For full audio interview with head chef Mark, please see below!
It's now been over a year since I graduated from University and ceased my student nights out into the city. Whilst York is hardly renowned for it's clubbing scene, it does have a certain reputation when it comes to pubs and bars, with many different establishments to choose from.
I first visited The Biltmore around the end of my degree, as I distinctly remember going in for celebratory cocktails (though my memories of leaving are a bit hazier!) I remember the space inside the bar being cavernous and full of happy drinkers, I had little idea though that they also served food.
The space has very recently undergone a substantial cosmetic change, making the interior much more inviting to those seeking out a meal. However it still retains much of the glamour which has firmly cemented the bar as one of the most popular drinks locations in York.
Having been impressed with the interior, which consists of a bar space/informal dining area downstairs and a more formal dining area upstairs, I was interested to see if the food on offer also lived up to the potential of the bar.
In order to find out more, I met with the head chef Mark to discuss how he is putting The Biltmore firmly on the York food map with a focus on fusion flavours and a progressive menu!
I was really impressed with Mark's focus on making The Biltmore a democratic dining space where people can come for a luxurious/interesting, yet also unpretentious, meal.
"Thai Seafood Trio. This dish consists of Marinated monkfish tail, king scallops, tiger prawns, sweet coconut rice, charred flatbread cone and a thai inspired coconut & chilli curry sauce."
The dish was also garnished with micro herbs and edible flowers, both of which gave the dish a wonderful visual appeal.
In fact, the presentation was quite stunning. However my only comment would be that the curry sauce and rice were rather far apart, making the dish a slight logistical challenge, though this distance is probably a sacrifice I am willing to make for aesthetic reasons.
The flavours however were wonderfully balanced, I especially enjoyed the combination of sweet rice when combined with the aromatic curry sauce. The king prawns, monkfish and scallops were succulent and quite substantial - the monkfish was a beautiful counterpoint to the slightly spicy thai sauce.
I think that The Biltmore definitely does offer something different to York's food scene, which is so often characterised by (extremely good) traditional english cuisine. I also do actually have a rather odd recommendation - I do think that it would make a great place for a first date as the dishes are as visually impressive as the venue.
I would like to finish by thanking Mark for meeting with me!