We take a look at the revamped Queen o' t' owd Thatch pub in the Yorkshire village of South Milford, near Selby. A gardener, chef and a bartender walk into a pub. There’s no joke or punch line, but the result has delighted many a diner. Two years ago the trio – gardener Annie French, chef Kirsty Cheetham and bartender Adam Tracey – transformed The Queen o’ t’owd Thatch in South Milford from a traditional drinking inn to a modern dining pub, each bringing their own talents and combining them to create a wonderful dining experience. As you would expect, the garden, along with further local produce and foraged goodies, supplies the kitchen with fresh, seasonal ingredients. As a result, the menu is small but dynamic, changing every month in order to be as sustainable and seasonal as possible. While pub classics can be found on the bar menu – a ploughman’s sharing board, perfect with a pint of Yorkshire Terrier, or fish and chips cooked in beef dripping, paired nicely with a pot of Yorkshire Tea – the main menu offers more modern British cuisine. As well as the cocktail list – 16 at anyone time, split into pre-dinner, mid-dinner, post-dinner and non-alcoholic, and using fresh herbs grown by Annie – the bar offers a recommended drink pairing for each dish on the menu. The Queen o’ t’owd Thatch also welcomes drinkers as well as diners, and has a fantastic offering of local and guest cask ales, premium lagers and around 20 wines by the glass. September’s menu will see the likes of line caught wild North Sea sea bass with a bisque sauce, oyster mayonnaise, pickled mussels and cockle popcorn – paired with a Syrah Grenache blush from the Languedoc region; fillet of beef with a beef and ginger nugget, dripping cooked scallop potato, shallots and a spinach purée – paired with an Argentinian Cabernet Franc from the Mendoza region; and raspberry mess, jelly, sweetened cream, meringue – paired with an Australian Moscato from the Murray Darling region. This can be enjoyed in the restaurant and bar areas, where the decor, like the menu, combines a traditional feel with the modern, with areas where you can have your dogs alongside you whilst you eat. Sharing knowledge and offering new experiences is what drives The Queen o’ t’owd Thatch. “We try to avoid doing the obvious to promote conversation with our customers and encourage them to ask for recommendations. We like to strike up a dialogue; to pass on that knowledge,” explained Adam. “Customers say that it’s easy to get stuck in a comfortable rut when they dine out, so it’s nice to be prompted to experience something they wouldn’t necessarily go for. We hopefully give people something they didn’t know they were missing.” Its events take this further, with at least two running every month, including a regular Wine Club with an informally tutored, six-course tasting menu with wines. It’s a philosophy that has served the trio well: within the first 18 months the pub has attracted a number of accolades, including runner-up in the Yorkshire Evening Post’s 2015 Oliver Awards for Best Lunch. It was also a runner up in The Observer Food Monthly awards 2014 for Best Sunday Lunch, with a set price menu at £12.50 for one course, £16.50 for two and £20 for three. With three people so passionate about their offering from the potting shed to the plate, you can dine like a king at The Queen o’ t’ owd Thatch. The Queen o’ t’owd Thatch, 101 High Street, Leeds, LS25 5AQ. Open daily; food served straight through from midday to 8.45pm weekdays, until 9.45pm on Friday and Saturday and until 7pm on Sunday. Telephone 01977 685096, www.theqott.com. Dates for your diary: September 9: Single Malt Club. Sample whiskies from four Highland distilleries, each paired with a bespoke canapé. Ticket £30. September 16: Wine Club. A six-course tasting menu served with six wines, on the theme “Yorkshire harvest”. Ticket £50. About The AuthorYorkshire Food & Drink Yorkshire's only dedicated food and drink website from Yorkshire Post Newspapers and its sister titles in the region. Showcasing everything Yorkshire has to offer from the fruits of the sea to the fields of the moors and beyond. It includes unbiased restaurant reviews by renowned food critics, recipes and 'how to' videos from some of Yorkshire's finest chefs and latest food and drink news and blogs from around our amazing county. And you can have your say either on the site or via our Facebook and Twitter accounts. Let us know what you think comments
