DILEMMA – it's your father-in-law's birthday and he is relying on you to recommend a good restaurant.

Do you choose a hardy favourite or do you gamble and go for somewhere different?

With a column to write this week, I went for the latter, fingers and toes (and anything else I could) crossed, touching wood and clutching a bunch of heather.

Before you ask, I can't reveal which birthday we were celebrating on pain of death (or worse still, being struck out of the will!).

During my journey through the eateries of north Northumberland and beyond I have received many suggestions and recommendations. The Granby Inn at Longframlington was one of them. So we booked.

The Granby is easy to find – it is right on the A697 in the centre of the village. A former coaching inn, it is about 250 years old – although the décor in parts is more out of the 1960s than the 1760s.

The restaurant, in particular, is a little dated, with a beaten copper flue above an electric fire dominating the room.

Swirls of whitewashed plaster, plate shelves, red Paisley-style carpet, tacky brass nick-nacks are throwbacks to a bygone age, when something more authentic or even modern would be more suited. Everything, however, was squeaky clean (toilets included).

And truthfully, that's where the criticism ends because I needn't have worried and stroked my lucky charms – the food turned out to be first class and the Granby an early contender for Restaurant of the Year 2008.

Beware though, it would be wise to book before you go (we couldn't get in the Sunday before) and think again if you're planning to take young children with you – they only allow over eights in the restaurant, no children at all in the bar.

There is no children's menu and only selected dishes are served as half-portions.

We were led through the bar and a comfortable-looking lounge to our table in the restaurant.

STAR RATINGS (out of five)
Quality of food 4.5
Choice 4
Vegetarian choice 3
Value for money 4
Atmosphere 3 (some background music would have helped)
Service 4
Children catered for 2
Disabled access 4
Disabled toilet No
Overall experience 4
Verdict: High Quality Food

Contact details: The Granby Inn and Restaurant, Longframlington, NE65 8DP. Tel: 01665 570228