It takes a special kind of place to eat at and then immediately decide that you need to come back and finish the menu. Grace and James did that. I ate on Sunday, gave it some thought on Monday and went back on Friday, in what is the shittest Craig David remix of all time. They’ve changed the menu up a bit, going from the three courses that came with ‘Upstairs’ to a small plate’s formula of ever-changing-dishes that can be eaten upstairs, downstairs, and outside. Anywhere you bloody want too really. I ate outside on both occasions and get really quite pissed on one of those. York Road is the perfect place to do that.

First tip; do not leave without ordering the croquettes. Second tip; let them cool down before they go anywhere near your mouth. They are sublime, as good as any croquette I have had, here, further afield, or even San bloody Sebastian. Molten bullets of cheese and ham, full of pork flavour and oozing top quality cheese beyond the lightest of bites. Been twice and ordered twice. Will be ordering repeatedly. Next tip; get the focaccia with these, full of peppery olive oil and roofed under a kind of cheese and pan con tomate crust. Use the focaccia to mop up the orgy of cheese and ham that’s fallen onto your plate at some point between grip and bite. Eat pickles, each flavoured with a different predominant note. Focus on not leaving any of the anise-flavoured carrot and looking blankly at the pickled beetroot.

I usually use this part to ‘shit sandwich’ anything bad, but honestly, there was nothing which never hit the spot for what they are intending. If I had to choose anything, just something which wasn’t perfect, I’d say that the lamb puttanesca pasta dish was overly oily, though really anything containing olives, anchovies, and capers is going to be by default and I was fully aware of that before I tucked in and finished every last speck. And maybe the cod, well mannered and picking up a hint of green and lemon notes from the confit. No, actually not the cod. It was deliciously restrained, with a soft boiled egg and chickpeas. Close your eyes and you could be in Marseille, except you’re on York Rd tucking into bottle number two. Sorry, make that bottle three.

The rest is brilliant, which is a likely result of using top-class ingredients and top-class chefs. The burrata needs the skin to hold in the dairy that has been bound within the mozzarella, as fresh as you like and desperate to get out and play with the extra virgin olive oil. It only needs the bread for house cleaning duties. The sourdough returns, toasted this time as a vehicle for house-made ricotta and a strew of corn, chilli, and herbs, seasoned with a little lime juice. New season potatoes need nothing more than peas that have been deshelled (it is this level attention that makes it a ten), and grated Spenwood cheese. Nutty, buttery, fresh. It is simple cooking that happens to be extremely well done.

I’ll save my favourites for here. The porchetta is an obvious start, the skin puffed and looking like Lego hair only clinging on by its sideburns. Soft, slightly yielding meat, with a gremolata heavy on lemon and garlic. It is a show stopper. I adored the Ottolenghi-like simplicity of the figs, perfect condition, simply sliced and placed onto a labneh that sings with acidity and barely mutters cheese. A little thyme, some pinenuts, a touch of mint, and some excellent honey. I’ll be sad when this comes off. And my favourite cheese to finish; Brillat-Savarin, like a posh Dairylea, and my purest memories of France, drizzled in a little honey and served with more bread. Is it too much to ask for this but with truffled Brillat-Savarin? I’m about to give them the perfect score so why not.

I haven’t covered the excellent cured meats from Cobble Lane, nor the cheeses that Grace and James keep in such excellent condition. I haven’t touched on the wines, all natural, that made people first come to York Road all those years ago. I don’t think I need to. What matters is this the most approachable the food has ever been here; as good an example of seasonal small plates as you are likely to find. They’ve nailed it and I expect that in the not too distant future others with a far bigger platform than I will be saying exactly the same.

10/10