Malcolm Warne discovers that the ability of Adrian and Gill Barrett has surfaced again in Richmond

CELEBRITY chef is a much abused phrase in my book. I mean, anyone who managed to boil an egg in their audition for Junior Masterchef seems to be able to legitimately lay claim to the title.

And yet the chefs who don’t seek the limelight and just get on with their job of turning out consistently good scoff in unfashionable (in celebrity terms, of course) areas receive little or no recognition.

A good example, I would humbly advance, is one Adrian Barrett who has been plying his trade, ably assisted by wife Gill, in these parts for a long time now. Previous incarnations of the Barrett magic have been experienced at the Hack and Spade, Whaston, the Arden Arms, near Scorton, the Overton House Cafe in Reeth and most recently and briefly at the Fox Hall on the A66.

While many will have fond memories of the Hack and Spade, our favourite was the Overton House Cafe. We so loved it, the tiny little cafe in the former butcher’s shop was the first establishment to receive full marks in an eating out review. After the rave review appeared, there was hate mail from Swaledale for letting the secret out. Regulars were struggling to get tables as the off-cumdens sought it out.

The Barretts have surfaced again in Richmond and this time their name is in lights – literally. As diners enter the modestly-sized premises in Rosemary the Barretts name is illuminated letter-by-letter on the facing walls. A bit of bling but it also can be interpreted as a sign of confidence.

That showiness is entirely justified. But then the Barratts have opened up so many places now, they should know what they are doing.

Last Saturday, we dined early (6.30pm) and customers who hadn’t booked (and some who had we suspect) were already queuing for tables and we reckoned many were Barrett aficionados – back for a fix from their favourite culinary duo.

The decor is clean, tidy with red being the accent colour and, the aforementioned eponymous wall lights aside, ever-so slightly characterless – a price which has to be paid by cafes setting out to provide the appropriate ambience for serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Many of the tables are small, calling for a degree of dexterity from both diners and serving staff as plates and glasses are re-arranged to fit everything on but as Overton House regulars would testify that’s a handicap worth carrying. The food is as good as ever.

My starter was the stand-out dish – an end-of-season asparagus salad (£6.50) including squeaky French beans, lots of baby spinach leaves, some crumbed feta cheese and a zingy lemon hazelnut dressing. It was the taste of summer on an evening which was resolutely early Spring at best.

Sylvia’s tempura prawns (£8.95) served with a sweet chilli sauce were beauts, fat-finger sized and coated in the crispest of crumb. The chilli sauce was the perfect accompaniment.

For her main , Sylvia chose roast cod wrapped in bacon (£15.95) from the list of specials which were all fish or seafood.

The cod was a chunky slab of flaking flesh, cooked just right and wrapped in a mild Parma ham-style bacon. It perched on a pile of asparagus, pea and mint raviolis with pea shoots, broad beans and topped with more asparagus spears for good measure. A cream-based fish sauce pulled it altogether.

My chargrilled 10oz rib-eye (£19.95) was good, really good. Tender, very juicy and deeply flavoured, it was served with onion rings, mushrooms, fat, super-dry and chunky chips with a little pot of beef gravy (Mmmm...chips and gravy).

As is the way these days, I ploughed a lonely furrow when it came to dessert – an Italian amaretto and lemon trifle (£5.95) which was a great mix of textures, slightly boozy, sweet but not overly so.

In a period of post-holiday much-needed detoxification, we were both on the soft stuff so drinks only added £4.30 to the £61.60 bill.

Service, led by Gill Barratt, was as we have come to expect from the Barratts – swift and efficient. It can’t be easy given the cramped nature of the cafe but the young staff were deft in getting round and meeting diners’ needs – which was more than could be said for some of the customers including yours truly who struggled to extricate himself elegantly when it came to leave.

Open just eight weeks, Barratts looks to be another success for a couple who surely deserve celebrity hospitality status – and to have their name in lights.

FOOD FACTS

Barretts Cafe Bistro

Rosemary Lane, DL10 4DP

Tel: 01748-824815

Web: barrettscafebistro.co.uk

Open: Wed 10-4pm; Thur-Sat 10-2.30pm and 5-9pm. Sun: noon-4pm

Food quality: 5/5

Service: 4/5

Surroundings: 4/5

Value: 5/5