LYNNE MARTIN finds a Tadcaster restaurant playing her tune

We entered Singers restaurant on a hopeful note. We hadn't booked a table, working on the theory that on a Tuesday night in Tadcaster there wouldn't be any need.

In fact, as we drove into the town the streets were deserted and we had that awful thought: Would we be the only ones in the restaurant?

But the joint was jumping, a number of people were already there and more were expected. Only a bit of deft shuffling with the seating arrangements found us the last table for the night.

Must be good, we thought, and settled down in the little bar to read the menu. We had wondered why the restaurant was called Singers, but looking around it began to make sense - the place is dedicated to music, the walls are decorated with old sheet music and pictures of songsters, ancient and modern.

I hope they don't ask me to sing, I thought, I'll empty the place in seconds. But Ella was crooning softly in the background and that menu was making my mouth water. It's a set three-course menu for £15.95 with several choices for each course.

Some dishes are a little extra, as was Chris's starter: ravioli stuffed with king prawn puree and scallops. It came as one large ravioli garnished with the most tender and succulent scallops in a saffron and basil sauce.

My Thai roasted salmon with soy sauce was equally as good. It came on a small bed of spicy rice and was superb.

Not a large piece of fish, but flaky and aromatic and it set the standard for what was to follow .

Chris had no hesitation in choosing his main course - spicy pork fillet on rosti with redcurrant and apple jus. Now what is jus? I always think it looks like a spelling mistake, so I will settle for saying it was a delicious piquant sauce which was a perfect accompaniment to the meat.

I had the usual difficulty choosing my main course, torn between the venison with celeriac and pepper sauce, or the fillet of beef. The owner had recommended the lamb, but after a touch of discord the last time I ate lamb I ordered the beef.

And was I glad I had. Sitting on a mushroom and cream sauce were three of the most tender, tasty pieces of beef I have eaten in a long time. Seared and glistening on the outside, pink and juicy inside.

New potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and green beans added the finishing touch, as did the excellent bottle of Aussie shiraz/cabernet sauvignon we had chosen from the small, but descriptive wine list.

For our grand finale, ordered after a decent interval, there was only ever going to be one choice for me, the dark treacle custard tart with rum soaked raisins. The pastry was paper thin and crisp and the filling had that lovely burnt-toffee taste. I did think the chef might have been a bit more generous with the rum, though.

Chris finally decided on orange sponge. An odd choice I thought after a fairly large meal, but he declared it to be light and tangy and the real egg custard a treat.

But that was the measure of this meal. It was perfectly orchestrated, we were never rushed or faced with mountains of food and I have to say Singers is definitely on song.

Restaurant:Singers Restaurant

Address:16 Westgate, Tadcaster

Closed Sunday and Monday

Telephone:01937 835121

Reviewed:07/11/98

Food:Chorus of approval

Value:Struck the right chord

Service:Never quavered

Ambience:Musical

PICTURE:Singers Restaurant: 'a perfectly orchestrated meal'