LUNCHING in Harkers with two colleagues, we were taken by the light, airy atmosphere and the original pillared interior.

One room is set aside for non-smokers. Tables adjacent to the windows are on a raised floor affording a commanding view of the Mansion House and York life at its best.

A bar at one end of the main room does not dominate. It is from here that food orders are placed.

Many main meals are within or fractionally above our budget. Speciality sausage, Lincolnshire, Cumberland and Caernarfon with mash is priced £5.50.

The hot or cold sandwiches (£3.95 to £5.50) on toasted giant white baps or malted brown bloomer bread come with chips and salad garnish.

Snacks include soup (£2.75), fish goujons, mushroom pepperpot and potato wedges (all £3.50).

One colleague selected the hot fillet steak sandwich (£5.50). Described as succulent meat with pan fried mushrooms, onions and mustard mayonnaise, his verdict was "bap on the dry side and meat in bits." He did, however, leave a clean plate.

My other colleague was delighted with a ham and pineapple melt (£4.50) reporting the ham as acceptably thick and certainly not watery. He didn't manage to finish his chips.

I decided to go vegetarian on this occasion. How would a pastry parcel filled with leeks and Gruyere cheese go down? Fairly well!

The puff pastry disintegrated when cut and made a mess on both table and floor. Although the filling was insubstantial the whole effect was tasty.

The three sweets are all priced £2.50. The chocolate puddle pudding sounded intriguing and I was tempted by the treacle sponge. Would it live up to its description of a delicious sponge topped with treacle or would it be no more than golden syrup?

Our snacks were served on cold plates (black mark). Each table had a bowl of plastic sauce sachets which we felt lowered the tone of this otherwise pleasant setting.

Should steps present a problem the entrance from St Helen's Square could be difficult. We did not see any easy route in.

Updated: 11:29 Saturday, May 31, 2003