A village pub laid on a six-course chocolate special last night. DAN RUTSTEIN and hungry partner couldn't resist.

"THIS is the most fantastic meal I think I have ever eaten," said a very satisfied chocolate fan after our six-course delight.

Inventive staff at the Appletree Country Inn, Marton, in the heart of the North Yorkshire countryside, had conjured a theme night to end all theme nights.

Although one might be a little suspicious at first of a multi-course feast entirely built around the world's most famous aphrodisiac, we soon realised there was no need to be.

This was chocolate gone crazy and it was fantastic.

From the moment we arrived we were immersed in a brown fantasy world.

From the chocolate bread which preceded our chocolate-based starter, to the chocolate-based sauce with the tenderly-cooked venison. Even joint owner Melanie Thornton had a chocolate surname.

It doesn't hurt, of course, that the pub itself is a delight. Tucked away in an idyllic village, close to the middle of nowhere, the place was full to the rafters with happy sweet-toothed diners.

Customers travel from as far afield as York and Scarborough to sample the culinary delights of chef TJ at this typical village pub and well- established eatery.

And this chocolate festival fully justified each and every one of those journeys.

A pre-meal glass of wine (which, along with the butter for the bread, was the only thing we consumed without chocolate) was joined by cajun spiced canapes.

The delicate little snacks gave us a hint of what was to come, which turned into enormous excitement as we headed to our table past tables of brown-based meals. Imagine asparagus risotto with chocolate shavings, imagine chocolate and goat's cheese souffle, imagine being able to combine the wonderful pastime of eating well with eating chocolate.

As a man who doesn't eat chocolate bars as a rule, I had approached the evening was trepidation.

You can put a bit of chocolate in my dessert, but savoury has always been my way forward.

Now, I found the meal an absolute delight. The chocolate flavours and aromas were never overpowering and were a delicate addition to the high quality starters and mains and then were an indulgence for the fourth and fifth courses.

So if I, as an indifferent to chocolate sort of guy, enjoyed myself, think how my Galaxy-scoffing, Mars munching dining partner enjoyed herself.

She was in some kind of surreal chocolate heaven. I fear we may never enjoy a normal restaurant meal again, or at least she won't.

Updated: 12:06 Friday, July 06, 2001