Brunch in my household has only ever been a quickly thrown together meal because I got up too late to eat breakfast. However, after brunching at the Hotel du Vin in York, I feel like I've been doing this middle meal an injustice. Rather than a slapdash bagel with a side of Wotsits, Hotel du Vin makes brunch a leisurely eating experience. It’s about lazy Sunday midmornings sharing naughty-but-nice cocktails in the sunshine, or the bustle of food and chat with family, enjoying a well-prepared, informal meal. As the chef of the Hotel du Vin said himself, "It’s about taking your time, enjoying the food, and the day."
Brunch is perfectly summed up by Guy Beringer in the 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, "Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting. It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week”. And it seems like the Hotel du Vin share a similar ethos. They spread the brunch over four glorious courses, eschewing limp bagels and soggy buffet food for beautifully fresh, seasonal produce.
From the moment I arrived the staff were attentive and friendly without being over-bearing. The décor of the bistro is suitably relaxed and cosy, but still very plush. I was seated right in front of a window overlooking the street, and found that the bustle of outside only highlighted the lovely, slow, tranquil pace of brunch.
Almost immediately we were served artisan bread, spring water with ice and a slice, and a piping hot bowl of the soup du jour, tomato. The soup was delicious, but was obscured by the sheer brilliance of the other courses. It does serve to highlight what it good about the HdV’s brunch - it doesn’t try to serve up avant garde courses. It's all about delivering extremely high-quality, well-prepared classics such as steaks, burgers, soups and roasts.The absolute highlight is the French Market Table, a chef-manned buffet. But this isn't a buffet of browning lettuce and stale sausage rolls. It’s a lush spread of exceptionally fresh meats, shellfish, salads and pates. You are encouraged to dig in and help yourself to as little or as much as you want (or that your plate can carry!). As I was piling my plate with salad, pate and meat the chef explained what each of the dishes were and how everything on offer was incredibly local and fresh. Even pointing out that the pig that provided that ham on offer was probably “frolicking around a field yesterday."
You can taste the freshness and the care that goes into creating it. We lingered over the food, savouring the taste and the chance to chatter. It’s a lovely experience to go to a bistro and not feel the pressure of vacating a table. HdV seem to actively rally against this, telling us to enjoy the meal and take our time. In fact the whole meal had an air of relaxation and laziness. It was almost like being at home with a personal chef. Oh, and other people
For the main course I plumped for Steak Frites, while my husband ordered the Bistro Burger. We had a small wait before huge platefuls of food arrived. Our meaty main courses were accompanied by roasted vegetables – which were bathed in sage-tinged butter and absolutely delicious. Sadly, these were overlooked as there was just too much food. To be faced with a butter-soft steak, chips and salad AND a plateful of vegetables is a little intimidating, but it was nice to flit between them, and again encouraged leisurely eating and sharing. My steak was wonderfully cooked, and judging by my husband's saucer-sized eyes and beaming smile, I would guess he liked his meal too.
We rounded off brunch with champagne cocktails and a small pause before dessert. At this point I was so stuffed I didn’t think I would be to fit any more food in! But thankfully the cocktail refreshed my senses and tastebuds and I was ready for round four by the time I hit an empty glass.I ate Profiteroles and my husband chose the Trifle, again two traditional desserts but perfectly executed. The HdV really does excel at making traditional Sunday restaurant fair and adding an extra sparkle. The food is wholesome and delicious, and the atmosphere is just wonderful – with a real focus on quality, and a relaxing, laid-back experience.
The only complaint I have about Hotel du Vin’s sumptuous brunch is that I was too stuffed to finish all of the food – yet that’s hardly a worry at all, is it?
Hotel du Vin Bistro | 89 The Mount, York, YO24 1AX | 084474 89268
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