RESTAURANT review: An expansive, eclectic menu impresses Elaine Lemm at Lockwoods, Ripon. Pictures by Gary Longbottom.

Mention a Victorian workhouse, and who doesn’t conjure up the image of a downtrodden and hungry Oliver Twist asking for more? Apparently, inmates at some of these abhorrent establishments were, as part of their punishment, forced to work in the gardens growing vegetables – I hope to nourish empty tummies rather than to sell them. In 1850 one such workhouse in Ripon was established and created a thriving garden, which, though there are now no residents, is still growing many old Victorian varieties as the Ripon Workhouse Museum Garden.

Mention a Victorian workhouse, and who doesn’t conjure up the image of a downtrodden and hungry Oliver Twist asking for more? Apparently, inmates at some of these abhorrent establishments were, as part of their punishment, forced to work in the gardens growing vegetables – I hope to nourish empty tummies rather than to sell them. In 1850 one such workhouse in Ripon was established and created a thriving garden, which, though there are now no residents, is still growing many old Victorian varieties as the Ripon Workhouse Museum Garden.

The museum has recently teamed up with local award-winning restaurant Lockwoods to grow vegetables for them. It means that now appearing on the restaurant menu are heritage varieties such as British Queen potatoes – a variety first listed in 1894 – and other intriguingly named leafy stuff including a Fat Lazy Blond lettuce from 1856.

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Lockwoods sits just beyond the market place in Ripon town centre, a stone’s throw from the museum. It is easy to pass by but the buzz coming from the inside will most likely slow you down for a quick nosey. Peep in through the unassuming shop-frontage and you will find a modern bistro reaching back into a long, deep room ending with a well-stocked bar and a view into the kitchen.

On the evening of my visit the place was buzzing, nay heaving, with every table full. There were several couples, a group of 10 women enjoying an early evening meal, giggle and a gossip, and a lot of families. Despite the uncanny number of children, I am happy to say most were well behaved and seemed to be tucking into their food with relish. An early doors menu offering two courses for £17.50, three for £19.50 including a glass of wine per person could, I suspect, have something to do with the extraordinary popularity of this eatery on a Thursday evening in Ripon.

The menu at Lockwoods is expansive, eclectic and, if anything, suffers slightly from a lack of direction, choosing to take more of a please-all route. There is a strong fishy theme, underpinned by a variety of meats, poultry, and a good selection for vegetarians. A specials board further adds to the miscellany of foods on offer, and it is here we find our starters.First off, a Spanish tapas platter boasting Padron peppers, Patra Negra ham, with a new season Celariac Remoulade (French?), artichoke hearts and San Marzano tomatoes (Italian?). They all crowded nicely together on a wooden platter and created a hefty, hearty, satisfying dish.

Regardless of the quality of this dish there was one small grumble that a bit of bread with it would have been nice, if only to mop up the juices on the plate. Tiny groans of pleasure were induced by eating a squeakily fresh Whitby crab salad with perfectly ripe avocado and decorated with grassy flavoured pea shoots.

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By this point in our meal the early birders were slowly eating up and flying out and the restaurant, and the staff, settled into a gentler, more ordered pace.

A tower of smoked haddock, poached egg and hollandaise was placed across the table. The plate was scalding hot with the yellow, unctuous sauce rapidly drying up. But what about the poached egg and the haddock? Perfect. One prod of the fork broke the egg and the golden yoke oozed out. The haddock was a massive flaky, deep-flavoured chunk of fish on a bed of fresh wilted spinach. Notwithstanding the hot plate, this was a fine dish.

An open-faced vegetable lasagna fared equally well. Starting from the bottom a bed of butternut squash purée was topped with a layer of fresh, lightly cooked tomatoes with slivers of garlic, spinach, a creamy sauce and a layer of fresh pasta. Hearty, filling and very tasty. Many layers but each one managed to retain its texture and taste. How easily this could have ended up a mush.

Cheered on by the quality of food served thus far, we dived into the dessert menu and were not disappointed. I can understand why the chocolate pot with a raspberry fool (served in a tiny Kilner lar) and shortbread is something of a signature dish at Lockwoods. It was a cheeky combination of flavours with a nice crunch from the shortbread and a beautifully decorated plate with berries, drizzles and a little spun sugar.

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Cheeses were local and served with all the usual culprits of celery, chutney, oatcakes et al. On the wooden platter came a Jervaulx Blue, a Yorkshire Tasty (a handmade, hard cheese with a bright orange colour obtained from a South American tree) and my favourite, Epicurean Larder’s Wold Blimey – a delicate blue mould cheese from East Yorkshire. Together these two dishes rounded off a first-rate meal.

Verdict: I didn’t get to try the Workhouse veg but will be more than happy to go back and give them a go. I may choose a less frantic time. Staff certainly were more attentive once the crowds thinned out. Three course dinner with three glasses of wine just over £70.

Lockwoods, 83 North Street, Ripon, HG4 1DP Tel: 01765 607555.

Opening Times: Tues, Wed, Fri 10am-11pm, Thurs and Sat, 9am-11pm

Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm Dinner, 6-9pm.

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