York Hotel, Wolverhampton

It’s often been said that Wolverhampton is short of good places to eat. Its clusters of city centre pubs are fine for those wanting a lively night out, but what about those wanting a quiet meal?

The York Hotel, on the Tettenhall Road at Newbridge, is trying to plug that gap.

If I start by telling you that it’s run by the same team that had the brilliant Greyhound in Lower Penn, you will have an idea of exactly how high their standards are.

Just a short distance from the city centre, it has 15 uniquely decorated rooms and a restaurant which is also open to non-guests.

I arrived with my dining partner at around 7pm on a Friday evening and we stopped off in the bar beforehand. It’s a small and cosy room, with comfy seating and plenty on offer.

We enjoyed a glass of wine on a sofa, and within a few minutes of us being there, the place filled up fairly quickly.

As we relaxed and took in our surroundings, two familiar faces walked in. Wolverhampton’s own celebrity hairdressers Royston Blythe and Nick Malenko were back for an evening out, and said it was one of their favourite new spots.

Then it was time for the main event. We went through into the dining room, which is lavishly and lovingly decorated. It features a contemporary design with modern art, which might not be to everyone’s tastes, but certainly provided a talking point -Êyou’ll have to see it to understand.

The menu featured a good variety of dishes.

I went for Bangkok mussels steamed in coconut milk, lemon grass, cliantro and red Thai pepper, £6.95. Also on offer was warm salad of pigeon breast, £7.45, king prawn, £7.45, and butternut squash soup, £5.45.

There were plenty of mussels to share between two and they were a very tasty way to begin.

For the main course, I went with the duck.

It was a pan roasted breast and slow roasted thigh, served with chargrilled baby leeks, red wine, maple and cracked black pepper sauce.

My partner went with the rib-eye steak with blue cheese butter, grilled plum tomato, flat mushroom and hand-cut goose fat chips.

We steeled ourself against ordering the surf and turf, £39.95, a monster of a meal featuring beef, scallops and rice billed as a dish fit for an emperor.

Other dishes on offer include Gloucestershire old spot pork, £16.95, which comes on braised bacon cabbage, roast cod wrapped in parma ham, £14.95, whole seabass which is grilled with fresh lemon and rosemary butter, £14.95, coconut marinated chicken which is served on sweet potato, £13.95, and goats cheese filo parcel which is accompanied with sticky basil rice and a pepperonata sauce, £13.95.

A range of side dishes are also on offer, including sugar snap peas, £2.45, chunky chips, £2.95, and new potatoes and veg, £2.45.

We finished with sticky toffee pudding which was priced at £4.75.

It was a difficult choice over chocolate and pecan tart and white chocolate torte.

There was a varied and classy drinks menu to choose from as well. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meal, and the service was nothing short of excellent.

We took a sneaky peek at the rooms afterwards, which are all individually decorated to an extremely high standard.

Also available for let is an two-bedroom cottage and an apartment, available on a daily, weekly or monthly let.

All things considered, our evening at The York Hotel was a relaxing and tasty alternative to the throng of Wolverhampton city centre on weekend nights.

We’re already planning to return. If you fancy an evening there, it is wise to book in advance.

I have a sneaky feeling that this place won’t stay Wolverhampton’s best kept secret for very long.

ADDRESS
The York Hotel, Tettenhall Road, Newbridge, Wolverhampton
Tel: 01902 75821

By Becky Sharpe