There’s more than meets the eye to Ripon’s Storehouse Kitchen

Storehouse Kitchen review written by YFG’s Lucinda Hurst

With laid-back branding and relaxed interiors, Storehouse Kitchen in Ripon doesn’t immediately make you think ‘fine-dining’. But with a talented team in the kitchen and some rather intriguing additions to the menu, there’s plenty to be impressed by.

Catch up over dinner and drinks at Storehouse Kitchen in Ripon

If you’re familiar with the Ripon area, you might recognise the Storehouse name… just around the block is their sister venue, Storehouse Bar, serving up drinks and small plates. The ‘Kitchen’ venue is more of a traditional restaurant set-up; somewhere to catch up over lunch with friends or a welcome chance to ditch your plans to cook dinner. The idea behind the informal interiors was to create an unpretentious setting where you can enjoy seriously good food, and it works.

We have our pick of tables early on a Thursday afternoon, but by the time the evening rolls around, you’ll want a reservation. We choose a table in the light and airy front section of the restaurant. The latter half houses the bar and open kitchen, with lower lighting making it ideal for after-work drinks.

The menu has some surprises in store

The menu gives a feel of simple dishes, done well, but you start to notice the likes of pigeon breast, rabbit forestiere and sea trout pastrami. There’s clearly more to the Storehouse Kitchen in Ripon than meets the eye.

There’s nothing that compares to my delight at seeing ‘posh chicken parmo’ on the specials. As it turns out, the sous chef hails from Teeside and had been dying to put a fine dining twist on that quintessential takeaway favourite from the North East. Now I’m really getting excited.

A great selection of wine by the bottle or glass

My dinner guest’s drink of choice is Camden Hells. The wine list has plenty of great wines by the glass, and I plump for an Albariño that’s long on the palette. It’s a welcome pairing with our first course; baked queen scallops. We couldn’t resist ordering the hay smoked pigeon breast too, and it arrives at the table pan-fried to perfection. We dig in.

With its creamy veloute, crisp pastry and piped potato, the scallop dish is as comforting as you’d expect. It’s the pigeon that demands your attention though. Served with charred corn, smoked tomato fondue and toasted hazelnuts, it’s a masterclass in balance. It’s brilliantly rich, with a subtle sweetness that gives way to the deep, woody flavour of the pigeon. The toasted hazelnut crumb adds another layer to the dish. I’m not all that keen to share with my dining partner, but fair is fair, and I’ve already polished off my half of the scallop dish.

Perfect pork and a posh parmo

The main courses arrive; roast pork belly and that posh parmo I’ve been waiting for. It’s not the grease heavy, dinner plates sized slab of chicken, bechamel and cheddar you expect of its namesake. But then again, this isn’t an open all hours Teeside takeaway, it’s the Storehouse Kitchen in Ripon. Without the name, you could easily enjoy this dish without making the connection.

The cep and chive gnocchi, wild garlic, and mushrooms don’t exactly scream ‘Parmo’. But the hints are all there. The breaded cutlet of chicken makes way for corn-fed chicken breast with a bacon crumb. Simple béchamel and cheddar are traded for a smoked parmesan crème fraîche. It’s chicken and cheese, but really blooming good.

The pork belly delivers too. It’s a generous slab, topped with the Goldilocks of crackling (no risk of a sizeable dental bill). The sweet potato is a pleasant shake-up from the usual fondant, and the nduja cream is a warming welcome, with a tart sweetness from the shards of apple.

Save room for pudding

We peruse the dessert menu, with full bellies and intentions to share one pudding. Then I spot Northern Bloc raspberry and sorrel sorbet to accompany a choice of puddings. Any suggestions of sharing are quickly forgotten. It doesn’t take us long to polish off the cherry bakewell and a slice of lemon meringue pie.

We leave the Storehouse Kitchen in Ripon well and truly satisfied, wondering if there’s time for a tipple at Storehouse Bar, in the name of research of course.

83 North St, Ripon HG4 1DP – www.storehouseripon.co.uk

Storehouse Kitchen review written by YFG’s Lucinda Hurst

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