Alan Cookman

visits The Hollybush, Stockton Brook

I'VE always thought the Brazilians had the edge on us when it comes to Shrove Tuesday.

Rio is wall-to-wall lovelies wearing nothing but smiles and feathers, brazenly exhibiting their assets to the beat of the samba.

Here we have pancake races.

Well, I'm assuming we do, although it's some time since I was forced to leap out of the way of a pack of pan-wielding housewives in full cry.

Thankfully, Mardi Gras, or Pancake Tuesday, is still observed in the restaurant trade, and no more so than here at The Hollybush, whose website described in mouth-watering detail their Shrove Tuesday specials.

Had we been so inclined, we could have eaten pancakes for starters, main course and dessert. That would be taking the observance of tradition to ridiculous lengths though, so we agreed to confine ourselves to one pancake course apiece.

Herself wavered, mind you, and I thought for a minute she might even go for the grand slam, but a glance at the regular menu brought her to her senses.

For starters, the choice was between crispy duck pancake with shredded cucumber, spring onion and a light honey and soy dressing (£6.25) and smoked salmon and cream cheese pancake roll with lemon mayonnaise (£5.95). Mains were a seafood pancake featuring salmon, haddock and brown shrimps with tarragon and a fish cream sauce (£11.95) or pancake with a filling of shredded beef, sweet chilli sesame and wild rocket (£11.95).

And for dessert, the choice was between classic pancakes with golden syrup (£4.95) or a strawberry filled pancake with crème fraiche and orange syrup (£4.95).

Unfortunately, we proved to be better informed about the Pancake Day menu than our charming waitress and the duty chef, neither of whom were aware of its existence.

The management had evidently posted the specials on the Hollybush website, but omitted to brief the staff.

So we turned to the regular menu which, it must be said, combines brevity with style and imagination.

I would happily have ordered almost any of the seven starters or 15 mains (these include five pizza and pasta choices), but I started with some outstanding smoked mackerel (£5.25), hot and flavoursome, served with lambs leaf salad and a light horseradish dressing.

After this came tender slices of fried pork fillet served on a cake of wholegrain mustard mash (£11.50), with wilted spinach, some delicious brandy-soaked prunes and a light sage jus, plus a token wedgette of slow-cooked belly pork.

The meat was perfect, and the mustard mash actually tasted of mustard.

Herself started with the salmon and herb fishcakes (£5.50), which she thought were lacking in both flavour and salmon, although she was most impressed with her home-made chicken and mushroom pie (£9.95), served with winter greens and chips. She said the lighter-than-expected sauce was fantastic, and the pie was veritably stuffed with lean chicken.

While we ate, there had obviously been crisis talks behind the scenes over the pancakegate scandal.

In what we thought was a rather generous peace offering, everyone was presented with a complimentary plate of pancakes and a dish of rich chocolate sauce.

So we did get our pancakes after all, and very nice ones too. Otherwise, the erstwhile Harvester continues to serve interesting, well-cooked dishes in agreeable surroundings.

A memo to the management, however: at Christmas remember to double check that the kitchen staff are aware that some customers might ask for turkey.