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It’s another vine meal!
TRADITIONAL: Picture postcard Croston is well served by this welcoming old pub, says our reviewer
Peter Richardson carries out a spot-check at The Grapes in Croston.
Being called upon to fill this bit of the paper for the past 20-something years - every week for many of them, roughly once a month these days - has not been without its physical toll.
But I’m beginning to think it’s getting to me mentally as well.
I’d quite forgotten that a colleague had visited the Grapes at Croston little more than two years ago, but the evidence was there in her framed report by the bar of this splendid old pub which guards the entrance to Croston village centre from the Chorley end: “Thanks a bunch,” said the headline, which immediately ruled that one out this time around. Maybe I would have the soup and use “Grapes of Broth.” Then again...
So this visit falls more into the category of checking up on the place to make sure standards are being maintained. They are.
The Grapes offers bar food, a separate menu in its Stevensons restaurant and an array of specials boards which prompted several minutes’ hesitation before we opted for the more formal surroundings of the restaurant and, for myself at any rate, the £12.50 three-course midweek deal.
From a decent choice, this gave me a hot tapas mushroom starter, which comprised a ramekin of fresh funghi dressed in a sweet red pepper sauce, plus a huge hunk of bread for mopping up purposes. It could have mopped the entire room, quite frankly, but it was a welcome note of generosity.
For mains I had sliced roast leg of lamb, given an unusual twist in that it was rubbed with Indian spices. Oddly enough this went rather well with the minted gravy, although I’m pretty sure the menu also mentioned a Yorkshire pudding, which was nowhere to be seen. As extra ballast, it wasnt missed because there was loads of fresh veg to go at,
For dessert I would love to tell you that the strawberry pavlova, with both ice cream and fresh cream, was a delight, but I handed the lot over to Mrs Eating Out, as my part of the bargain we had struck which meant her skipping starters. And it was good, she said.
But not half as good as the highlight of this Tuesday teatime sojourn. The mark of a good cook lies not in presentation but in doing simple things perfectly. Thus was Mrs EO’s succulent sirloin steak (£14) a classic hunk of medium rare tenderness...so tasty that it didn’t really need the separately ordered jug of Diane sauce. The chips and the onion rings were top notch too.
With a young bottle of Rioja (£15.40), this was £43 well spent.
Our last three Eating Out missions have all been to classic English pubs in and around the area where Chorley meets West Lancashire. All have been well-patronised, despite it being midweek and each have offered a range of real ale as well as attractive, fresh-coooked, locally sourced food around the £40 mark for 2-3 courses each, including drinks.
Having such convivial quality in abundance does the heart good. At least I hope it does.
The Grapes is on Town Road, Croston. Tel:01772 600225
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Friday 25 May 2012
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