"The Tontine has remained as the definitive expression of the McCoy genius for creating truly different environments and serving food based on classic French techniques but never constrained by French orthodoxy.
For some, the Tontine's reputation is for being pricey and, true, it is easy to rack up a £100 bill for two. But you can also eat for half that and, crucially, the same care and attention goes into the lower priced dishes as the top of the carte ones.
With so many identikit pubs and restaurants about, we need to treasure the personality of McCoys. "
Darlington and Stockton Times – Feb 2010
"Eugene is a man who takes his inspiration from the Michelin world, but it's inspiration only – he doesn't cook that kind of food. The locals, from serious landowners to handymen, are all united and equal under the roof of the tavern." Scores - 17.5/20
Marco Pierre White in Waitrose magazine June 2008
Another perfect place to get away from it all, this time a dimly-lit, stone-floored bistro where the velvet drapes give it a Pre-Raphaelite feel. Eugene McCoy shows that you don't have to do anything fancy to really impress, turning out simple classics like beef Wellington and steak and chips.
Gorden Ramsey's top 11 UK restaurants - The Times 2005