayside is 21, the family's flagship restaurant. Oxymoronically, it bills itself as a “classic, modern bistro”. It’s certainly got the swankiest feel of the 21 Group restaurants we’ve visited, with its crisp linen tablecloths and more formal approach to service.

In keeping with its siblings, 21’s cooking is big on flavour and technique whilst at the same being free from fuss. On the a la carte, dishes include Provencal fish soup (£13.50), cheddar cheese and spinach soufflé (£14.50), and tournedos Rossini (£44.50). There’s also a £70 seasonal five course tasting menu on offer.

But, always on the look out for a bargain, we visited 21 for their £36 three course set menu, which is available lunch and dinner Tuesday to Thursday as well as lunch and early evening on a Saturday.

Pre-dinner drinks in the bar were accompanied by short and intensely cheesy dinky biscuits, which made for a compelling little snack.

Whilst 21’s wine by the glass selection isn’t quite as exciting as St Vincent’s, we both really enjoyed glasses of Akemi Rioja Blanco (£12.75) and Weinhaus Ress Riesling (£12.50).

A basket of complimentary first class crusty baguette was served with golden salty butter. Don't get me wrong, I love sourdough as much as the next hipster, but it does seem to be ubiquitous on restaurant menus.

Plump tempura oysters (£13.50 for three) were coated in the lightest and airiest of batters. They were sat on blobs of ozone twanged oyster mayo, which dialled up the shellfish intensity.

Onto starters, and a meaty tartare of fresh and smoked salmon had just the right hint of smoke. Topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, its richness was balanced by the clarity of an apple and cucumber dressing.

A quartet of golden cube-shaped croquettes were filled with tender shredded pork. Flecked with capers and accompanied by pickled shallots they both provided pops of acidity against the rich pork and fragrant wild garlic mayo.

For mains, a hunk of confit duck was a lovely marriage of crisp skin and tender flesh. Accompanied by sweet baby onions, salty lardons, duck fat potatoes, sweet peas and a meaty jus, it was a refined take on a classic dish.

A pair of crisp-skinned seabream fillets were bathed in a compelling beurre noisette. If there was any risk of a shortage of butter on the dish, our fears were assuaged by a dollop of golden butter enriched silky mashed potato. Salty brown shrimp and samphire all brought extra seasoning to the plate.

Dessert delivered the best dish of the meal. A slice of Amalfi lemon tart was filled with the silkiest of custards with just the right hit of tart and fragrant citrus. But the impeccably crisp and thin pastry case deserves a special mention as far too often it’s soft pastry that lets the side down. 

I’ve noticed that you can order a whole lemon tart from 21 to eat at home, so that’s what I’ll be doing next time I’m in Newcastle by myself.

Finally, a gorgeously creamy white chocolate panna cotta had the perfect wobble. Tart and fragrant gooseberries (I wish I saw more of one of my top three fruits on restaurant menus) bathed in elderflower syrup were great, whilst shortbread nuggets provided crunch.

An Americano was accompanied by delicious chocolates filled with squidgy salted caramel.

We had a superb lunch at 21. Much like its stablemates it offers textbook hospitality whilst at the same time bringing something unique to the party.

The Details:

Address - 21, One Trinity Gardens, Pandon, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2HH

Web - https://21newcastle.co.uk/home/the-restaurant/

Telephone - (0191) 222 0755