Voted yesterday as number four out of the fifty best gastro pubs in the UK, Andrew Pern’s flagship restaurant The Star Inn at Harome looked warm and inviting on the cold January evening that we decided to pay a visit. After getting lost just the once and flying round a number of hair-raising bends which induced a grabbing of the safety handle from my weary passenger, I finally arrived at Harome. The pub was beautifully presented with a roaring fire pit outside of the front door, and a pathway of warm lighting invited you into the quintessential Yorkshire pub. 

Once seated in the restaurant, a gentle hum of conversation flowed around the dining room as we perused the drinks menu. The restaurant achieved a unique ‘homely’ feel through the abundance of photos of Pern and his family that lined the walls of the dining room. On one side of the room, the AA Rosette plates were proudly displayed, and in another corner, the 2007 Michelin star sat proudly amongst other Michelin memorabilia. The eclectic mix of family photos crossed with the traditional country style of the dining room showed a knowledge of both style and elegance whilst incorporating a twist of familiarity that softened the edges of the gourmet one-star gastropub. The background playlist did sound a little like Smooth FM x Stray FM and played a questionable range of song from the Pussycat Dolls to chilled out classics, but again the varied dynamic only added to the much-loved feel of the country hideaway. The Star Inn is boldly holding onto a little piece of traditional rural Yorkshire that has been encapsulated and preserved since the 14^thCentury from the low beamed ceiling of the pub, through to the locally sourced produce which they proudly use. 

I decided to eat from the á la Carte menu and chose to try the mallard drummer as an appetizer, followed by the ‘loose bird’ and foie gras parfait with herb croutes, and chose the Skrei cod on a bed of risotto with trumpet mushrooms, truffle and foie gras for my main course. The mallard drummer was accompanied by a sloe gin jelly that was deliciously sweet and complimented the rich flavour of the mallard. The parfait arrived beautifully assembled with two croutes and was again accompanied by the sloe gin jelly. The chicken liver parfait was smooth and tasty, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The herb crisps were crunchy and flavoursome and overall it was a tasty starter. 

As we were waiting for our main course, the reoccurring theme of Pern’s love of tree stumps; subconscious or not, was shown throughout the restaurant from the candle holders to the plate design. I ate at The Star Inn the City last October for a guest chef night with James Close and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias, and the tree stumps made another appearance there too! But, I have no qualms against a good multifunctional tree stump, bringing inside the beauty of nature is always a nice added touch. The main course that I chose was the Skrei cod on a bed on barley risotto topped with fois gras and a generous layer of winter black truffle shave on top. The risotto was buttery and creamy, and the cod was flaky and light. I found it flavoursome and filling with the portion size being very generous. Although, I did get slight food envy when my boyfriend ordered the ‘pig’ and it came accompanied with some beautiful dauphinoise potatoes (the angels sang) and a side of fresh vegetables. The pork did look fantastic.

Feeling gloriously full after the main course but not wanting to miss out on the dessert, we opted to share the Scottish inspired ‘Cranachan’ dessert. When it arrived at the table, I was glad we had decided to share as again it was a liberal portion! The savarin sponge was covered with fresh raspberries and dressed in a whiskey liqueur with a side of whipped cream. It was tasty and warming, and although the whiskey liqueur could have held a little more precedence on the dish, it was a great end to a lovely meal. 

Overall, The Star Inn at Harome delivered on quality, value and flavour. We didn’t get a chance to build up much of a rapport with the front of house staff, but they were efficient and knowledgeable. The meal experience took around two hours and gave us enough time to enjoy both the meal and being within the beautiful cosy dining room at The Star Inn. A recommended place to visit with a variety of menus and prices to suit all budgets, a true star that deserves all the accolades that it has received. 

Flavour: 💃💃💃💃

Service: 💃💃💃

Value for money: 💃💃💃💃