The Ivy York in St Helen’s Square is one of our go-to restaurants in York. We love returning time and time again and love seeing what creative, seasonal concepts they come up with on the menu.
There was a definite summer vibe upon arrival, with plenty of pale rose being served up on the shady outdoor tables, which wrap around the bustling St Helen’s Square.
This review has been written in partnership with OpenTable.co.uk
We were soon shown to our indoor table and my first thoughts were, wow, this is busy for a Monday lunchtime. I think it’s safe to say that The Ivy York is a popular place, any time of day and any day of the week (pre-booking a table is definitely essential). Almost every table was taken and there was a lively, elegant atmosphere which couldn’t be further from your average Monday.
Our waitress was reserved but very polite and efficient. I opted for a Rose Spritz to drink, which was one of the limited edition summer cocktails. It was light, refreshing and something a little bit different.
Food-wise, I chose the tempura prawns to start which were absolutely perfect. The batter was light and crispy, the prawns were succulent and the green asian dip that came with it was the perfect accompaniment. We got off to a very strong start.
My partner ordered the scallops for his starter which looked very impressive. When I asked him to describe his starter in 3 words he said; ‘delicious, creative and pleasant’. He’s an accountant, so is better with numbers than words!
For the main course, I chose the pan-fried lemon sole with capers, flaked almonds, watercress, and lemon mayonnaise. I also ordered a side of parmesan and truffle fries and creamed spinach. Both sides I have ordered before and loved. They certainly did not disappoint this time either.
As for the fish, I made a bit of an error as I thought it would be a filleted piece of fish (as I’ve had at The Ivy Leeds before). However, it came on the bone, which I’ve never had before and have avoided in the past. However, I gave the de-boning a go and the waitress brought a side plate for the discarded fish bones. This was my unexpected first-time experience at The Ivy!
The combination of flavours on the fish, fries and spinach was deliciously indulgent. My only wish was that the fish was off the bone. My mistake for assuming!
Although very satisfied by the starter and main, I decided to have a quick scan of the desert menu and the creme brûlée caught my eye. It’s one of my all time favourite deserts and I had a hunch that The Ivy York was going to do a very good one, and I wasn’t wrong.
The creme brûlée was the perfect way to round off a very special meal. My only critique was that the mains and second round of drinks took took long to arrive, but this is something that has never happened on previous visits so I am willing to regard it as a one-off.
The Ivy York St Helen’s Square is an amazing place to visit for a special occasion in beautiful, opulent surroundings. The food and selection of drinks is wide and rich. We will most definitely be back.
Read my review of The Ivy Leeds in Victoria Quarter.
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The Ivy York
2 St. Helen’s Square,
York
YO1 8QP
theivyyork.com
