Why not in with the Inn crowd?

After hearing good things about The Horns Inn in Churchtown near Garstang, we spent a chilly Saturday afternoon trying out the country pub.

Just a short trip up the A6 and we were at the cosy inn, but were surprised by the tiny number of cars outside.

Inside, with homely decor and friendly staff, we were equally shocked that there was only one table taken.

Still, we took a seat and perused the extensive menu.

With food ranging from traditional pub grub to a selection of tapas, we were instantly impressed by the choice.

Jumping straight to main courses, we were tempted by sharing plates of tapas, steak and kidney pudding, or rack of ribs served with chips and coleslaw.

Burgers and hot baguettes also caught my attention, but I plumped for slow braised lamb Henry, while partner Martyn went for chargrilled sirloin steak with chips and peppercorn sauce.

The food arrived quickly and both dishes looked great.

The lamb was cooked perfectly and fell off the bone, and the creamy mashed potatoes and rich mint and redcurrant gravy complemented it perfectly. Martyn’s steak was equally good, served with crispy, chunky chips and a delicious, creamy sauce.

Between us we managed to choose the most expensive dishes on the menu, with mine at £14.95 and Martyn’s at £15.95.

But there were plenty of tempting options on the menu for under £10, as well as light bites for less than £5.

After clearing our plates, we decided there was room for pudding, and the dessert menu offered loads of tempting choices, including strawberry crème brulee, and rich chocolate fudge brownie served with salted caramel sauce and white chocolate ice cream.

After some deliberation, I chose sticky toffee pudding, with toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream. The pudding was gorgeous, soft, squidgy sponge and delicious sweet sauce.

Martyn chose apple pie and custard from the specials menu – a generous slab of pie filled with chunks of fruit and a warming pot of custard.

As we polished off our meals, the pub started to fill up,although it was still not as busy as I would have expected for a Saturday afternoon.

For two great meals with desserts and soft drinks for under £45, and a cracking country pub atmosphere, it should be pulling in the crowds.