Shiremoor House Farm, Middle Engine Lane, New York

Jan 24 2010 Sunday Sun

Heading to the bar to order our meals, I had to ask if someone could come and clear the previous diners’ dirty plates away.

The girl who took my order was sullen and grumbled when asked for a receipt, so I didn’t hold out much hope of having the table cleared.

But about five minutes later the table was cleared of all plates and glasses – although the slopped ice cream and gravy from the previous occupant wasn’t wiped away. By the time we had finished our meals, it had dried to a solid lump.

The food took half an hour to arrive – which was only to be expected given the sheer volume of diners – and when it did it wasn’t bad at all. Two huge homemade Yorkshire puds joined slices of thick beef and lashings of meaty gravy on the plate, while the veg came seperately.

We were each handed a bowl filled with roast and boiled potatoes, mashed turnip, carrots and broccoli. Sadly the carrots were a bit on the overdone side, yet somehow they had managed to keep the broccoli bright green and perfect.

We cleared our plates without any trouble, despite it being large – perhaps this was because we hadn’t had starters – and then decided we could make room for dessert.

Where it had failed us on starters, it made up for in choice of desserts, even if at more than £4 each, they were a little pricey. I opted for raspberry jam roly poly at £4.45, which was huge and very tasty, it was literally dripping with jam.

She Who Must Be Fed plumped for warm waffles with cinder toffee crumble and chocolate ice cream, costing £4.25. Although she said it was nice, she was disappointed that the warm waffles were actually cold.

After drinks, we managed to spend almost £30 on two courses, which for a restaurant where you have to order your own food and dine in other people’s gravy slops is not what I’d call value for money.

It’s a shame, but it seems the once-great Shiremoor House Farm has become a victim of its own success – to me it felt like dining in a school canteen and they seem more interested in cramming people in than looking after customers with good food and service.