Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Yemi writes for the Stray Ferret about her love of the area’s food and shares cooking tips.

On a recent train journey, I sat across from a couple who had gone shopping in Leeds and were on their way back. We got talking about them splurging on some expensive watches and I asked how they planned to celebrate their new purchases. I jokingly suggested they go out for a meal, whilst the man joked about needing to think about paying for their splurge.

We went on to the subject of where to eat in and around Harrogate and Al Bivio at Hornbeam Park came up, along with other restaurants that I have visited and some new ones they recommended to me.

I didn’t let on that I was a food writer for the Stray Ferret until after listening to their suggestions; I wanted their unfiltered views because people often erroneously assume that I already know about all the good places to eat, but I love discovering new places. That day, I was reminded of a restaurant that’s literally a stone throw away from me, one that I pass on the way to the gym and see on my approach to the train station every week.

After a busy week, we decided to visit Al Bivio for Friday night dinner and showed up without a booking. Fortunately, they could fit us in, in what was fast becoming a full dinner service.

Arancini and calamari fritti

We were barely sat down before complimentary fresh bread with tapenade was set on the table and I asked for some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which promptly arrived, but I found the balsamic a touch watery. Our drinks order was promptly taken and the menu was handed to us. 

For starters, we ordered the arancini and calamari fritti. As expected, the arancini made of rice and peas was soft on the inside, with gooey melted cheese and crunchy on the outside. It sat on a bed of tomato sauce which was delicious but missing a touch of seasoning.

I loved the battered calamari as it was very tender and the coating was crispy; it was served with tasty, sweet chilli sauce and some salad leaves including radicchio. The bitterness of the leaves complimented the sweetness of the chilli sauce and the crispy calamari. This was a dish that begged to be eaten with fingers, and I only reached for my knife and fork to eat the salad leaves.

It was a dish perfect for sharing and perfect for feeding a loved one. On another table, I saw a young boy order the calamari with a portion of chips when his siblings were ordering pizza and pasta.

Trio of fish

Mains weren’t easy to choose as there were many varieties of pasta dishes and pizza toppings to choose from. I was tempted by a few dishes but settled for a trio of fish that came with salad and fries, so I asked for this to be a shared main with an extra portion of fries because I wanted to leave room for dessert.

To my amazement, two separately dressed plates with a trio of fish were delivered and it turned out the portion was even more generous than I initially thought it would be. I appreciated the chef putting in the effort when they could have sent through the one plate we ordered with an extra plate for us to serve ourselves. That was thoughtful, and very welcome.

No room for desserts

Despite our best efforts, we just didn’t have room for desserts. I was really looking forward to the tiramisù, and the coconut cake with coconut ice cream was competing with the torta al limone, a lemon tart served with lemon sorbet, to be the second dessert I was hoping to try. That will have to wait till the next time.

I was reminded of the joys of eating whilst surrounded by families chatting and laughing together over shared meals and the unbridled pleasure of joining in to gleefully sing happy birthday to total strangers.

I left Al Bivio with a full belly and a smile on my face as I walked back home. It was easy to see why people would remember Al Bivio when thinking about places to eat in Harrogate.