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    Smiths Arms

    5.0 (1 review)

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    Recommended Reviews - Smiths Arms

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    11 years ago

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    The Black Swan

    The Black Swan

    (4 reviews)

    ££££

    Middle of nowhere, casual dress, Michelin-starred…read more My husband and I went out of our way to eat and stay here. Was it worth the 3 hour journey from London (2-hr train ride, 1-hr by car) to make our reservation from 6-months earlier? Absolutely. Courses are small, but plenty. Staff are immensely courteous and thoughtful (they made a custom menu for our dietary needs and even had the chefs sign it before we left). And the setting couldn't be more idyllic. I'd suggest getting the wine pairing as it really completes the meal. Go ahead and stay the night as breakfast is included the next day. Just make sure to work out your travel from the train station to the restaurant. It really is out in the sticks.

    An absolutely fantastic experience enhanced by the charming and beautiful countryside that The…read moreBlack Swan at Oldstead is nestled within - an area that I wouldn't have visited otherwise but am grateful for having done so. Make sure to make a small detour to Kilburn to see The Kilburn White Horse which stands firmly in the hillside. The Black Swan is a beautiful picturesque old pub full of warmth and charm. Upon arrival you are welcomed into the bar area for aperitifs where a log fire crackles and glows. Make sure to notice the Robert Thompson mouse carved into the bar. Great selection of small batch gins - I enjoyed a glass of Sir Robin of Locksley from Sheffield with tonic. Amuse bouche are served here before moving upstairs to the restaurant. The Smoked Eel and Apple Tartlets were light and well balanced in their flavours whilst the Chicken Dumpling was rich, satisfying and would sit well on the finest of dim sum plates in Hong Kong. The restaurant is more modern in decoration with an "open kitchen" where some of the dishes are prepared with a clear artistic love and attention to detail. Service is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive without being intrusive. Good selection of wines for most palates and wallets. I had the 10 course tasting menu which, at £85, felt like a bargain compared to the price of Michelin starred food in major cities. To start, a Mussel with Oyster Leaf canapé - so perfectly decorated that it felt wrong to eat it, but so tasty. Next up Langoustine with Caramelised Whey, served like a lollipop with a twig to hold it with - lovely textures and cooked to perfection. Venison Tartare followed - a small dish but rich in flavour and beautifully prepared and decorated. Sour Bread and Sour Butter was distinctive and a good filler in preparation for the main courses. The Monkfish with Asparagus and Onion, although delicious, was probably the weakest dish. The sauce tasted like heavy sweet soy sauce and was a bit overpowering in its saltiness for the delicate flavour of the fish. Still very enjoyable though. The Slowly Cooked Crapaudine Beetroot was the star of the menu. Cooked in beef fat (I believe), the beetroot takes on a heavier composition and is chewy and almost glutinous with all of the accompanying decorations providing broad and bold flavours. Absolutely fantastic! Scallop Cured with Rhubarb was another standout with the smoothness of the slightly charred scallops countering the tartness of the rhubarb, all tied together with a rich and balanced sauce. Herb-Fed Chicken with Wild Garlic from this Year and Last was another amazing creation with a blanket over the chicken in the form of a garlic leaf. The chicken was more warm than hot but extremely tasty. The first dessert was ice cream (or iced yoghurt?) Lollipops which were wonderfully innovative with their unique flavours. The Sheep's Milk with Douglas Fir Oil was also an memorable dessert with natural tastes of the season. The final dessert, served with coffee was Cake made from Artichoke, Chicory Root and Thyme. The combination worked well although the chicory root (?) was slightly bitter. A great end to a fantastic meal and experience. For most who visit The Black Swan at Oldstead, a significant journey will be involved but don't let that put you off...It's well worth the effort and will be one of those great food experiences.

    The Roebuck - The Roebuck

    The Roebuck

    (2 reviews)

    This is a fantastic old pub that has stood forever. It has great Yorkshire food and is not part of…read morea chain. It's a little out of Otley, but the views and award winning food make it worth the walk. It's a warm welcoming family atmosphere that will keep you coming back for more.

