Restaurant EightyEight

Moody and low-lit, EightyEight is glamorous down to a tee. The best seats in the house are cosy banquette booths where couples or small groups can benefit from the sense of exclusivity while simultaneously enjoying the buzz of the main dining room.

With pretty floral ceiling installations acting in contrast to dark chocolatey woods, the whole thing feels a world away from Yorkshire. Yet, here we are in the heart of the Dales being served sake cocktails and pan-Asian sharing plates. The drinks come with a dose of personality, and are recommended by the affable team who suggest the signature serve - the Ikebana - as being the ideal opener. It’s sweet but strong, and refreshing with ice cold notes of red fruits.

The Ikebana does turn out to be a solid start; something fresh to leave the palate ready for its oncoming marathon. It’s the type of menu where you want to try a bit of everything and we start with crispy duck pancakes. There’s a fine art to getting this classic just right and here it’s in good hands. Shredded tableside, the meat is soft, the skin is golden and there’s a generous stack of soft, warm pancakes. The usuals are on the side, plus fried onions for added allium crunch.

In parts it feels like the menu is beholden to the things we all think people who are paying five star prices expect - lobster and wagyu, for instance - and some of the ingredients seem shoehorned in. For instance, the tandoori spicing on the lobster is too robust for the delicate meat. Other more successful bites include marshmallow-soft bao buns with sticky pork and pickles and the most beautiful scallops in a rich smoked kimchi butter sauce that occupies that special place between classic technique and contemporary flavours.

The kitchen here is headed up by Samira Effa, and you can feel her attention to detail and lightness of touch throughout everything. With its combination of striking interiors, top-tier service and innovative food, this is exactly the kind of spot to keep in your back pocket for a special occasion.

Restaurant EightyEight is a bar and restaurant that fuses far Eastern flavours with Yorkshire produce inside the luxury Grantly Hall Hotel overlooking a Japanese garden. The hotel rests on the picturesque banks of the River Skell, near Ripon in North Yorkshire.

Originally constructed as a residence for the Norton family, this Grade II building underwent a transformation in 2019 and emerged as a lavish hotel. Presently, the hotel houses a cutting-edge spa that features remarkable amenities such as a cryotherapy chamber, a 3D bone density scanner, an underwater treadmill, and snow and steam rooms. Alongside Restaurant EightyEight, the hotel houses the Michelin-starred Shaun Rankin restaurant, Fletchers restaurant brasserie, and an apres-ski bar.

Restaurant EightyEight boasts a chic ground-floor bar and an Asian-inspired basement restaurant with ambient lighting and hanging glass flower chandeliers. The setting is designed to be more than a dinner, it is an experience of east meets west introducing the energy of city living in a North Yorkshire setting. The menu features prime local produce executed according to Asian culinary traditions.

Small plate options include wagyu beef tataki sourced from Warrendale in York, hoisin duck pancakes with meat sources from Thirkleby, and spicy barbecue pork ribs sourced from the local butcher. The large plate selection includes sweet and sour char siu pork belly served with onion and Granny Smith apple which has been noted in the Michelin Guide, miso glazed maitake mushrooms with tahini and garlic charred hispi cabbage, and cauliflower satay with coconut and kaffir lime. As for dessert, guests can expect a yuzu rum baba with summer berries, glazed mousse, and coconut and lime leaf cremeaux. There is also an eight-course tasting menu which is also available for vegan diners.

The drinks list includes premium Asian spirits, sakes and cocktails inspired by the different regions of Asia.