Fine Dining: What A Find! York's The Old Liquor Store

How many times have you heard that a restaurant that is slightly off the beaten track has been ‘a find’?

More often than not, the teams that run these smaller restaurants in outlying villages or on the periphery of towns are consistently successful at demonstrating excellence in their ethos around providing well-sourced ingredients, customer focus, and being innovative without being emphatic.

I came across a superb find about two miles out of York city centre in the urban sprawl of new terraces—the flats and houses on the expanse that was once the Old Terry’s Chocolate Factory. Snuggled within the complex is a culinary surprise. In what was originally the Transformer House, widely believed to have subsequently been used to house coffee beans and barrels of rum imported from America for chocolate making, with the rum being added to the truffles in Terry’s All Gold boxes, lies the aptly named restaurant The Old Liquor Store.

Arriving on a dark November evening required some navigation, but in an odd way this added to its allure. Once I spotted the Terry's Clock Tower, I knew I had arrived, so I parked and followed the twinkling fairy lights down to the restaurant.

My guest, having looked at the sample menu online, was apprehensive, but by the time we got up to leave, he already wanted to book it again, not least for the Taste of Burgundy event on Thursday.

What made him become a devoted fan? He might have been captivated by the front-of-house team's warm welcome, the overall atmosphere, the building, and most importantly, the meticulously crafted menu.

The restaurant subtly blends a modern interior with historic charm, retaining some of the original tiling that resembles an old public bath while still maintaining a touch of its bygone charm.

Small lamps adorn the equally small tables for two people, and the lighting and soft music perfectly set the scene for a fine dining experience.

Ben Williams opened the Italian-influenced restaurant, which also houses a deli. He wisely convinced Matt Leivers, the former head chef of the Michelin-starred Star Inn at Harome, and Jack Whitely, the former head chef of the Star Inn the City, to join the team.

On arrival, we admired the small reception/bar area that doubles up as a comfortable place to come in and have a drink with friends, perfect for that weekend brunch and lunch early afternoon meetup. There is an all-day menu, small plates, and Sunday roast.

We chose to share several small plates from the menu, and they were truly delicious. We settled down with a couple of glasses of wine from the nicely stocked wine cellar and some warm, delicious sourdough. Regrettably, we didn't ask for seconds, as it would have been the perfect accompaniment to soak up the flavours from the various sauces.

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• Food Photos: Graham Hermon
• Prawns
• Butter-roasted halibut
• Marinated roe deer loin,
• Sticky Barolo braised short rib
• Saliza' Amaretto & 85% dark chocolate panna cotta
• Milk caramel and susmelle gingerbread cheesecake

It was not long before our gastronomic feast began. Shell-on king prawns, salsa verde, butter smoked cod’s roe, and espelette pepper. Easy to peel and warm, the prawns boasted a lovely, rich taste, enhanced by the accompanying oil. In true European style, they stood out on their own, potentially eliminating the need for the accompanying salmon mousse, which, I hasten to add, was delicious with its smokiness. The appetising plate perfectly complemented our white and rose wine.

The Old Liquor Store team excels in their technical brilliance, which balances the nuance of flavours with their superb presentation skills. The culinary theatre show continued with butter-roasted halibut, steamed mussels, leeks and Prosecco 'marinere', flat parsley, and caviar. All the textures of the dish, from the crispy top to the leeks and caviar, were delightful; the mussels were the best I have had this year. The halibut tender and flavoursome. The exquisiteness of the different combinations of constituents contributed to a fabulous dish; nothing overpowered the subtlety of how each element touched the taste buds. The fish is sourced from F.R. Fowler and Son, Tang Hall, York.

It was so good that, with no bread left, we had to ask for a teaspoon to savour the balanced, delectable sauce.

The next dish featured marinated roe deer loin, smoked pancetta baby onion, tarragon, braised haunch, and celeriac 'lasagne' topped with sprout leaves. The dish perfectly balanced with the taste of tender venison that melted in the mouth, piquant sweet onions, and the complementing lardons. A harmonious plate. 

As for the sticky Barolo braised short rib caramelised cauliflower and 'nduja' risotto, with cavolo nero, braising liquor - another appetising and delicious piece of meat, provided by M&K Butchers in York. The seasoning distinct, the rib's crispy top and meat that is so tender it falls of the bone, all leaving a delightful aftertaste that lingers and as it passes over the tongue has a warm slight kick to it that gently hits the back of the throat. These are chefs who understand how everything works and, more importantly, know how to execute their dishes superbly.

Having shared the small plates we contemplated the puddings but not for long, having had the delicious savoury we knew we could find ample space for two desserts.

The first dish featured a milk caramel and susmelle gingerbread cheesecake, a poached Williams pear spiced fig and port wine jam; the second a 'Saliza' Amaretto & 85% dark chocolate panna cotta with amarena cherries salted almond nougatine, all expertly paired with a Californian Quady Elysium Black Muscat.

The latter pays tribute to Terry's cultural roots. The rich, dark and brooding flavour bursts into textural, zesty, and tangy harmony. The lightness of the cheesecake oozed taste, and, once again balanced, the texture of the fig jam impeccably matched everything on the plate.

With such a plenitude of epicurean delights, We decided to forgo coffee. Why? We really wanted to appreciate the work that the kitchen had put into creating a kaleidoscope of beautiful dishes, every one of which was saporous. 

The dog-friendly restaurant is open Wednesday to Saturday, serving brunch, lunch and evening meals (10am – 9pm) and Sunday (12-4pm) for roasts. The Old Liquor Store runs monthly tasting events. Group bookings for pre-race brunch and post-race dinner can also be made.

Reservations can be made by visiting www.theoldliquorstore.co.uk