The meal was top class from start to finish
I’d heard good things about Chapter One Bistro in Malton. It’s rated third out of 60 restaurant on Trip Advisor and is a popular spot among the locals.
My two dining partners and I headed along for our meal quite late on a Monday (about 7.30pm) and there were still a number of families and couples in the establishment.
Chapter One has a homely, cosy feel to it. The restaurant is decorated with trinkets and playful signs which add a nice touch to the chic interior decor.
The staff were warm and welcoming and the woman who served us was attentive and chatty - they couldn’t do enough for us.
Between the three of us we shared two starters. I indulged in the garlic mushrooms and crispy bacon on toasted brioche which was probably the best starter I have had in a very long time.
The garlic mushrooms were creamy with just the right amount of garlic - it wasn’t overpowering. Everything worked together perfectly and I’d return just to have that dish again.
Fortunately the food remained the same, if not a higher, standard throughout our dining experience.
My aunt and cousin shared the single portion of the house nachos. I dread to think how big the portion for two is as the nachos piled high in the bowl.
Again they had nothing but compliments for the starter.
For my main I chose the barbecue pulled pork burger. The presentation and flavour was superb.
It came with a bowl of chips, salad and coleslaw. Having already wolfed back a rather filling starter I took the huge portion as a challenge.
The burger and pulled pork were both incredibly succulent and I just wanted to saver every mouthful. The crispy onion rings were huge and originally presented on top of the burger.
The dish was also gluten free which I think is definitely a positive and had it not said on the menu I would have been none the wiser.
My aunt dived into the lamb shank served with creamy herb mash, winter vegetables, minted pear puree and mint gravy. She said the lamb melted off the bone and was flavoured perfectly - she couldn’t praise the mint gravy enough.
While my vegetarian cousin tucked in to the “delicious” spicy bean burger. There were a couple of vegetarian options throughout the menu includ- Chapter One Bistro, Malton ing a mushroom, spinach and feta tagliatelle.
For the burgers we went for the £20 deal which included two burgers and drinks.
Although we were all definitely starting to fill up, we decided to treat ourselves to a dessert - since we’d been eyeing up the selection board from the moment we walked in.
I indulged in the toffee crunch pie. It was a fierce competition but this was my favourite course of the night and it definitely deserved the spot on my favourite desserts list.
The crunchy, chocolatey toffee biscuit base was superb and the creamy filling was almost sickly in its sweetness - but in all the best ways.
Drizzled in chocolate and caramel, the pie had chunks of toffee and chocolate on top. Every mouthful was a joy to eat.
The decor is beautiful, the staff were friendly and warm, and every course was nothing short of fantastic. I’ll definitely be returning.
Score: 9 BY POPPY KENNEDY