The Tanglewood serves up a sizeable menu with a slice of showbiz nostalgia as Tony Greenway reports
The print version of this article appeared in the November 2011 issue of Yorkshire Life
We can deliver a copy direct to your door – order online here
Promotional feature
Back in September I reviewed The Copper Horse, an unforgettable pub and restaurant in Seamer, near Scarborough. Apart from the excellent food, this was a memorable night out because the walls are covered with wonderful theatrical memorabilia.
I liked it so much I decided to visit The Copper Horse’s sister venue for lunch, The Tanglewood, on the Malton Road near York. Like The Copper Horse, the Tanglewood is owned by leading theatre producer Nick Thomas and it too is full of fascinating framed theatre pictures.There’s a big black and white still of Eric and Ernie as you walk in; a selection of Radio Times covers near the bar; magazine pages decorating the ceiling and, everywhere else, film posters and photographs. It can’t be easy to hang a big Carry On film poster on your restaurant wall and still look cool and classy but, somehow, the Tanglewood achieves it brilliantly.The interior is painted a heritage red, the bar is long and well-stocked and the seating is well-padded and comfy. As a space, the Tanglewood is cosy but not claustrophobic and very well planned.‘We took it over early last year,’ says manager Simon Finnigan. ‘When we came in, we refurbished the interior and put in a new kitchen. We couldn’t work with it as it was.’Well, the new look Tanglewood is
Back in September I reviewed The Copper Horse, an unforgettable pub and restaurant in Seamer, near Scarborough. Apart from the excellent food, this was a memorable night out because the walls are covered with wonderful theatrical memorabilia.
I liked it so much I decided to visit The Copper Horse’s sister venue for lunch, The Tanglewood, on the Malton Road near York. Like The Copper Horse, the Tanglewood is owned by leading theatre producer Nick Thomas and it too is full of fascinating framed theatre pictures.
There’s a big black and white still of Eric and Ernie as you walk in; a selection of Radio Times covers near the bar; magazine pages decorating the ceiling and, everywhere else, film posters and photographs. It can’t be easy to hang a big Carry On film poster on your restaurant wall and still look cool and classy but, somehow, the Tanglewood achieves it brilliantly.
The interior is painted a heritage red, the bar is long and well-stocked and the seating is well-padded and comfy. As a space, the Tanglewood is cosy but not claustrophobic and very well planned.‘We took it over early last year,’ says manager Simon Finnigan. ‘When we came in, we refurbished the interior and put in a new kitchen. We couldn’t work with it as it was.
’Well, the new look Tanglewood is working a treat. This is a great stop-over on the way to the coast but its foodie reputation means that it’s become a favourite with many York-dwellers, too.
We sat in a corner table by the window underneath a poster for the spy spoof movie Our Miss Fred starring Danny La Rue. To start, I chose the baby mozzarella and beef tomato served on fresh rocket and drizzled with basil pesto, a sculptural treat (the mozzarella was layered within the tomato) as well as a culinary one. Pesto, as tasty as it is, can overpower everything else on the plate but this dish was delicately balanced.
My wife, meanwhile, ordered a generous slab of deep fried brie coated in breadcrumbs, which was perfectly accompanied by cranberry jam and the signature hunk of warm granary bread for us both to share.
For main course I opted for the pan fried supreme of chicken filled with asparagus spears and brie in a white wine sauce; not an easy choice to make because the menu at the Tanglewood goes on and on. But the chicken and the handcut chips served with it were sensational, and on the large side (portions are not skimped here). For her main course, my wife enjoyed local handmade sausages (from Sykes House Farm), served on a bed of mashed potato and red onion marmalade, with rich browned onion gravy.
This was lunch, remember, so we could easily have skipped dessert. But when the menu came, we couldn’t resist the Tanglewood Eton Mess (for me) and the vanilla cr�me br�le� (for her). The cr�me br�le� was served with summer berry compote and was light yet thick and creamy. My Eton Mess of fresh strawberries, crushed meringue and whipped cream was topped with a strawberry coulis and served in a brandy snap basket.
It was light and refreshing and the brandy snap basket was a neat idea. What’s more, our visit was made even more memorable thanks to the friendly service expertly delivered by Simon and his team.
Carry on cooking, we say.
The TanglewoodMalton Road (A64), YorkNorth Yorkshire, YO32 9TW01904 468611
thetanglewood.co.uk
