I arrived and headed straight to Filmore and Union for dinner with a few friends.
In the centre of Low Petergate, an independently-run cafe and diner opened about a year ago now in York. With two more outlets in Wetherby and Harrogate, I'm not sure you can yet call it a chain but it certainly has the branding and efficiency of a well-oiled machine - either there is more going on behind the scenes of Filmore and Union than they let on, or they just have a great business and marketing team - in which case I am very impressed. They have managed to expand very quickly in such a short space of time.
Their aim is to serve healthy food and take away lunches. The emphasis is on feel-good, look-great food. Even the cakes are supposedly healthy. Though I'm not entirely sure how healthy delicious white chocolate chunk brownies are - I don't ask. Just smile and nod.
I have had many a soup, salad, sandwich, tagine, coffee, tea and treat from their deli and outlet in the train station. I always look forward to their yummy goodies for my journey. The take out food is pretty expensive in my opinion but I do still buy it because I know it is healthy and home made. I do, however, draw the line at a £3.90 carrot cake muffin. That's more than London pricing, guys. Pig and Pastry will do me a home made take out muffin, double the size of yours, for half the price. Just saying.
They do a very reasonable early bird set menu in their first floor restaurant of the cafe in York and considering how good their deli food is, I was keen to try.
The dining area is small - space for around 30 diners, but it is cosy and comfortable without being cramped and decorated with the perfect balance of modern, chic, homely and cute. A kitchen for the one chef on site is in the corner so you are able to see all your food freshly prepared there and then. The ambience and atmosphere in the room was just what you want for a nice evening out - not too loud (easy listening and jazz playing in the background, sadly no Bublé) but a quietly buzzing, comfortable setting.
An amazing view of York can be seen from the windows. If you go, try asking for the table with the bench and view of the minster!
A bottle of very nice wine was ordered, but that was unfortunately before I noticed the bottle of Hendrick's on the side in all its glory.
The starter was the best dish out of all three courses. They could have doubles its size and served it to me for main, and then again for dessert. It was that good. Baked serrano ham with goat's cheese, basil and olive tapenade with pumpkin bread. All the different textures, from the crunchy beansprouts and soft goat's cheese, made for interesting eating and the ham was divine. Slightly salty and and crunchy. The bread was also incredible.
I hate it when bread tastes so good.
L had steamed mussels with a tomato, coconut and lime sauce, which smelled so so good and she said was excellent.
I then had grilled sea bream, raw fennel and courgette salad with lemon and balsamic dressing. Presented in a minimalist, chic style, the flavous combined beautifully. I loved the fragrant fennel that worked with and didn't over power the fish. The skin was perfectly crispy and full of flavour, that I even ate it - and I never eat the skin!!
After being coerced to eat the flower on top by my friends, that I assumed was just for decoration, after they assured me it wouldn't be on the plate if it wasn't edible, I realised it was indeed just for decoration purposes only, because it was horrible!! Really sour and I imagine exactly what grass would taste like....
J ordered salmon and prawn fish cakes with ginger, lemongrass and chilli with butternut squash and puy lentils. I got to try some of the lentil salad and it was delicious. Similar to the salads that they serve in the deli.
For dessert I had a passion fruit, orange and almond cheesecake served on a generous base of oat and prune instead of a biscuit. The base was so gorgeously gooey and sticky, it reminded me of a homemade granola bar. I will definitely try to replicate this myself. In fact, the base was the star of the show. It was so interesting, I've never had a cheesecake base like it before. The passion fruit flavour of the cake was the strongest, I couldn't taste the orange and almond at all, nevertheless it was delicious. I'm not sure if the cheesecake itself was made slightly different to a "normal" one as the texture was slightly different. Was this then a healthier version?! Let's hope so.
I did not feel ridiculously full at the end of the meal, which isn't a bad thing! I was satisfied, however not stuffed. I put this down to there being no carb with the mains. The food definitely left me feeling healthy and "clean", so they definitely fulfill their objectives.
Overall a very tasty and enjoyable evening! It is such good value for wonderfully made, healthy and tasty food. Would gladly recommend and will head back next time I'm in York! Cheers!
We then headed to a few bars. The Blind Swine opened on Swinegate - in the very old, cobbled street part of town, last year. It bills itself as rock/cocktail/fine-dining restaurant-bar-place. It's the place people are scrambling to get tables - behaviour you don't usually find in York. It comes across as hipster and oh-so-cool.
When I entered, the place screamed try-hard. £2000 cut up amps line the wall with faint rock music playing. I'm not sure if it gets louder as the night goes on, but I definitely heard a cover of "total eclipse of the heart" faintly in the background and then tuned everything else out.
Only three chefs - who you can see working at one end - and two bar staff work there. There is no dedicated waiting staff, so the chefs bring over your food. So cool. Or is it? The fact that no one greeted us when we waled in - a fact previously that I'd clearly taken for granted - made me personally feel unwelcome here. We awkwardly trundled over to the bar, unsure if we were allowed to, waiting to be acknowledged and to be handed a drinks menu.
The drinks and abillity of the bar staff were impressive. They were creative, interesting drinks and unlike anything I've ever tried before. However the names - which some laughed at (and at the time I did too) but upon reflection, the names also scream we're so funny and cool!!
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| You want a what now?! |
I would still like to try the tasting menu - no idea what would be on it as no menu is online. I assume it changes regularly. I have seen pictures and heard too that the food is fantastic and, again, creative and inventive. There is no other inventive food like this in York, so I'm willing to look past their arrogance and let the food and hard-working chefs-come-waiting-staff to do the talking.
The night then took us to Pivni - owned by the same company who own Euston Tap in London! But unfortunately craft beer is lost on me, so I just took in the surroundings instead. The pub is in a very cute, old, tiny Tudor era building. Exposed beams and low ceilings, never mind craft beer, if you want a taste of history go to Pivni!!
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