The Sage Bistro, Harrogate

It begins with their website, which has such an earnestness about it that it is immediately rather endearing. And this follows through into the restaurant itself.

The welcome is warm and genuine, and we're allowed to dawdle at our own leisurely pace in the bar without ever being rushed to a table – instead, we're brought some fabulous black olives and, a little later, two espresso-style shots of rich tomato broth. There's a homeliness to the flavour of the latter that keeps the overly swanky nature of a pre-dinner amuse-bouche in check.

In much the same vein, the look of the restaurant makes a virtue out of not quite hitting the mark – clearly they're aiming upmarket, but without the financial support of some kind of parent company, it still comes across as a homely neighbourhood restaurant, despite

the contemporary furniture and dark wood floors.

Knowing that it's the work of a husband and wife team makes it all the more easy to like. Guy Segev and his wife were both previously employed at Harrogate's much-loved Sasso, as sous-chef and front-of-house respectively. So they know their audience, and both seem to be relishing striking out on their own.

This is most true for Guy who has set out to do something many other

chefs only dream of – a regularly changing menu where every dish added is based on what ingredients are best at the time. Not only that but he's working with some of the region's best local suppliers, too – none more so than Wetherby-based farm butchers Sykes House Farm.

On the day we visit the list of dishes is short but still highly appealing. We begin with seafood tempura and a twice-cooked langoustine and crab souffl, both of which are very elegant in appearance and delicate in flavour. The tempura is good but, in terms of overall execution, outclassed by the faultless souffl.

Next we chose the Sykes House ribeye steak in a red wine sauce and the fish dish of the day – a feast of mussels, langoustines, tiger prawns and seabass lightly stewed in tomato-enriched stock. To this we add a side of dauphinoise potatoes and a dish of surprisingly ordinary vegetables, though with everything else going on their plainness is pretty much appropriate.

Despite being perfectly cooked and of good quality, the steak is overshadowed by the glorious fishy pile sitting opposite, which achieves a delicate balance of overall flavours despite the medley of ingredients. It also proves the better match for the affordable but highly drinkable house white.

In many other restaurants, this would be a point where we might stop, realise that we're really far too full for dessert, and then press on regardless.

However, there's a lightness to the food at Sage, not simply a matter of portion size but more of an elegance to the seasoning perhaps, that leaves you feeling sated but not stuffed. So we order a Death By Chocolate and a trio of lemon mini-desserts.

The first is a rich and dark chocolate experience, served surrounded by obelisks of homemade marshmallow. The trio of lemon, meanwhile, looks as elegant as the name suggests.

Essentially three lemon-flavoured sculptures of mousse, ice cream and cream, it's rather like the amuse-bouches from earlier – a hint of Michelin-aspiration that isn't all show and has some real flavour to back it up.

A couple of coffees bring with them some handmade chocolates, served

in the homely sort of coloured paper cups you'd see fairy buns in at a

children's party – yet again blending upmarket traits with a simple mom

and pop feel, the latter emphasised by the unhurried atmosphere at the end.

At no point do we feel we've outstayed our welcome. When service is winding down, the chef takes the opportunity to come out and ask how we found our meal. A nice touch.

With a tip, the bill comes to just over 70, just about right for what is essentially a neighbourhood restaurant with knobs on. And given that their chosen neighbourhood is Harrogate, this is one green shoot that's in a good spot to put down permanent roots.

11 Mount Parade, Harrogate HG1 1BX, 01423 500089. Open: 6pm-10pm Mondays, noon-2.30pm and 6pm-10pm Tuesday to Thursday, noon-2.30pm and 6pm-10.30pm Friday and Saturday, 1pm-8pm Sunday.