Warm and generous with the Farmers'

When the person at the other end of the telephone asked me what was bringing us to the Farmers' Inn, I said the pub had been recommended. Which was true - but what I didn't say was that we were coming to put that recommendation to the test, and then tell all the discerning readers of the Darlington & Stockton Times. I plead journalistic confidentiality.

And so, on what turned out to be the coldest night of the year so far (and with nearby Topcliffe, at -7.2C, the coldest spot in the region) we travelled to the village of Brafferton-Helperby (or Helperby-Brafferton, depending from which direction you approach it) to sample the cuisine which had been so warmly recommended.

The name Helperby is said to come from a legend that St Paulinus, an Italian monk, found "help hard by" in the River Swale when he came on a mission to Britain to baptise the Anglo-Saxons. Not one to do things by halves, Paulinus is said to have led a flock of 10,000 men and "innumerable" women and children into the Swale to be baptised. No-one, the legend says, was hurt in the crowd and the water was found to have restorative powers - many climbed out with their infirmities healed. And for some time the River Swale was known as the Jordan of England. Nowadays, it's more popular for angling - and you can get a permit at the village post office.

Our pilgrimage to Helperby turned out to be a baptism by fire - in the best possible way. Having had to park the car some way from the pub along the village street, we braved the bone-numbing cold to the door - to be greeted in the bar by the most amazing fire whose flames were leaping half-way up the chimney. It is a very big fireplace in a very small bar, so the effect was, thankfully, pretty immediate.

In fact, it was so comfortable and cosy by the fire that it took two promptings for Peter to move into the restaurant, and then only after he had been assured he would be sitting next to a radiator.

He need not have worried. The intimate restaurant, which seats just 20, was warm and inviting, the tables lit by candles, the white linen tablecloths and napkins properly starched, the cutlery gleaming.

The Farmers' Inn was taken over by Paul and Hayley Anderson in summer 2003 and opened after three months of renovation work.

And, for a relatively new kid on the block in a fiercely competitive business, it's doing pretty well, having been a finalist for Restaurant of the Year in the Flavours of Hambleton competition earlier last month.

Paul has a long pedigree in the catering and hotel trade; Hayley spent ten years in teaching before devoting all her time to their new venture.

Committed to the cause of good British food, locally sourced, the couple decided to make their restaurant a purely British affair. Also locally sourced is the recent addition to the team, head chef Bruce McDowell, whose CV includes No 19 in York, Aldwark Manor and the Balmoral Hotel in Harrogate.

The pub also has a more casual restaurant, seating around 18, on the other side of the bar, and, for when the weather's kinder, a pretty garden set out for dining outside.

Peter started with a prawn salad, which was served with avocado, Marie Rose sauce and paprika (£4.25). The verdict: a very generous serving and very succulent prawns. I chose the garlic mushrooms with leeks and (very pronounced) black pepper (£3.95). (I was grateful for the carafe of water on the table.) Our only criticism was that the bread basket came with only two, very small, triangles of bread, which really wasn't enough between the two of us to mop up the lovely sauces.

Other starter choices were: soup of the day (£3.95); home-made chicken liver pat (£3.95), or melon with summer berry coulis (£3.95).

Peter's main course of Barnsley chop (£11.25) was served in a garlic, redcurrant and rosemary sauce, which perfectly complimented the sweetness of the lamb. We thought this rather prosaic name for this cut of meat didn't do it justice. But then, perhaps it's not always dressed up like this.

My grilled lemon sole with basil and citrus butter (£13.50) was a real winner - the fish ever-so-slightly crisp at the edges and yet beautifully moist and melt-in-the-mouth.

The selection of winter vegetables was, again generous, well-flavoured and perfectly cooked.

We could have chosen from a selection of steaks, from a modest 8oz sirloin (£12.45) to a 20oz T-bone (£17.45), which comes with a "not for the faint-hearted" warning. Other mains included pan-fried chicken breast wrapped in bacon with a sage and onion sauce (£9.95); steak and ale pie under a suet pastry (£8.95); breast of Barberry duck with a classic orange and shallot sauce (£12.95), and fillet of salmon with leeks in a lemon and thyme cream sauce (£12.95).

The home-made puddings were also on the generous side. My white and dark chocolate cheesecake (£3.95) was so delicious that, having eaten it all, I was unable to manage even one of the handmade chocolates from Ryeburn of Helmsley, which came with the coffee.

Peter's mint chocolate ice cream (£2.95), also from Ryeburn's, was thought "just right" to finish the meal. Other puddings (all £3.95) were: bread and butter pudding with custard; apple crumble and custard, and fresh strawberries and cream. With coffee and two glasses of wine, the bill came to just a few pence over £50. And with brisk and friendly service that couldn't be faulted, it was enough to warm the cockles of anyone's heart.

Food quality *** Service **** Surroundings **** Value for money ***

The Farmers' Inn, Helperby-Brafferton, near Thirsk. (01423) 360110.

Evening meals Monday-Thursday 7-9pm; Friday and Saturday: 6-9.30pm; Sunday lunch: noon-5pm; Early Bird, two main courses for £9.95: Monday-Thursday 5.30-6.30pm.