Lamb & Lion York Review

Lamb & Lion Inn – Lamb & Lion York Review – Best Restaurants York – Written by Sarah Cotterill follow on Twitter & Instagram @scottnodot – 

Lamb & Lion York Review

York is spoilt for choice when it comes to eating and drinking, and the charming Petergate is no exception. Looking above the medieval shop fronts you’ll catch glimpses of the Minster between swinging signs inviting tourists and locals alike to duck under the leaning beams for a pint or two. Tucked away behind Bootham Bar The Lamb & Lion Inn boasts one of the best beer gardens in the city, a stone’s throw from the walls, with twelve en-suite rooms overlooking those dramatic towers.
          
The perfect location if you’ve spent a day wandering the cobbles and river banks, or watering yourself in one of the rumoured 365 pubs that York has to offer. Hungry work indeed, and fortunately The Lamb & Lion has you covered for dining, with an AA Rosette restaurant featuring exciting local ingredients.
          
The interior is warm and relaxed with dried hops decorating the front bar and creaking wooden floorboards winding through to cosy little private dining rooms and a bright parlour looking out onto one of the oldest streets in England. With gingham curtains and chalkboards on the walls and bunches of sweet peas on each table, the rustic rooms have an almost American countryside feel to them, but every bit of the menu celebrates British produce.
          
Head Chef Leslie Leak and the team have made sure there’s everything you could want in the way of pub fare, with East Coast Haddock, a Pie of Day with Real Ale gravy and Yorkshire Rarebit on the Bar Menu. The Signature Menu, however, is where their kitchen talent really shines, with a nice mix of meat, fish and vegetarian options, each presented in a very modern way. An extensive wine list is available to compliment your meal, and the super attentive staff will happily run you through what’s on tap next door if beer is more your thing.
          
Impressed to see some lesser known local producers mentioned, I went for the Lowna Diary Goats Cheese and Cawood Heritage Tomato starter, which was beautifully balanced and served in a gorgeous black textured dish which made the creamy quenelles really stand out. Scattered with pine nuts, watercress and picked asparagus spears, there are crisps of deep purple beetroot sourdough toast and a colourful array of sweet seasonal tomatoes. Simply executed, and tossed in a Wold Gold Ale dressing, you can totally tell the family run dairy hand make their cheese from a small herd of high welfare goats on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds.
          
The mains don’t fail to showcase their local ingredients either. Try the Pan Fried Sea Trout with East Yorkshire peas and a Bisque Sauce, or the Duo of Yorkshire Beef with Wild Mushrooms and Caramelised Shallot. Considering the setting, we ordered the Escrick Lamb, and as there were no local lions on the menu, the Three Little Pigs did just the job instead. A generous chunk of pork belly, tender fillet and slow braised pigs cheek are topped with a red wine jus and bright fresh curly kale. I don’t know who Anna is but her Pommes are great, layered with a hint of rosemary they make a stunning accompaniment to both the Pork and the Lamb dish – and should be offered as a side for sure. The flavours with the Lamb main are really special, thanks to roasted cubes of courgette and aubergine, salty chorizo and a very well seasoned heirloom tomato puree. The duo here comes in the form of two juicy cutlets and a slow cooked almost black pudding-esque triangle that pulls apart wonderfully.

I love a good ceramic and they’ve got some strong pieces. Another textured black number artfully displays a Summery take on a British Classic, strawberries and cream. Piped vanilla flecked Chantilly cream with fragrant poached strawberries and mint under a sugar dusted puff pastry hat. Very addictive. Or if you’re a chocolate lover, the Dark Chocolate Mousse, Orange puree, Ganache and Chocolate Soil with torched oranges looks a treat, as does the British (and probably Yorkshire centric) Cheese board.
After all that you’ll only wish you’d booked a room and could wind up the rickety staircase to rest for the night, only to be woken by the Minster bells, and what I’ve heard is a cracking breakfast.
Find out more about The Lamb & Lion Inn
Lamb & Lion Inn, 2-4 High Petergate, York YO1 7EH – 01904 612078
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Lamb & Lion Inn – Lamb & Lion Inn Review – Best Restaurants York – Written by Sarah Cotterill follow on Twitter & Instagram @scottnodot