J Bakers Bistro York Restaurant Reviews

Having heard of this place by word of mouth / repute I had high expectations indeed. I was not in any way disappointed on my evening out in York here. A great place to savour local produce and great british cuisine, with a great selection of wines. The location is perfect as it is on the run that is quickly become THE place to find good food in York. Being the first of the many restaurants here it is surely to become one of the best frequented in the city. The meal and service were great one of the best I have had in York and certainly a unique dining experience that I will try again with no doubt. Unique, chique and good value for money. 10 out of 10 in my book.

From my own knowledge of the chef Jeff Baker I knew that delights were in store for me on my first visit. The Michelin stared chef himself having cooked for the queen and been involved with the great, but now closed, poole court in Leeds was surely going to delight my taste buds I thought. In fact the short taxi run to Fossgate from my York home was one of the few where my mouth was watering long before I arrived.

When we found the restaurant at the town end / top of Fossgate the initial impression was a bit of a surprise. Opening at 6pm to me usually meant they were ready for you. This seeming was not quite the case as when we entered we were greeted by a man with a mop and bucket, not the most usual of restaurant receptions. Once an initial enquiry had been made the lady who showed us to our table explained, they had just had a delivery and there was a small spillage. Good news. Not only is it fresh produce but, it is delivered to the door just before opening.

There was light modern music playing a bit loud for my tastes but as more people arrived it did become more subdued. The decor was again very modern and chique. Nothing over the top and not quite minimalist either. It left you feeling as though you were comfortable in style.

A quick look at the comprehensive wine menu made it obvious they knew what they were doing. With at least 3 white and 3 red available by the glass we were able to sample plenty of good wines without having to order a full bottle. There was a good selection of wines from all over Europe, some interesting American wines and a good choice of new world. Also available were a selection of Rose and sparkling.

The menu itself was good looking and all the dishes sounded appetizing. It was a bit short on choice, I thought, but this will mean that the chef is not playing jack of all trades but producing things he knows well and will not be stressed out by 100 different dishes to produce on the night. The starter I chose was a rabbit ravioli. As I had not had rabbit for years I thought that this was the perfect opportunity also to try a glass of the Sicilian Red wine they had on offer. The birthday boy, my friend Roger, went for a simple English salad with, wait for it, real salad cream. As this was his 60+ birthday it would be the salad cream that tempted him I am sure. Although very modern they still had something to appeal to the war babies out there /winks at Roger if he reads this.

These were both delightful. The salad was crisp and fresh and to his delight the salad cream WAS real. Freshly made and tasty to his palate. My ravioli was great and the rabbit was very tasty in the smooth creamy sauce.

As an addition to the main menu we were offered 2 extra fish dishes one of which, Turbot with spinach, a carrot dish and new potatoes just sounded divine and that's what I opted for as a main course. Roger had a pork dish with a black pudding scotch quails egg. Both of these were splendid productions. The pork was cooked well and the scotch egg was a real delight. I just wish there had been 2 of them so that I could have got a whole one and not just a piece! My turbot was delicious Probably the best piece of fish I had tasted in years. Fresh and tasty without being covered up in any dominating sauce meant the fish really shone through. The carrots were a bit of a surprise as they were cool and not hot but this as a contrast to the rest of the meal were great. the spinach was very tasty and was perfectly cooked. You go some of the crisp texture of the fresh baby spinach and knew it was cooked. All round great main course. The potatoes were very fluffy and tasty.

The puddings and Amaretto (Italian almond liqueur) were also a delight.

I really could go on for ages as the experience here was truly imaginative and special but I really think you will have got the idea that I would and will recommend this establishment to all my friends. A very good night out.

J Baker's Bistro Moderne
7 Fossgate York
Telephone: 01904 622688