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Restaurant review: The Stansfield Arms, Apperley Bridge
This historic hostelry, which has a past stretching back five centuries, occupies a curious position smack bang on the border of two city limits. With a Bradford postcode and a Leeds dialling code, just a walk across the road which divides the main village will see you step from one district into another.
The Stansfield Arms, Apperley Bridge
Yet The Stansfield Arms is a good drive from any urban throng. Taking a trip here feels like a regular journey into the countryside and a meal in a real rural pub. Sitting at the tables and chairs to the front, the view is one of Apperley Bridge surrounded by a leafy valley with the River Aire running through it, even though the sight and sound of the adjacent main road is tainting.
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If you want to get here from the 'burbs it's a good walk to take on a warm Sunday afternoon. It's certainly what you'd call a destination pub – somewhere you'd plan into your day rather than stumbling across accidentally.
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It is also (take note) somewhere to take people if you want to impress them.
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The Stansfield Arms is a rather large stone building sporting huge leaded windows and obligatory ivy coating the front. Inside it's divided into a beamed bar with a low ceiling and open fires which then opens up into a large dining hall with a smaller upstairs section
It has the required olde worlde charm, though one or two elements of the decor could do with being sensitively updated. Even when it's in the dining area, carpet in a pub ends up being tacky, in both senses of the word.
We chose to sit outside since the weather was reasonable, but even when a brief shower came along we were covered by huge parasols (rest assured this is a rather upmarket decked area, not your common or garden beer garden.)
They've definitely gone for a gastropub feel here, something apparent
from the very extensive, though inexpensive, menu which strives to offer something different.
From the appetisers list you could go for the pan fried scallops with parma ham and sage served on colcannon mash with black pudding and vermouth cream sauce. Mains include the slow roasted shoulder of pork served on honey roasted apple and root vegetables in a sweet apple pan gravy. Then there's the seabass with pak choi and mushrooms.
They've also created a vegetarian section which contains a volume of dishes the likes of which Oliver has rarely seen in any other
restaurant. It looked so tasty we started our meal by sharing a cannelloni, which was just the right consistency – firm without being rubbery, in a very tasty tomato sauce and just the right amount of cheese.
Since it was a Sunday our mains had to be the roasts. Mine was a lamb shank which was amazingly tender and came away from the bone like it had never been attached. Not too fatty either, which was refreshing to see.
My dining partner's beef was spot on as well, not rare (as is often the case these days) and a healthy helping of slices too. All of it came with a very generous selection of vegetables. We were greedy and ordered a rocket and parmesan salad and some chips too.
By this point we were already struck by how fast the service was. Even though we were outside, everything came at about the right time and in a short space of time. The effort they went to was obvious by the fact that two, sometimes three, people would bring our dishes out to us just to make sure it arrived simultaneously and could be eaten hot.
Even when ordering inside at the bar, the predominantly young staff were efficient and very friendly and nothing seemed too much trouble, even though the pub was pretty busy with plenty of other diners.
It was heartening to see somewhere which wasn't understaffed, but seemed to have enough people around to ensure some level of customer service was maintained.
Finally, desserts. Oh the desserts. Two gorgeous sweets were chosen in the form of the pub's very own Stansfield mess (which is basically an Eton mess) and a lovely little cheesecake which was small, circular and mouthwatering.
With a couple of soft drinks the bill, with a very well-earned tip, came to a reasonable 55. That was without coffees or wine, to be fair, which might have bumped the tab up closer to 70 or 80. It isn't cheap for a pub, but the food is of a high standard.
The Stansfield Arms is also versatile because, as well as somewhere to get lunch, to get something snacky or a full-on Sunday roast, you could come here and enjoy something close to a gastronomic experience. But be aware that your more gastronomic choices will cost you a little more.
So is it a bona fide gastropub? Not in the truest sense of the word
since the menu is too much of a mix of conventional dishes with unusual twists thrown in there. But then that's no bad thing because it lacks any pretence, which is endearing. So, when something does arrive on your table nicely presented and beautifully cooked, it's a pleasant surprise.
As mentioned before, the inside could do with being looked at in terms of decor and furnishings. This is just the sort of place one of the big breweries might attempt to get hold of and inflict one of their generic makeovers on. This would seem a pity but, ironically, an improvement.
The current owners might be best advised to get in there first.
It needs to be brighter, less cluttered and some of the fittings a tad more contemporary because, at the moment, it somewhat diminishes what should be a superb dining experience.
Still, these are minor quibbles given the food was of a good quality, the service superb and, overall, still lovely place to spend an afternoon or evening.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
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