Wolds Restaurant at Orchard Lodge, Flixton: The hidden gem of a Yorkshire restaurant which only opened last year

Not because whoever utters those words is wrong, far from it, but time, place, occasion, the weather - whatever - can affect whether it's a must-go-to place. That said, a handful of people I know are impartial in their recommendations, and even then, I will only visit following personal research.

So, following one such recommendation, we were on a bank holiday Friday, chugging along with all the holidaymakers on the A64 heading to the coast to Orchard Lodge in Flixton, ten minutes from Filey. The lodge is tucked away from the main road, and as we swing into the car park, I am surprised; there are only two cars, which is odd on a bank holiday.

We are greeted by owner Andrew Jenkins, who takes us through to the tiny bar, and I mention that it seems very quiet. As it turns out we and one other table are the only bookings that evening.

Andrew tells me about how busy they have been recently, and I know this to be true because I have periodically been looking at making a booking, so I have seen this myself.

This scenario is nightmare stuff for restaurateurs as no one likes an empty restaurant, no matter the reason. But I brushed it off and assured him we love private dining.

The restaurant is quickly gathering accolades and boasts a Blue Ribbon in the Good Food Awards and two AA Rosettes in 2023, having only opened its door to diners last April. So, they are doing something right.

Likely, this is helped by their head chef, Michael Burgoyne, who shares his excellent cooking skills and his passion for sustainability and the use of local produce. Michael has worked closely with Andrew and his wife Lucinda, the co-owner of Orchard Lodge, to develop a menu to reflect this.

I find the menu intriguing, but its presentation is a little tricky. The menu seems hastily written on one large, mobile blackboard and is hard to read; plus, there's no time to ponder if it is needed at another table - though not tonight.

Also, I will usually refer to it during dinner, and this system doesn't work for that either. Imagine if the restaurant had been busy. With that gripe over, what is on the blackboard does sound good.

There are only three starters, mains and puds, but each is captivating, so we dither about choosing, which I feel is always a great start to any meal. Before we hit the selected dishes, we start with an amuse-bouche of exquisite Mulligatawny soup in a tiny cup.

The little soup was delicately spiced and a golden, turmeric yellow. The texture was silky and creamy, decorated with nasturtium leaf and flicks of tiny petals. We both were impressed and could easily have eaten this off the menu if it was a little larger.

Just in case you think because Michael likes local produce, he has stuck to local recipes, he hasn’t. Across the way, my husband starts with Harira, a North African, spicy stew pot of (now we come back to Yorkshire) Dales goat and wood pigeon with local organic veggies, heritage tomatoes and pistachio. What a robust and tasty dish.

The Harira was not delicately spiced like the soup as it needed oomph to work with the flavours of the meats, and it did superbly. Again, there were many flowers and a touch of late-season wild garlic; no scrap was left when Andrew collected the bowl.

I had an 18th-century Georgian baked, savoury rice pudding with beetroot, York Blue and some hedgerow foraging. I had been intrigued by this dish the moment I saw it, and it did not disappoint, except for the cheese.

I love blue cheese, but there was just too much of it, which stomped on the other flavours. But even with the tussle between that and the rice, the beetroot stood up for itself, and I managed most of it before I gave up.

There was no fighting on my main course; it was superb. A Wold's summer salad a la Grecque with Cottingham Market Garden sprouts, a Tickle egg and Botton Pecorino. It was a triumph of summer on a plate, the pickling of the eggs so light and its yolk all soft and jammy and, unbelievably, all this gorgeousness, again so close to the restaurant.

The second main of a roast loin of Potter Brompton Duroc Cross Boar Pork, black pudding and fondue of Portobello mushroom showed off even more of the local produce; this little piggy could easily have walked here; it's so close. The pork was tender and flavoursome; the mushroom fondue an excellent companion.

Finally, a pudding we wanted to try was a Wet Nelly. The wet nelly refers to a very dense, drippingly moist bread pudding served with Flixton rhubarb confiture, making it even stickier and shards of chocolate and cream. What a way to end the meal.

Throughout the meal, Andrew took care of us without being intrusive, and we were fine chatting together; we do it every day anyway.

Of course, it is hard to write about the atmosphere during dinner, as usually, it is the staff and other diners that will bring that element in. What I did sense was there is a lot of love and attention poured into this independent business.

The place is immaculate in the recently upgraded modern dining room and the more traditional reception and bar. Andrew and Lucinda are very attentive, and they clearly work hard. I have read reviews online from guests who shower them with praise, and the hospitality plaudits are flying which in itself speaks volumes.

We had a lovely evening.

Wolds Restaurant at Orchard Lodge, North St, Flixton, Scarborough YO11 3UA www.orchard-lodge.com

Welcome 5/5

Food 5/5

Atmosphere 3/5

Prices 4/5