We went to the Wheatsheaf at Croston and found top-notch pub food, including proper homemade pies

As all afficionados know, proper pies must have pastry on the bottom and sides as well as the top. Anything less is just not worth the name.

These pretend pies are becoming so ubiquitous that on seeing the word pie on a pub menu we now always ask the waiter to describe it in depth before deciding whether to order. Admittedly, we’ve had some funny looks, but at least we’ve not been disappointed!

So what would we find at the Wheatsheaf in Croston, which claims to be proud of its homemade pies? All puff and no substance or top-notch delicacy?

Have no fears, pie-lovers.. in search of the real deal you really can’t go wrong here.

In fact, husband Bob was spoilt for choice with three options of the day offered by our friendly waitress - cheese and onion, game or steak and ale. Being a traditionalist at heart, the steak and ale it would be.

Before that we had ordered starters – vegetable soup with a hunk of crusty bread and butter across the table and for me a warm prawn, chorizo and sauted potato salad.

The salad was delicious and plentiful. Huge prawns, fried potatoes and chunks of warm chorizo wrapped in salad leaves in vinaigrette. They also do this as a main course, although the starter size looked large enough for a main!

The soup was also a hit. Homemade and full of pureed vegetables with a terrific stock. It was also just the right temperature, so clearly hadn’t been microwaved within an inch of its life.

Good starts all round then and so it was on to the main event.

I was tempted by the pan fried seabass and the Indian-spiced lamb burger, but in the end went for the slow-braised beef bourguignon with mash and charred, roasted carrots. The beef fell apart at the merest touch, while the rich, mushroom and wine sauce was so good I was tempted to lick to plate. I didn’t, of course....

But the main focus was across the table where the ‘proper’ steak and ale pie had landed, accompanied by some chunky-looking chips, mushy peas and the finishing touch to any quality pie dish – a little jug of gravy.

The top was smashed, revealing some of that melt-in-the-mouth beef in an unctuous ale sauce, into which more of the gravy pot was poured with glee.

It took some eating as this was a pie of some size, but the man who knows his pies managed it and gave it a nod and a ‘that’ll do nicely’ at the end. Praise indeed.

A word too for the veg on both plates. The mushy peas were perfectly cooked and the roasted carrots were delicious.

We were far too full to be able to manage puddings, but the ice-cream sundae and the sticky toffee pudding did interest us for future reference.

With a pint and two halves of some very well-kept Bowland Gold ale, the bill came to a reasonable £53. Great value for money given the quality of the food – and the guarantee of a proper pie.

The Wheatsheaf, Town Road, Croston. PR26 9RA

01772 600370

www.wheatsheaf-croston.com