THE signs were good as we drove into the car park at the front of The Plough.
Although it was pitch black, the car headlights just picked out the notices declaring food for sale and welcoming children to the pub.
So we trooped in, dressed in a
suit, straight from work, and the children in school uniforms.
We were met at the bar by a group of men, who seemed to be a mixture of regulars and passing truckers. A hush descended as they peered our way before the conversation gradually picked up again and they were once more in full flow.
The landlady did her best to keep their language decent, reminding them of the sudden presence of minors, but on occasions it was to no avail.
Luckily there was a TV screen on in the corner of the bar area and a roaring log fire, which both distracted the kids' attention.
We asked to sit through in the restaurant but it had unfortunately been "trashed" by a hunting party earlier in the day and was not ready to re-open. So, armed with our beers, we had to make do with the bar area.
It was not the most salubrious of surroundings, but next to the fire was cosy enough. A pool table at the far end kept a few of the lads occupied.
The menu, a single sheet of A4, presented traditional bar food at reasonable prices.
Regular mentions of the word home-made lent it some promise.
We did not feel entirely comfortable with the rowdy crowd so went straight for main courses, missing out on a choice of four starters (chef's home-made soup, £2.50; garlic mushrooms, £3.50; chicken goujons, £3.50; or prawn cocktail £3.50).
My wife resumed her crusade to discover the best lasagne in the county – this home-made version set us back £6; I went for another home-made option, the steak and ale pie (£6.50). We both opted for chips, mine came with peas and the lasagne with salad.
Other choices were deep-fried haddock, £5.95; deep fried scampi, £5.95; chicken Kiev, £5; home-made chicken curry and rice, £5; Northumbrian sausage and mash, £5.50; gammon steak, £7.95; T-bone steak, £13.95; or 8oz sirloin steak, £10.95.
We could also have had jacket potatoes (£3.50) or sandwiches (starting at £2.95) both with a variety of fillings.
Vegetarians are relatively well-catered for with four dishes: home-made vegetable lasagne, £6.20; veggie burger, £5.75; veggie sausage and mash, £5.95; and Plough Inn mixed grill, £6.20.
The children's fare is also typically pub grub – chicken nuggets, fish fingers or pizza with chips and peas, or sausage and mash with peas (each £2.95). Our two gave the chicken nuggets and fish fingers a whirl, and both substituted salad for the peas.
We were pleasantly surprised when the food arrived. Our experience to that point had not been great, in fact you could say intimidating, but the meals softened the impact.
To begin with, there were masses on our plates. Mine was awash with chips, swimming in instant beef gravy, but the salads were the most impressive part - plain but plentiful.
I couldn't possibly chomp my w through all the fries before me and soon caught my on surreptitiously dipping his chips in my gravy!
My pie came in a ceramic dish and, although it was burnt at the edges, was tasty and obviously home-made. An infusion of ale gave it a rich flavour and it was topped with a pastry that complememnted and crumbled. There was no sublety about it - just decent, wholesome grub.
The lasagne ranked among the best on my waife's lasagn-ometer - the balance of meat, sauce and pasta was just right. Her colossal salad and equally generous portion of chips had the beating of her.
The children similarly tucked into their offerings and were unable to finish.
The food was unpretentious and copious for the price.
We did not hang about for desserts - our bellies were full - although price and choice almost tempted us to stay out a bit longer.
All sweets were £3.25. There was a choice of gateaux, sticky tofee pudding and custard, syrup sponge and custard, banana split, knickerbocker glory, chocolate nut sundae, or meringue nest filled with fruit salad.
It had been an interesting experience. I am guessing that we would have been better sampling the Sunday lunch menu, which serves all afternoon from noon, with a choice of roasts costing £5.50.
STAR RATINGS (out of five)Quality of food 3
Choice 3
Vegetarian choice 3
Value for money 4
Atmosphere 1
Service 3
Children catered for 2.5
Disabled access 3
Disabled toilet No
Overall experience 2
Verdict: Pretty good pub grub. Plenty to fill you up.
Contact details: Powburn, nr Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 4HL. Tel: 01665 578259
