The Plough

The village of Wombleton, four miles east of Helmsley, is where Richard and Lindsey Johns have settled for their latest venture – a village local complete with a substantial public bar and a separate beamed dining room. Seasoned restaurateurs, they have retained a strong following from loyal diners – some of whom are happy to travel across Yorkshire to enjoy what one supporter called ‘top-notch food’. They come for dishes such as silky leek and potato soup, garnished with a vivid-green tarragon oil and snipped chives or treacle-cured organic salmon with prawns, given a dribble of marie rose sauce and an astringent hit of pomegranate seeds – a beautifully fresh and balanced composition. By contrast, rich and tender slow-braised venison is big, bold and generous, accompanied by sweet red cabbage and creamy mash (to mop up the gravy) – a sustaining plateful that is the hallmark of Johns' cooking. We were equally satisfied with a classic rendition of honey-roast duck breast and hasselback potatoes. Dessert might be a beautifully burnished crème brûlée or perhaps a lime and passion fruit sundae, in reality an inverted cheesecake with the crunchy crumb on top – the highlight of our visit. Richard works single-handedly in the kitchen, always marching to his own drum, which invariably means a short, three-course carte stuffed with crowd-pleasers, plus a roast with all the trimmings on Sunday. Meanwhile, Lindsey runs things front-of-house, dispensing wines from an accessible list that starts with glasses of Chenin Blanc at a modest £4.75 rising to bottles of Pomerol at £65.