THE Burgoyne Hotel sits atop Reeth green, unquestionably the most imposing building in the village, queen of all she surveys below her and beyond in wider Swaledale.

Leaving aside the little matter of the green being a haphazard parking lot for a large part of the summer, it’s a cracking spot long beloved by upmarket walkers and, in more recent years, connoisseurs of posh scoff served in traditional surroundings.

A lovely name too – the Burgoyne. A search for its derivation on Wrongopedia delivered the information that John Burgoyne was a particularly unsuccessful British commander during the American War of Independence. He led an audacious but chaotically disastrous advance from Quebec to decisively spit the revolutionary armies. His entire force of 6,000 men was captured and he returned to London in disgrace.

He has no obvious links with Swaledale or Reeth ¬ ¬ ¬- and further in-depth research (OK, the hotel’s website) revealed a former owner married into the County Durham brewing and mining family the Burgoyne Johnsons.

But General Burgoyne – or Gentleman Johnny as he was popularly known on account of his love of high society and good living - would have been right at home at the hotel which bears his name. Jam-packed with period features – some no doubt dating back to when the Grade-II listed house was built in the 1780s – it is luxuriously furnished and decorated in a style which Sylvia thought was a combination of Laura Ashley and Sanderson circa 1982 – classic English country house with a chintzy twist.

Enjoying drinks before dinner in one of two sitting rooms looking out over the green and the dale we thought it certainly hadn’t changed much since our previous visit back in 2008. Then, run impeccably by Derek Hickson, it set the standard for top-end Dales accommodation and hospitality. New owners Mo and Julia Usman have clearly decided that wrecking a fundamentally sound business by turning it upside down isn’t a good idea.

The abiding memory of that 2008 visit was the military precision of the operation that General Burgoyne clearly wasn’t familiar with. Dinner was served – for everybody, no exceptions - precisely at 20.00 honours, the staff moved around with drill-sergeant efficiency and it all felt a little bit stuffy and formal.

Seven years on, there’s a still an element of that and given that Mo Usman is former Catterick Garrison top brass it’s not surprising; perhaps that’s what attracted the Usmans to the Burgoyne in the first place.

Not much has changed in the kitchen either. Paul Salonga is still head chef. A graduate of Darlington College, his daily changing menu relies heavily on locally available produce prepared in what might be loosely described as the modern British style augmented by some standard classics.

The evening we dined there, from a four courses for £45 menu, dishes included chicken ballotine with mushroom and thyme stuffing wrapped in wild garlic and Parma ham with wild garlic risotto and sherry mushroom sauce alongside griddled beef fillet with cherry tomatoes, horseradish and red onion crushed potatoes and peppercorn sauce.

The four courses included a soup course served between starter and main – a sweet, delicious if rather under-seasoned tomato, pepper and basil variety complimented by beautifully fresh bread rolls and butter.

Sylvia’s starter of salmon, chilli and ginger fishcakes with a sweet chilli dressing was prettily prepared and presented and deemed perfectly pleasant if a little underpowered. Sylvia expected a little more punch from the chilli and ginger. Let’s just say the flavouring was subtle.

My tomato, pine nut and olive salad with blue Wensleydale and lentil sprouts was light, fresh and a great combination of textures anchored flavour-wise by the cheese. A lovely dish nearly spoilt by rather enthusiastic application of the balsamic dressing.

After the soup, Sylvia’s best end of lamb with minted mash, roasted beetroot with a rosemary and redcurrant gravy was tender as could be and strongly flavoured as was the sweetly-sticky gravy.

I’d opted for fillet of cod served on crushed peas and broad beans served with char-grilled asparagus and a lovage butter sauce and initially thought the handsome slab of fish hadn’t been cooked through. It had, if only just, and was rather again rather under-seasoned. It made me think what an over-rated fish cod is compared with some of the cheaper alternatives available these days. But what made the dish were the accompaniments – the spring-fresh and lightly cooked vegetables and the delicate sauce.

Three courses was more than enough for Sylvia so I was left to manfully tackle lemon creamed petit meringues with honey, crushed pistachio nuts and ginger rhubarb. Pretty on the plate, the meringues were that ideal combination of crispy, slightly sticky chewiness. The other components were all present and correct but again the flavouring seemed a tad too subtle.

We were royally looked after by the attentive Mr Usman (he is the manager of the Help for Heroes recovery centre at Catterick in his spare time by the way) and his well drilled staff who were formal and correct at all times without being too stiff.

Two pre-dinner drinks (with crisps and nibbles) and two small glasses of wine added £25 to our bill. The Burgoyne is not a cheap night out but the surroundings – inside and out - make for a special occasion.

FOOD FACTS

The Burgoyne Hotel
The Green, Reeth, Richmond DL11 6SN
Tel: 01748 884292 Web: theburgoyne.co.uk
Open: the dining room is open to serve dinner to non-residents throughout the year but booking essential
Disabled access: a few steps to negotiate
Vegetarian options: available but limited

Ratings (out of ten) Food quality 8, Service 9, Surroundings 10, Value 7