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Pignut

North Yorkshire, Helmsley - Modern British - Restaurant - £££

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Very Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

After four years at the helm of the Rattle Owl in York (now closed), Tom Heywood and Laurissa Cook are now to be found in a charming 16-seater venue in the centre of Helmsley. On offer is a four- or eight-course tasting menu (lunch and dinner) that begins with what Heywood calls 'wastage' – a series of little dishes using offcuts from other courses. Produce comes in part from the much-heralded Helmsley Walled Garden, a charity providing therapeutic horticulture. Our 'wastage' began with a cup of juice from apples, pears and cucumber followed by a chilled green soup garnished with flowers and herbs – although the star was toasted soda bread with crab mousse.The menu proper opened with an intensely flavoured tomato gazpacho, then soda bread served with salty butter and a velvety chicken liver pâté. Next up, a tender beef cheek, slow-braised in Helmsley beer, paired with pickled cucumber, pickled wild garlic and a deep, rich wild plum hoisin sauce finished with le...

After four years at the helm of the Rattle Owl in York (now closed), Tom Heywood and Laurissa Cook are now to be found in a charming 16-seater venue in the centre of Helmsley. On offer is a four- or eight-course tasting menu (lunch and dinner) that begins with what Heywood calls 'wastage' – a series of little dishes using offcuts from other courses. Produce comes in part from the much-heralded Helmsley Walled Garden, a charity providing therapeutic horticulture. Our 'wastage' began with a cup of juice from apples, pears and cucumber followed by a chilled green soup garnished with flowers and herbs – although the star was toasted soda bread with crab mousse.The menu proper opened with an intensely flavoured tomato gazpacho, then soda bread served with salty butter and a velvety chicken liver pâté. Next up, a tender beef cheek, slow-braised in Helmsley beer, paired with pickled cucumber, pickled wild garlic and a deep, rich wild plum hoisin sauce finished with leek oil. To conclude, mushroom millefeuille made an unusual dessert: a delicately flavoured ice cream with the gentlest of fungal notes, plus lacy tuiles sandwiched with soft coffee caramel alongside. Further optional additions are scattered throughout the menu – beef tartare, 'exceptional' wild brill with mussels and an outstanding fig-leaf ice cream with a base of crunchy rapseed and a topping of honey mousse. Meals take place in a simply furnished room with chunky wooden tables (sourced from a redundant Nando’s), comfortable leather chairs and artwork depicting Conopodium majus, the delicate white flowers of the pignut – a member of the celery family with an edible tuber resembling a chestnut that is hard to find and even harder to prepare (according to Laurissa Cook). There are wines to match each course as well as a short, mostly European list starting at £28. For light meals and pre-dinner drinks, head to the comfortable upstairs lounge.

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H Oulton

8 September 2024

We have enjoyed Tom's cooking and Laurissa's friendly welcome since we first visited their restaurant in York three years ago and now in Helmsley at Pignut. We usually have their four course tasting menu sometimes adding in an extra course from the longer menu which provides a wide choice of dishes. On our last visit we appreciated the refreshing flavours of the juice made from 'wastage', the duck perfectly cooked and the intense flavours of the sauces served with the duck. The onion veloute sou...
We have enjoyed Tom's cooking and Laurissa's friendly welcome since we first visited their restaurant in York three years ago and now in Helmsley at Pignut. We usually have their four course tasting menu sometimes adding in an extra course from the longer menu which provides a wide choice of dishes. On our last visit we appreciated the refreshing flavours of the juice made from 'wastage', the duck perfectly cooked and the intense flavours of the sauces served with the duck. The onion veloute soup with pork belly deserves a special mention, The 'mushroom' desert looked beautiful and tasted as good as it looked. We hope to visit again many times even though Helmsley is an hour's drive away.
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T Ambler

9 September 2024

This is a beautiful restaurant in the village of Helmsley. The decor is calming, casual, simple but stylish. All the tableware and artwork are sourced locally and information about them can be found discreetly on the table. The restaurant has a wonderful approach to using all the produce so wastage is minimal and made for some creative food offerings. We had the four course menu for lunch and it was perfect for our needs. Every dish was delicious and we elected to choose our own wine from the p...
This is a beautiful restaurant in the village of Helmsley. The decor is calming, casual, simple but stylish. All the tableware and artwork are sourced locally and information about them can be found discreetly on the table. The restaurant has a wonderful approach to using all the produce so wastage is minimal and made for some creative food offerings. We had the four course menu for lunch and it was perfect for our needs. Every dish was delicious and we elected to choose our own wine from the perfectly, tight but well selected wine list. We opted for the English wines and we were not disappointed. Wonderful locally sourced food. The whole experience was a real treat and we will definitely return.
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VENUE DETAILS

12 Bridge Street
Helmsley
North Yorkshire
YO62 5DXGB

01439 770955

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