A wonderful lunch, great food and brilliant service
Looking for somewhere different to have our lunch, we knew of the Baydale Beck Inn on the A67 just outside Darlington as we pass it every time we head off up the dales. Yet apart from a few post-football pints many years ago, we've never stopped by. The Baydale Beck Inn reopened in April and now serves a breakfast menu from 10 am to noon, extensive lunch menu and a very well designed Vegan/Veggie menu. The owner Joanne and her team have drawn on many years experience to create a wonderful location and excellent family (and dog) friendly pub.
We had booked a table for 12 noon and were met immediately on entering with a very warm welcome and a happy and genuine smile. Whilst this is not a 'restaurant' there is plenty of space, light and comfort; a small pub it most certainly is not and we were soon perusing the extensive menu (an example of which you can find here - https://bit.ly/3xmx7nj
Our drinks order was taken, Mrs B choosing from a huge selection of gins that would rival any gin palace and I opted for the guest ale which was a lovely pint. The first challenge we had was wether to go for a starter; the choices were very tempting - Black Pudding Bon Bons or Aubergine and Pepper Stew looked particularly enticing but the popular consensus was to save our appetites for a main course. Our orders were promptly taken and we waited with anticipation for our food.
For an order of 4 main courses it was surprisingly quick and soon the table was groaning under the weight of 4 very well presented plates. The 2 ladies opted for traditional classic Parmo's - one a small, the other full, both were topped with bubbling, light and creamy béchamel sauce and plenty of home cooked chips. Mr B snr had the gammon, which came with either eggs or pineapple, a very generous portion of chips, onion rings and salad.
I, as a burger fiend, had plumped for the Goatee Burger (large). Two 6 oz beef patties were sandwiched between two slabs of goats cheese, onion rings and caramelised onions - when it came out I must admit I was a little taken aback, it is huge. Most places when you go large double up on the patties but still leave you with the 1 portion of toppings but not here. As the picture shows, it was a tower to rival Pisa.
Service throughout was very attentive without being intrusive, the team couldn't do enough for us and we could hear from other tables that even as it became busier, that energy and warmth never waivered.
We couldn't manage a dessert so the bill was paid and off we left; very full, very happy and extremely impressed. Just over £60 for the 4 including our drinks was excellent and the value of the welcome was worth even more.