Note: Words and pictures by Foodpornnation and myself.

Hudson’s

Located within the Cedar Court Hotel & Spa, Hudson’s offers up a no-nonsense approach to bistro dining, a dining experience that is relaxed and cosy but with a touch of elegance. The Hudson’s menu serves up a contrast of interesting tit bits versus the more traditional bistro favourites. You can take the unconventional vegetarian fish & chips (£15.95), the beetroot Carpaccio (£15.95) or perhaps a more comforting grilled steak.

To get to Hudson’s you first walk through the plush warm interiors of the Cedar Court Hotel & Spa before being welcomed into the warmth of the luscious Hudson’s dining room. It was elegant and plush and oozed a relaxed ambience. Hudson’s might be bistro dining – but smartly done with a fine dining feel.

The Chef’s special spare ribs (£7.50) came with it’s own warning sign. We were warned before ordering, not once, but twice by our waiter, that these were extremely hot. And even though they were hot, a brush of the accompanying maple syrup provided some sweet relief. These got our pick because they were a delectable, fall off the bone, lick the bone clean in one fell swoop type of eating.

Spicy ribs

The langoustine cocktail with Bloody Mary, cucumber and lettuce (£7.50) came with langoustine and prawns that were both delicious and sweet. But overall this dish was slightly underwhelming and needed a little more tanginess.

8oz fillet of steak (£32.50) was prepared perfectly medium rare. The steak came with a café de Paris butter but we couldn’t resist the promise of the spectacular wild mushroom cream sauce (£2.50) which was creamy and scrumptious. All grills were served with a delicious side of hand cut chips, Portobello mushrooms and confit tomato. We could not fault this dish.

Fillet steak

Smoked beef pie – smoked beef fillet, puff pastry and potato (£27.95) took us by surprise as it did not come as your traditional pie. This took on a deconstructed approach with a smoked beef fillet topped with a piece of puff pastry and a side of flavoursome Guinness gravy. The beef was deliciously oaky and smokey although the puff pastry was a little dull. But otherwise this was a glorious dish.

Smoked beef pie

All sides were (£3.50) each and offered the perfect addition to the meal. The mixed vegetables were served with a lovely crunch and lightly coated in a delicious butter. The house salad was also served with a tasty creamy dressing.

The deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie (£7.50) was the standout of the two desserts. This was served with a lemon curd, lemon coulis, crème anglais and meringue swirls that struck a delicious balance between sweet and sour.

Lemon meringue pie

Apple crumble cedar style (£7.50) was again a deconstructed plate of humble apple crumble. The apple puree, crème anglais and apple pie ice cream were very well executed to produce a lovely essence of apple crumble. However the crumble itself lacked texture and crunch.

Apple crumble

We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, ambience and the food offered at Hudson’s. The service was warm, friendly and professional. If you’re in York, Hudson’s definitely deserves a visit.

Summary Information:
Food rating: 4/5
Service rating: 4/5

Prices: £30 to £48 for three courses, excludes drinks and service.

Website: http://www.the-grand-york.co.uk/Hudsons