Frankie C's, 50-52 Walmgate, York.

SOME six years ago, just as the eating out experience in York was at the start of a welcome renaissance, Evening Press scribe Barry Neild gave a fledgling city-centre bistro a major boost.

Back then, Walmgate had a reputation of being something of a restaurant graveyard.

But dining doyen Barry hailed the newly-opened Frankie C's as "delightful".

"My tastebuds were in ecstasy," he purred.

High praise indeed, particularly given the fact acerbic Barry had been known to close a restaurant faster than a health and safety official could think "salmonella".

Suitably impressed by Barry's ringing endorsement, I eagerly booked a table chez Frankie C's soon after this review appeared and prepared myself for an unrivalled dining experience.

Sadly, the reality failed to match the hype. It was not that the food, service or ambience were particularly bad. It was all fine, but it was just that...fine, an experience equivalent to an ambivalent shrug of the shoulders.

Perhaps Barry had caught them on a good night. Perhaps I'd caught them on an average night.

Whatever the reason, I'd never been back.

However, even without my custom, Frankie C's - complete with Barry's review hanging in the window - is still standing and still thriving

Moreover, Walmgate, and the adjoining Fossgate, are now home to some of York's finest eateries.

Against a backdrop of such stiff competition, Frankie's must be doing something right, I thought.

It was time to give it another try.

Both inside and outside, Frankie's had not much changed since my last visit, although I'm sure the decor had undergone a subtle revamp.

Pleasingly for those with an appetite, subtle is a word unfamiliar to the portions at Frankie's.

It may have a Gallic air, but the miniscule servings associated with nouvelle cuisine are obviously something of a foreigner to Frankie.

The choice was equally plentiful and tempting. After what seemed an age of umming and ahhing, my wife, Karen, plumped for the deep-fried Normandy Brie served with gooseberry sauce (£4.95) to start.

Big enough to wedge open a barn door, two perfectly-cooked wedges arrived on a small mountain of salad, as crisp as crackling. Karen was suitably impressed.

I went for the Wild Mushroom Medley (£5.95). A mushroom baked with aged cheddar cheese, prawns, bacon, tomatoes and garlic sauce.

It was lovely, homely fair, and much to Karen's embarrassment I continued to scrape the bowl clean until every last bit of sticky cheese had been removed.

For the main course, Karen chose the char-grilled tuna (£13.95), while I went for the chef's "speciality", Lamb kleftiko (£13.95).

"Blimey," said Karen, casting her eye over a tuna the size of a small island.

She had been warned the tuna, marinated in olive-oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs and served with mango-salsa, would be cooked quite pink, unless she requested otherwise. Karen sided with the chef's recommendation but, while she enjoyed what she could manage, in the end found it a little too pink for her particular taste.

To be honest, I'm not a massive fan of lamb, but wanted to see if the chef's signature dish lived up to its top billing. The meat was cooked to perfection, falling off the bone and melting in the mouth. If I had one gripe - and not being a connoisseur of Greek food, it may not be a justified one - the thick red-wine, mint and clove sauce covering the lamb was a bit too subtle. I would have preferred something with a bit more 'oomph'.

To accompany our main courses, we had a choice of salad or vegetables. We picked the latter and were not disappointed. As we'd come to expect, there were plenty of them, enough to feed a small army, and they were superbly crunchy and fresh tasting.

Suitably stuffed, ordinarily we might have skipped dessert but felt obliged to give them a try.

While our waistlines would beg to differ, it proved a wise move.

My sticky toffee pudding (£4.25) was probably the best I've ever tasted - and I've tasted a few - while Karen's seasonal cheese cake (£4.25) was greeted by another "blimey".

The biscuit base was wonderfully moist, the middling delightfully creamy, all smothered in seasonal berries and a sweet, sticky sauce.

The bill when it arrived came to £58.80, including a glass of wine and two bottled beers.

Now, when the food is as good and as plentiful as it was and the service was first-rate - attentive without being overbearing - it seems churlish to quibble.

But a bill of almost £60, not including a bottle of wine, would, in my opinion, rank Frankie C's among the top echelon of dining establishments in York.

The food and service perhaps merits such a lofty perch.

But it also means it's a place I'll have to reserve for only special occasions. Which is a shame, because the atmosphere and comforting food lends itself to a more casual, informal dining experience.

It may be a while before I dine at Frankie's again then.

But one thing is for certain, it won't be another six years.

Frankie C's, 50-52 Walmgate, York. Tel: 01904 652383.

Dave visited on Tuesday, November 23, 2004.

Updated: 08:41 Saturday, November 27, 2004