The Blue Bicycle-review

The Blue Bicycle has, among students at least, long held the reputation of the ‘best’ restaurant in York. So, last week when my Grandparents came to visit and offered to take me there, I jumped at the chance.

It is certainly one of the prettiest restaurants in the city. From the outside, a bicycle leans nonchalantly against a lamppost, and baskets dripping with flowers hang from the walls. The interior is just as appealing, though working on a different theme: the building used to be a brothel and the décor reflects its heritage. Discreet (if not particularly well-executed) nudes adorn the walls, which, together with the blue wineglasses, bare boards and chunky wooden furniture, give the place rather a continental atmosphere.

The menu is not particularly extensive, but has some unusual dishes from which to choose. I started with a ‘cannon’ (in this instance, apparently, meaning ‘lump’) of ‘gingerbread crusted goat’s cheese, granola cookie and red pepper and raspberry vinaigrette.’ The gingerbread crust turned out to be just a thin dusting of crumbs, but the cheese which it surrounded was smooth and creamy, though a trifle dense for such a large portion. The odd addition of the granola cookie- a sweet, moist flapjack- was the perfect foil to the richness of the cheese.

This propitious beginning was followed by a breast of grain-fed chicken with pommes Anna and buttered asparagus, with the three elements set out in regimented lines on the plate. The chicken was wonderfully flavoursome, and the tiny asparagus spears were absolutely delicious: crisp, sweet and tender. The pommes Anna (sliced, layered potatoes, cooked in butter) let the dish down by being overcooked, and therefore rather dry. The restaurant is famed for its fish, but my Grandmother, who had the salmon from the Specials Board, found her choice to be unappetisingly overcooked.

The restaurant was packed full with the loose-tied urbanites one would expect on a weekday evening, but the service was surprisingly swift, and the staff were polite and attentive. The main downside to The Blue Bicycle is the price which, though not extortionate at around £35 a head, is certainly more than most students can afford. The main courses range from £15 to £22.50, and the cheapest bottle of wine is £17. The ‘optional’ service charge is added automatically to the bill, which is not uncommon, but as it does not automatically go entirely to the staff you may want to pay the tip in cash.

The Blue Bicycle may not be cheap, and the quality of the food may be inconsistent (I found it all delicious, but my grandparents were slightly disappointed). Nevertheless, the restaurant is beautiful and romantic, and the quirky touches, such as complimentary bread served in a flowerpot with roasted garlic, and the wooden booths tucked into their own private alcoves, make dinner here a memorable experience.

The Blue Bicycle, 34 Fossgate, York YO1 9TA Tel: 01904 673990

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