The Victoria, Station Road, Cattal

11:26am Saturday 21st June 2008

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A MAJOR point of marital strife could be sorted out by visiting the Victoria pub and restaurant at Cattal.

Normally going out for a meal involves an argument about who is going to drive and who can relax with a few glasses of wine, but at the Victoria people can let "the train take the strain" as the pub sits next to the York to Harrogate railway line.

Formerly called the Huntsman Inn, The Victoria was taken over by Steve Balcombe, who ran The Crown Inn, at Great Ouseburn, for almost ten years.

In 2004, he refurbished the pub and reverted to its original name of The Victoria.

Since then, he and long-term business partner Pat Grant have transformed the business by providing excellent food, wine and service.

My girlfriend, Laura, and I visited on Saturday at 8.30pm, having booked earlier in the week.

Over a drink in the bar, we were given menus. After ordering, we were asked to go through to the traditional, busy and vibrant restaurant.

A large bottle of cold water was complimentary and waiting on the table, as was the half bottle of merlot (£9) ordered earlier. We decided a white would be nice with our starters so we quickly chose a half bottle of un-wooded chardonnay (£9), which was chilled, came in a wine cooler and was delicious.

Our starters followed swiftly.

Mine, queen scallops in a tomato and basil sauce served au gratin (£6.95), was presented in a king scallop shell and was delicious. The sweet scallops contrasted nicely with the tomatoes and the crunchiness of the breadcrumbs, and were further enhanced by the dressed salad garnish and thick, sweet balsamic vinegar.

Laura opted for the smoked salmon mousse (£6.50), which came with warm toast and salad.

The mousse was wrapped in strips of smoked salmon and was pretty much faultless - smooth and tasty - while the toast was warm and crunchy.

Mains were a beef Wellington (£19.95) for myself and slow-roasted shoulder of lamb (£14.95) for Laura.

The beef was perfectly cooked with the fillet still pink inside, although the paté surrounding it was livery for my tastes. It came with a selection of al dente vegetables and dauphinoise potatoes, some of the nicest I have eaten - creamy, garlicky and crispy on the top.

The shoulder of lamb was meltingly soft, utterly delicious and was served with a minted, red wine jus. It too came with vegetables, but Laura opted for home-made chips served in their skins. She could also have chosen roasted new potatoes or dauphinoise.

Portions were large and we were both feeling full, but reviewing a restaurant properly is a tough job so we had a look at the dessert menu.

Laura opted for the crème brulée, while I chose the more unusual-sounding chocolate and Coca Cola cake with crème Anglais and marshmallows (£9.90 for both).

The crème brulee was flavoured with Baileys and, as expected, was faultless - a light and crispy topping with a vanilla flavour and a hint of the liqueur underneath.

The chocolate and Coca Cola cake was less successful. It was a perfectly nice cake, moist inside and served with a wonderful crème Anglais. But I was expecting fireworks and it did not deliver. It was nice - but that's all, and for something using an unusual ingredient such as Coke, I had hoped for more.

We finished with a tea and a coffee (£3.50 in total) and the final bill, which included a pint of Stella Artois and a glass of red wine in the bar earlier, came to £86.45.

We both thought this was very fair. The food was superb throughout; portions were very generous; service was friendly and efficient; and the atmosphere was bustling but relaxed.

As well as an a la carte menu, there are specials written on the wall in the bar and an early birds' menu from Tuesday to Friday from 5pm until 9pm, with two courses for £13.95 and three courses for £16.95. Sunday lunch is also served.

The Victoria is a somewhere I will visit again. It is not the cheapest, but the quality of the food and cooking is excellent. Customers are also welcome to call in for a drink.

• The Victoria, Station Road, Cattal (01423 330249). Cattal is roughly halfway between York and Harrogate, just off the A59. Alternatively, Northern Rail trains leave York hourly Monday to Saturday. The last train from Cattal to York is at 9.22pm Monday to Saturday and 8.53pm on Sundays, but always check before planning your journey.

• Richard Harris visited on Saturday June 14.