The Prickly Pear at Castle Eden is certainly fine dining and with Valentine's Day fast approaching, this might be just the spot to romance that special person in your life.
The Prickly Pear bistro restaurant is in a Grade 2 listed building which was once a brewery and was originally the home of master brewer William Nimmo.
It stands yards from a golf course, close to Castle Eden Dene, and just off the A19. It's one of the newest restaurants on the scene but this was a fine debut performance.
There are bargains to be had - such as three courses for £14.95 on lunch and early evenings menus - or lunchtime sandwiches with chips and dressed leaves at £4.95.
However, we chose to spend a little extra on the Saturday evening menu.
I opted to forego a starter for the main course ahead but my wife, Margaret, chose the tomato consomme with basil and goats cheese ravioli at £5.95. She declared it the best she'd had in years.
Main course options were rich and varied but I chose fillet steak on a root vegetable dauphinoise with creamed cabbage and bacon barolo jus.
Not cheap at £19.95 but melt-in-the-mouth stuff with the best creamed cabbage I'd tasted for a long time.
Margaret chose duck breast on a carrot and potato rosti, with plum and orange compote and fried duck liver at £17.95. The sauce? She is still raving about it days later.
She had no room for a dessert but I squeezed in a sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream at £4.75.
The word's got out about the Prickly Pear. Don't be a lemon by missing out.