    Heading back after a morning walk around Swinsty reservoir we decided to stop here for a bite to…read moreeat. Good sized car park. Very friendly staff greeted us as we entered and the dining room was busy which was a good sign given that it is under new ownership for just a year or so now. We ate in the newer section of the pub which had sky lights and was very light with a great view over the valley. The menu seemed quite simple and to focus on local type dishes and at first glance, I thought the menu looked a little pricey for lunches and so decided on a sandwich (I think it was £6) while many of the dishes were up in the £8-10 range). When the sandwiches came, they came with a small salad of very fresh greens which was the first surprise. Then the second surprise came in the form of a pickle plate containing a selection of beetroot, pickled onions (small (so not too strong in flavour), but numerous), pickled cabbage and a pickle/chutney all of which we were told were made on site. Honestly, I'd read it on the menu and not really given it any thought, but the presentation of the pickle plate was great and their flavours were sublime. For me the pickle tray was the star of the meal and tied the local/home-style together perfectly. The sandwiches were very tasty and combined with the salad and pickles offered fantastic value for money. The sandwich (coronation chicken), wasn't too overly spiced and the bread was thick cut and very tasty. Others in my party were equally impressed. My only regret, given the flavour and quality of the pickled onions and pickle/chutney, I should have got the cheese sandwich as I bet combined, the three elements would be amazing! At this point I'm looking forward to going back and will be trying some of the more expensive dishes on the strength of my experience here. If all their dishes are made with the same quality of ingredients and given the same attention, then I'm sure it won't be long before this becomes a very well known local spot.

    Duke Of Wellington

    Duke Of Wellington

    (2 reviews)

    ££

    I have eaten here quite a few times now and every time the food has been absolutely top notch. The…read moreservice has always been very good and fast. and the menu changes frequently so you cant get bored I have eaten here at lunch and in the evening and at both times the food has always been of the highest standard. In fact the standards have been so high that I chose to eat here with friends for my birthday. The meal was perfect, every course was superb. The portion sizes are great too so the big eaters among us don't go home hungry The staff are friendly and helpful, and if they are not , the manager Martin very quickly makes sure they are. his level of attention is exceptional, i am sure he has Spidey sense, he always notices first my glass is empty, hurrah.

    Tally-HO! And we'rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre OFF!! Two dogs, threatening rainclouds, slushy snow and the…read moreHUNGER- what better way to spend a Sunday than squelching around a pretty Yorkshire village just a few miles out of Leeds and then ending up in a gorgeous, dog friendly proper country pub with delicious food and waiters skilled in the art of Monkey tickling. Monkey is the dog. Lola is the other dog but she doesn't like me talking about her behind her back so to save time let's just say Monkey is the cuddly one. *looks round nervously to check I'm not being watched* East Keswick is just up Wetherby Road- and the great news is you can get the 98 and 99 buses from town to RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DAMN PUB DOOR! Can't argue with that logic. The pub has a Snug at the front where dogs of all shapes, sizes and aromas are made to feel truly welcome. There's a tv for catching up with sports, an open fire, a doggly bowl and some cracking local beers and ales on offer. I had a pint of Mary Jane from the Ilkley Brewery and it was luscious. We'd first bunged the dogs in the car and had lunch in the restaurant part of the pub- which in contrast to the homely snug is really pretty classy for a pub meal. I think an evening meal here would impress. The staff were warm and welcoming and we had 3 courses for £15.95 each, with a decent bottle of red wine this brought the bill to just over £50, which is pretty reasonable for doing it 'all' and less pricey options were available e.g 2 courses for £12.95. This is for Sunday Lunch and there are weekday menus too. To start I had chicken liver pate which was smooth with a decent portion of chutney. Ade had ham terrine which was again sizeable and competently done. Both dishes were well presented and came with Melba toast. All very very good fare. For mains I went for the lamb cutlets and Ade the beef roast. The portions were again pretty sizeable, the roasts generous, crisp yet fluffy, mixed veg was properly al dente and had nice variety.....but it was the lamb that really stood out above everything else. Four almost fist sized hunks of perfectly cooked quality meat, pink on the inside, melt in the mouth and with a subtle and creamy peppercorn sauce to lubricate the GIANT mouthfuls I was pushing into my greedy face. It was sublime and my pleasure sensors were bordering on ridiculous. All this scumptiousness was topped off by Ade's dense and super sweet Sticky Toffee Pudding and the heavenly dark matter that made up my Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake. Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes. We staggered back to the car to 'release the hounds' and then enjoyed the friendly snug for a slow drinking pint as we digested our heavy yet heavenly loads. Monkey in particular made SUCH a friend of the barman that every time he passed by and patted her head she jumped up, wrapped her front paws around his thigh and tried to walk off with him. I thoroughly recommend The Duke of Wellington if you are out that way, and as a diversion for excellent food/drinks and company even if you are not. With a bus to and from the door there's no excuse my little Leodensians, go get some fresh air and hearty fare.

    Smiths Arms - british - Updated May 2026

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