Restaurant review: Blacker Hall Farm, near Wakefield
It’s a family-friendly environment, offering top notch food and drink. I’ve been here before and enjoyed one of the best full English breakfasts I’ve ever eaten. And all this in a garden centre of all places.
Blacker Hall is much more than that, though. It’s at Branch Road in Calder Grove, a stone’s throw from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park at Bretton and within each reach of the M1. It is four businesses in one: a farm, a fine-dining farm shop, a café-restaurant and a garden centre. Not cheap but these establishments rarely are. Judging by how busy it was, though, customers must find it worth the price.
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Hide AdSome 80 per cent of everything sold is locally grown or reared, a unique selling point.
The menu is extensive, from proper meals to snacks, from soups to sandwiches. I was tempted by the classic Spanish omelette (£8.50) and some of the ‘signature sandwiches’, supplemented by a side-order of fries (surely it should be ‘chips’ in a traditional English establishment?).
I settled for the ‘Farmer’s tasting platter’ (£8.50) which sounded like a Ploughman’s. Award-winning pork pie, farmhouse sausage roll, quiche, cider pickled onions, Fountains gold cheddar, chutney and salad, plus bread and proper butter. Fantastic.
Meanwhile, my dining partner chose a ham roll (£5.95) and chips (£2.25). Actually, the menu told us it was a roast ham sandwich with Wensleydale cheese, sliced beef tomatoes and crispy salad. Now nearly £6 might be a lot for a sandwich but if ever one was worth so much, this is it.
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Hide AdThere is a ‘little farmer’s menu’ which my grandson will tackle in good time and a decent choice of proper meals, especially fish dishes.
We added a mocha (£3.25), a cappuccino (£2.90) and a diet cola (£1.20). There is a good selection of hot and cold drinks and what seems to be an excellent wine, ale, beer and cider menu, too. On a different day, Acorn Blonde from Barnsley’s Acorn brewery might have been appropriate. Or Scarborough Fair IPA. Or maybe Oatmeal Stout or a cider from Holmfirth.
We finished off with cake - £3.95 each for lemon and blueberry and espresso and walnut. It brought the bill to £31.95. It might sound a lot for a café but I’ve paid more for poorer pub food.
And the service was with a genuine smile. My grandson might not appreciate it yet (he slept through the whole thing) but in time, I am sure he will.
FACTFILE: Blacker Hall Farm, Branch Road, Calder Grove, Wakefield.
01924 267202.
SCORE: 4/5