Having visited the “Hull branch”:https://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/restaurant/179521-review-ambiente of Ambiente and loved it, we decided tapas might be a good light option after a larger than normal lunch. There are two branches in York, Goodramgate and “Fossgate”:https://www.ambiente-tapas.co.uk/fossgate and we visited the latter.
We didn’t have a booking, but we were led upstairs to a quieter area and offered either a table for two by the window or a booth for four. We were soon ensconced in the booth with a complimentary bottle of water which was brought automatically and two glasses of cava which were sadly not complimentary.
Tapas is one of my favourite styles of food, and I wanted to try some different items as well as my usual ones. The usuals were pan Catalan (bread with tomato and garlic) and boquerones (white anchovies). The chatty waitress suggested we have these first as a starter, so it was a little disappointing when our more unusual dishes arrived first, but having explained to the person delivering them, they were taken away (and hopefully not just reheated). For something different I chose three dishes: patas y chorizo – but I should have spotted it said the dish was caramelised it was a rather syrupy sticky sauce which was a little sweet for my liking, cordero y berenjena – lamb mince wrapped in tapenade served with spiced aubergine & mint yoghurt and croquettas with jalapeno – lovely and spicy.
Not for the first time, I wondered why many tapas dishes come in odd numbers e.g. three croquettas when I suspect most customers are in even numbered groups.
We had a bottle of Spanish white wine (reasonably priced at £16.95) and finished with glasses of sweet Pedro Jimenez and a cheese platter which came with black grapes, celery, and a selection of crackers. The three cheeses were very different: a blue, one topped with quince jelly and a manchego. It was clear, our waitress approved of our finish.
Our bill came to £69.30 without service.
