I arrived at the Loftsome Bridge Coaching House so hungry that I could have eaten a horse. Thankfully, the Wressle restaurant has a history for feeding equine guests rather than feeding equine to its guests.

Back in the 18th century, horses would have been regular visitors to the Coaching House. Then known as the Wheatsheaf Anchor (and later the Loftsome Bridge Inn) it acted as a resting place for the barge-pulling animals close to the River Derwent’s toll bridge.

You won’t find many long faces there these days, however, given the standard of cuisine on offer. The historic building was changed from a farm into a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse in 1969 and, having been renovated through the decades, is now a very impressive looking hotel, set in countryside bordering East and North Yorkshire.

We arrived on a Thursday night and were greeted by cheerful staff at a well-stocked bar where we had a drink in the cosy lounge area.Entering the adjacent restaurant, first impressions weren’t entirely favourable.The carpet looked a little tired and the furniture dated, with perhaps a makeover due to fittingly showcase arguably the hotel’s biggest asset – its food.

If the canvas images of some of the chef’s perfectly-presented dishes, hanging on the walls, are a sign that such a process is in the owner’s thoughts, then they are a good start. But, otherwise, the blandness of the dining area does not do its menu justice.

On our visit, as a couple in our mid-40s, we were comfortably the youngest diners from five filled tables, making it a perfect venue for those who prefer a quieter eating-out experience. The waiting staff were also of a mature age but the service was excellent all night with ordered drinks delivered to our table without delay and plates always served hot from the kitchen.

A three-course set menu is available on weekdays for £24.95, while the hotel serve five courses on a Saturday for £34.95 as well as Sunday lunch. Offered alongside the set menus are also a good selection of alternative dishes on the Tonight’s Extras Menu – some carrying a supplementary charge.

There were four ‘extras’ starters for our meal - mussels, scallops, prawns and a marinated chicken and crispy bacon salad – with three available as main courses too. Another five separate mains, four steaks and a duck, were also available, although we saw no need to deviate from the set menu.

For starter, I opted for Chicken Liver Parfait flavoured with Cognac and accompanied by a Bramley Apple, Tomato and Ale Chutney served with Warm Granary Toast. I enjoyed the generous slab of smooth parfait, with the tomato chutney nice and fresh, the bread lightly toasted and a substantial salad that also included three types of fruit – strawberry, melon and apple.

My wife Nikki went for the Soup of the Day, which was Carrot and Sweet Potato, with both flavours to the fore and complemented by a generous swirl of cream.

For main course, I plumped for Casserole of Prime British Beef Steak, Red Onion, Bacon and Potato simmered in a Rich Old Speckled Hen Ale Gravy, presented in a Puff Pastry Casket and, without exaggeration, it was one of the best pies I have ever tasted.The chunks of beef were big and tender, while the pastry was soft and buttery and the thick gravy hit just the right levels of richness. Portion wise, whilst I hadn’t eaten the proverbial horse, I felt I’d got through a fair amount of cow!

Nikki went for Pan-Roasted Breast of Chicken crowned with a Sauce of Chorizo Sausage, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Basil and White Wine, and wasn’t disappointed either.The chicken was juicy and tender, the chorizo strongly flavoured, the sauce and sizeable amounts of cheese a perfect complement.

We were given a generous well-cooked dish of veg – including potatoes, mange touts, red onions and courgettes - to share.

For dessert, there was a strong variety of eight options, including an ample cheese board. I chose A Tower of Dark Chocolate Brownies served with Dairy White Chocolate Ice Cream and Belgian Chocolate Fudge Sauce. Not normally a big brownie fan, I was tempted by the adornments and was again soon sampling possibly the tastiest example of that particular sweet I can remember ordering. Excellently served up with dark, white and milk chocolate prettily piped around the plate, the brownie slabs were piled up Jenga style, with the ice cream softening the dish’s richness, every spoonful of the fudge sauce a pleasure.

My other half had Crème Brûlée with Amaretti Biscuits and a Compote of Fresh Strawberries, which she equally enjoyed. It was generously sized, with the caramel satisfyingly crunchy, the custard creamy, the biscuits melt-in-the-mouth and the compote sweet and fruity.

Our final bill, which included a pint of lager, three glasses of wine and a soft drink, was £69.15.