A few weeks ago I was treated to a delicious meal out with friends at a local cafe/bistro, Penleys, in our local town of Richmond. It's one of two, with its sister restaurant being in nearby Leyburn, and I was a little nervous because having taken a look on TripAdvisor, it had some very mixed reviews.
I booked a table for four at 7pm, and on arrival we were greeted with a complimentary glass of prosecco (as it was Valentine's weekend). We were made to feel welcome, and given a choice of tables. Opting for a window seat with a fantastic view across the cobbles of Richmond, we sat down to peruse the menu.
We were being looked after by Sophie, who kindly allowed us to have the Early Bird menu even though this should have finished at 7pm, and I was delighted to find that the menu consisted of a fairly small number of equally delicious-sounding dishes. A real bug bear of mine is those neverending menus of mundane sounding items...
I opted for crispy duck pancakes to start, followed by pan-fried chicken breast with dauphinoise potatoes and a pink peppercorn sauce. The offer included a bottle of house wine for £10, so of course we did!
The food was absolutely spot on. I could not fault a single thing. Everything was cooked to perfection and beautifully presented, and Sophie was just the right amount of attentive but not overbearing. There were a number of other people in the restaurant but there was a lovely level of noise - you felt like you could have a conversation at a normal volume without either deafening everyone, or being deafened.
The desserts were also impeccable. I opted for a "Sweet Taster & Coffee" which is a smaller portion of dessert with a fresh coffee. I chose the white chocolate and raspberry Eton Mess, with an americano. I was blown away. It was divine!
At the end of the night, we were all wonderfully full, had enjoyed a fantastic meal with great service, and the bill was just shy of £100. I'd really recommend this little spot to any and everyone, and I can't wait to go back!
L xx
Penleys website
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