Nestled in the heart of the quiet village of Brearton, just a short drive from Harrogate, is The Malt Shovel, a quaint 16th Century village pub and restaurant, a place we have eaten at many times before.
Sylwia & Marek became the new owners in November 2017 but both have worked at the Malt Shovel for many years and have built a reputation for excellent food and service. Using all their experience and knowledge of the local market they have devised a menu which offers a quality dining experience featuring variety and taste delivered in a way which offers a very high standard of food at a reasonable price. All food is sourced locally.
On arrival, we were greeted by Sylwia who showed us to our table, next to a glowing log burner in a cosy corner of the pub. Our drinks order arrived, there is a wine list of over 25 wines to choose from and we took our time to choose from the Evening Menu. I chose the Malt Shovel Black Pudding Scotch Egg, a dish that I have had on many occasions before and can’t resist having each time. My dining companion chose the Crispy Monkfish & King Prawn Tempura. Whilst waiting for our starters to arrive, we munched on Marek’s homemade bread and took in our surroundings. The Malt Shovel has been beautifully fitted out to display some of its original features and rustic charm. The building has a unique feel to it with log burners adding to the cosy atmosphere. Still eating our bread, we were given a surprise ‘amuse bouche’ of mini fishcakes with tartare sauce. Light and golden they whet our appetite for what was to come.
Our starters arrived…
My companion tucked into his dish of lightly battered monk fish & king prawns served with a chili sauce and I into the black pudding scotch egg presented on a celeriac remoulade. The egg is served cut in half with a golden yolk oozing from the centre and whilst we eat, we discuss just how you cook a scotch egg to have a runny middle (a far cry from the standard rubbery scotch eggs that you buy in the shops). The breadcrumb coating is light and crisp over the delicious black pudding that encases the egg.
On to our main course, Wiener Schnitzel for myself and across the table, slow cooked belly pork. Both dishes were served with the most delicious dauphinoise potatoes. The Wiener schnitzel was so thin and expertly cooked, a real delight especially with the capers, redcurrant jelly and lemon, and a serving of green beans.
The belly pork was flavoursome and tender accompanied by french Petit Pois, apple sauce and red wine jus. Both dishes were presented beautifully. After finishing our main course we were shown the dessert menu and opted to share a dessert. We chose the creme brûlée which proved to be an excellent choice as it was delicious without being too filling. The creme was so smooth and creamy, a delight to eat and topped with the crispest caramelized topping, just perfect. That evening the creme brûlée was served with biscotti rather than the shortbread stated on the menu but that was not an issue, we thoroughly enjoyed them. We finished the meal with a coffee and a hot chocolate for myself, one of the most delicious hot chocolates I have tasted and a perfect end to the meal.
Throughout our meal, we were looked after by Sylwia who is friendly and attentive, she is the perfect host. We will definitely be visiting again.
The Malt Shovel, Brearton, Harrogate HG3 3BX
You can reserve a table at the Malt Shovel through their website: www.maltshovelbrearton.co.uk, send an email to: info@themaltshovelbrearton.co.uk or call the pub directly on 01423 862929.
Open Tuesday to Saturday, Lunch 12-2.30pm (Food Service 12-2pm), Evening 6-10pm (Food Service 6-9pm) and Sunday 12-3pm. Closed Bank Holiday Mondays.
