A Dales retreat

Upon arriving at The Queens Arms, the first thing you notice is the smiling faces of every customer. We arrived Friday evening to find a bustling atmosphere and a bar full of diners and drinkers, friendly locals and happy visitors. Greeted with a warm welcome, we enjoyed a drink and a chat at the bar before eagerly perusing the dinner menu.

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Friday is Steak Day, so I was thinking we’d take advantage of the great deal, however, the diverse menu, with a great mix of traditional favourites and original dishes, meant the choice wasn’t so simple anymore.

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To start, David chose the succulent Ham Hock Terrine, served with sweet and tasty homemade Piccalilli, dressed leaves, fried egg and toast (£6.00). I enjoyed a delicious Warm Brie on Rosemary and Garlic Focaccia, served with red onions, red peppers, tomatoes and artichoke (£5.00). The brie was light and creamy, the perfect complement 

to the colourful roasted veg and soft bread.

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For the main event, David took delight in his Trio of Dalesbred Littondale Lamb – mint flavoured braised and rolled leg, plus liver and a succulent lamb chop, served with dauphinoise potato, mint pea puree, market vegetables and red wine gravy (£17.00). Sourced from the farmer next door, it doesn’t get more local than that! Each cut was tender and flavoursome, but, cooked to perfection, the chop was the standout.

I chose the Pan-Fried Sea Bass, served on crushed new potatoes with a lobster, mussel and samphire bisque (£15.00). Fresh and delicate, the sea bass was delicious, perfectly paired with the rich seafood bisque, creating a winning dish. Although we really didn’t need it, we weren’t there to do things by halves, so we treated ourselves to dessert too.

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I loved my Vanilla Panna Cotta, topped with granola (£6.00). Deliciously sweet, light and creamy, it was the perfect after dinner treat. David had the Sticky Toffee Pudding (£6.00) which landlord Stephen claims “could possibly maybe be the best in the world”. He’s not wrong, it really was amazing. I often find STP to be a bit too heavy, but this one had a beautifully light sponge, with a sweet and sticky sauce, full of flavour but not too rich. All the positive feedback is well deserved – compliments to the chef!

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After dinner, we retired to our lovely, homely room. Stephen’s passion for sourcing everything as locally as possible can be been in even the minor details (I noticed cups and coasters from Beacon Designs in the room) adding to the friendly atmosphere of this 21st Century Dales pub experience.

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As the menu and room prices reflect, this really is a pub for everybody. Only a half hour drive from Skipton, this true country retreat is not to be missed.

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The Queens Arms

Litton, Littondale BD23 5QJ

01756 770096

www.queensarmslitton.co.uk