WITH no fanfare whatsoever, not a single press release, not even a sign outside the pub door, one of our few genuine culinary superstars has opened a new pub-restaurant.

One might have expected Eugene McCoy, known to generations of foodies as the man who created the legend of the Cleveland Tontine, near Osmotherley, to open a trendy new restaurant in Yarm or somewhere.

Instead Mr McCoy has chosen to revive another institution, The Crathorne Arms, just a few miles away from the Tontine up the A19.

The Crathorne Arms, a famous pub in an attractive village, had been empty for most of last year, so the simple fact of its refurbishment at all is a pleasure.

The Crathorne Arms reopened two or three months ago but we held off our review to give the place the chance to deal with the usual teething problems associated with a new opening.

However, Mr McCoy didn’t become such a success, including the Tontine being named Restaurant of the Year by Egon Ronay when such a thing was unheard of for a provincial restaurant, by rushing things. When the Darlington and Stockton Times came to take interior pictures of the pub days after experiencing our meal, Mr McCoy, friendly, polite and otherwise full of enthusiasm, explained he was still “working on getting it right.” The fanfare is planned, but not until perfection has been achieved.

And yet the word is already out. Calling on the Wednesday to book a table any time over the weekend we were first told there was no chance. It was sheer, dumb good luck there had been an unnoticed cancellation in a Friday night 9pm slot. Clearly there was a vibe building, and it was with some excitement that Simone and I got a little bit dressed up a little bit more than usual, after work.

In fact there was a relaxed feeling, much more pub bistro than super-trendy restaurant, on entering The Crathorne. Making contact with smiling staff at the bar it felt fuzzy-warm on what was a bleak, wet January night. Ambling with our drinks to a cosy ante-room with big comfy armchairs and cushions the message Mr McCoy was trying to convey was clear: just relax. We did.

Most people were, as might be expected, drinking wine and Simone went for the house red, sensibly priced at £2.75 a glass. But such was the easy-going feel I felt happy ordering, thirsty as I was, a good cider, £3.60 for a pint of Somersby. We inspected a mid-1970s professionally- posed photograph on the wall, all big hair and big collars, and speculated that it could be an early picture of the McCoy brothers, then the hot, new culinary family on the block in at the beginning of the revolution that was transforming how the British enjoyed food.

The restaurant area, about half the pub space overall, was certainly grander, although we boiled next to the radiator, and we waited with no small amount of expectation for our starter having inspected a sensibly spare menu with just seven options for a starter and nine for a main course. We broke our usual policy of always trying different dishes to both go for the McCoy’s signature seafood pancake as our starter, £5.50 for a small portion and £8.50 for large.

We reasoned he’d put his name on it, so it was worth two opinions.

It was a traditional pancake, rolled and filled with chunks of fish and prawns and covered in a cheese sauce. I enjoyed it, especially the beautifully tender fish within.

Simone considered it a bit too heavy and noted a slightly burnt aftertaste to the sauce.

The main courses gave a nod to the pub experience.

Bubble and squeak was on the menu, along with a curry and a beef and Guinness pie. In the end I went for a chicken and chips, or, as described on the menu, chargrilled poussin (baby chicken), rosemary jus, chips and salad a £15.50.

The chicken, with that lovely chargrilled taste, somehow managed to also be tender. I recalled all my failed barbecues with all those halfburnt, mean little strips of dry meat and, the pubrestaurant glow upon me, felt happy.

Darlington and Stockton Times:
Eugene McCoy has returned to take the helm of the Crathorne Arms

But it was Simone who had really chosen well with the pollock curry and coconut rice at £12.50. The curry sauce was light, the rice cooked perfectly but what really made it special was the fish; tender and juicy. I would happily have just eaten that on its own and considered the meal a success.

The friendly staff explained the menu sometimes changed, presumably leaving the chef with room to manoeuvre depending on available ingredients, and in fact the dessert menu was written in chalk on a board.

Again there was a good pub food agenda: real puddings like apple crumble and sticky toffee pudding.

We were full and elected to share, going for a chocolate mousse at just £5.

One of my greatest pleasures when dining out is comparing the usual, supermarket- bought dish we have at home to that created by a professional. This was a perfect case in point. The mousse was extra-chocolately, decadent and yet somehow light at the same time. Beautifully rich and, surely, impossible to eat a whole one.

The coffee was good and we were enjoying ourselves so much we decided to have another drink in the anteroom.

We could afford it.

The bill had come in at just £52.60, about what one might expect at a half-decent chain pub.

This was superior but reasonably- priced pub food and heartily recommended on those terms. I wouldn’t be surprised if the experience changed as Mr McCoy develops his new project and it will probably go into the stratosphere for food quality and popularity in the coming months and years. We’ll be back to see. But, right here and now, it’s well worth a visit.

Ratings:

Food Quality: 9/10

Service: 9/10

Surroundings: 8/10

Value: 10/10