Ye Olde Punch Bowl Inn, Marton-Cum–Grafton
Category: £20 - £30
It was a lovely summer's evening, not a cloud in the sky, when we decided to have a run out into the country to have our now customary Friday night out with friends. We had heard about the Punch Bowl which is a Greencliffe Tavern Inn, along with the Old White Beare at Norwood Green, which is a local favourite of ours, and the Stansfield Arms at Apperley Bridge. It took us about an hour to get to Marton-Cum-Grafton and we were all praying that it was going to be worth the journey. As we drove through the exceedingly picturesque village and pulled up in front of the Inn, it was evident that it was worth every mile. The frontage is breathtakingly beautiful with numerous baskets, pots and planters of every possible colour and variety.
The inside has a very welcoming and comfortable feel to it. We were greeted by Neil, the manager, and Francois, the head waiter, who did an excellent job of selling the meals to us, but at the same time making it almost impossible to choose from the extensive and exciting menu. Francois showed us into a small lounge which is very comfortable with leather settees and chairs, giving it a homely feel. We chose an unoaked Chardonnay from a comprehensive wine list, which was a good choice.
Dorothy and I decided on the Pan Fried Tiger Prawns with lemon, garlic and sweet chilli sauce (£7.75). We agreed we had made an excellent choice as the prawns were to die for. Bruce opted for a Wild Mushroom and Quail Egg Tart (£4.85), whilst Richard went for the Smoked Salmon and Avocado Mousse (£5.25).
For the main course we all chose different dishes. I had Monk Fish with Spicy Risotto from the specials board (£13.95), once again a great choice. Dorothy chose Lamb Chops with Mustard Mash (£11.95), Bruce, a former butcher and therefore very much a steak lover, chose the Rib Eye Steak, apparently cooked to perfection, with new potatoes, roquet and parmesan salad (£13.25). Richard decided on Cod on a bed of spinach, also from the specials board (£13.95).
All dishes were well presented and we all had to agree were of an exceptional high standard. All main courses come served with seasonal vegetables and there is also a selection of side orders on offer at a cost of £2.50 each.
Then came the very tricky part of the evening when we had to choose a dessert. All priced at £4.25 and all sounding mouth-wateringly delicious. I chose the Cheesecake with Tia Maria, Dorothy the Vanilla Crme Brulee, Bruce the Cheese and Biscuits which turned out to be a big enough portion to share with the rest of us. Richard had the one single disappointment of the evening when he was informed that his choice of Dark Chocolate Fondant had been so popular that there was none left. However he soon overcame this disappointment when his second choice of Chocolate and Almond Compote turned out to be scrumptious.
We all agreed that we couldn't fault any of the dishes and vowed to return in the future. For anybody living in the locality it's a lovely place just to chill out and have a drink, especially on a summer evening as there is a lovely beer garden to the rear of the inn with a most unusual feature of an illuminated glass wall, which is very enchanting indeed.
Reviewed by Julie Spencer.
Review Summary
Atmosphere ♦♦♦♦
Food ♦♦♦♦♦
Service ♦♦♦♦
Value ♦♦♦♦
Contact Details
Ye Old Punch Bowl Inn
Marton-cum-Grafton
Marton
North Yorkshire
YO51 9QY
T: 01423 322519
