I’m going to spoil the ending to this story because I’m so ENTHUSED: this was the best meal I’ve eaten in a long time! It was utter perfection and I don’t have a single complaint. I’m going to tell the beautiful tale with pictures and I’ll probably drool all over myself in the process.
One of my friends recommended Nineteen to me – as a Scot I have no idea where is decent down south – and as someone I perceive to have good taste I followed her advice. The restaurant is so cute – it sits on the cobbled street with its whitewashed walls, exposed wooden beams and intimate candles lit. We were greeted and served by a lovely waitress and waiter; both were lovely, friendly and attentive.
The view from the window. So cute and very York!
I was impressed by their menu and was eager to give it a try. One person I was with felt the menu was a little too limited,but upon arrival we were read the specials – and there were plenty of them to choose from. You soon realise why the menu is simple: everything is delicious and the ingredients are fresh and local.
Starters
Mussels Marinières
I’ve ordered this several times at different places and this has been my favourite. The flavour from the soup/sauce was just miles beyond what I’ve tried before – the white wine, chives, garlic and onion all had the same boldness rather than one overpowering the others. The mussels were lovely and fresh and the portion size was perfect. It was served with a mini loaf to mop up the left over cream. Perfection.
Crab Ravioli with Chive & Tomato Butter
This was really beautiful with an interesting taste. The fresh egg pasta parcel held the crab which was fresh, sweet and dressed in the tomato, garlic and herb dressing. The portion was very small but it was a light, refreshing dish and a perfect start to the meal.
Leek, Blue Cheese & Pickled Walnut tart.
Rich, gooey and luxurious. This individually sized pastry case held the rich blue cheese and leek filling which was so full of flavour. The walnuts and bistro leaves accompanied the tart. The overall taste was amazing and so was the texture – walnuts with crumbly pastry and molten cheese gave an interesting texture which was beautiful in combination with the mixture of rich, almost bitter (but not) cheese and sweet nuts and apple chutney.
Main Courses
Slow Braised Ox Cheek
Where do I even begin with describing this? Firstly: 10/10 for presentation! The dish was absolutely show stopping when it was placed in front of me – the shard of salty crisp bacon stabbed into the heart of the plate grabbed my attention instantly. The Ox cheek meat was so tender, like that of delicate pulled pork, and literally fell apart and melted in your mouth. It was served with a scattering of a rich jus which was lovely. The mixed vegetables were al dente, the mash was smooth and creamy and the mushroom duxelle absolutely delicious. The interesting twist (yes, there’s more) was the red onion tart: a tiny addition with a bittersweet taste. All together it was just, sigh, wonderful.
Fillet Steak
This was a gorgeous steak served on a wooden board with triple cooked chips, roasted tomato, onions, mushroom and butter. In my view, steak is rarely average – you either enjoy it or you don’t; this was a beautiful steak. Cooked perfectly, served beautifully and it tasted gorgeous. My photos turned out pretty rubbish, so I took the last one from their Facebook page!
Winter vegetable bread & butter pudding
I’ve never seen bread and butter pudding served as a main course before, and the minute I clapped eyes on it I knew it was a winner. The roasted vegetable layer sat beneath the bread and butter which was coated in the melted blue cheese cream. The smell of the blue cheese cream filled my nostrils and I was dying to taste it! Served with it were sweet walnuts and pickled apple. The blue cheese cream added a richness to the sweetness of the dish. I expected the texture to be quite mushy: soft vegetables, bread and melted cheese, but the bread held its own and gave a good mixture of crunch and chew.
Desserts
Apple & Cinnamon Bread & Butter Pudding with Stem Ginger Ice Cream & Calvados Creme Anglaise
This was such a comforting, traditional dessert. Lovely fruity, gingery and cinnamon flavours couples with that combination of hot and cold – beautiful.
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Whiskey Ice Cream, Toffee Sauce & Bailey’s Foam.
When a dessert as simple as sticky toffee pudding is made so beautiful, you realise what kind of magic goes on in the kitchen. The taste from the warmed Bailey’s foam alone was to die for, never mind that taste mixed with the sweet pudding and strange but wonderful ice cream.
Bitter Chocolate Tart with Goats Milk Pannacotta & Marmalade Sorbet
Rich, decadent and utterly sinfully chocolatey. The pannacotta was absolutely beautiful too – a perfect accompaniment.
Nineteen provided me with an absolutely amazing evening. Everything was spot on – a cosy, comfortable restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful, calming candlelight. Added to that was the B-E-A-UUUUTIFUL food and friendly service. Not to mention that our guesstimation of the bill was way over – the value for money here is just brilliant at approx. £40 per head – I have paid more for less significant food! We’re already planning to come back to York, and Nineteen is at the top of my ‘to do’ list!
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Nineteen Restaurant,
19 Grape Lane,
York,
YO1 7HU
(01904) 636366
@NineteenYork
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