The Horseshoe Inn at Levisham

THERE are a couple of things you can't do at The Horseshoe Inn. Don't wear walking boots inside and don't visit on a Monday as it's closed "until further notice".

Above all, don't even think about playing with the wooden doll's house inside.

The pretty plaything lies on the carpet in the sitting room and I would imagine it's irresistible to little fingers belonging to people too young to read the warning sign above.

Let me add one more thing to that list. Don't drive to Levisham if you're a faint-hearted motorist. The isolated village lies at the end of a remarkably winding and climbing rural lane.

This is either a wonderful country road commanding heady views across the North York Moors or a white-knuckle rollercoaster ride. It depends on your confidence in the driver.

Luckily us big kids managed to stay on track and keep within the rules during our visit to the pretty rural business and had ourselves a pleasant meal to boot.

The Horseshoe commands a prominent position looking straight down Levisham's main street and is an ideal stop off during a trip to the Moors or the Whitby coast.

It was opened by two husband and wife teams earlier this year, who announced that they wanted to turn it into a "gastropub" with the emphasis on good-quality local food and wine.

In recent years "gastropub" has almost become a dirty word, I suspect, especially for people like myself who enjoy a pint in atmospheric surroundings without being stared at by sullen diners.

Asking around, it didn't strike me that The Horseshoe enjoys a healthy batch of determined regular drinkers, so manoeuvring to cater for visitors is better than no pub at all.

The chalkboard menu features an impressive array of options, with meat sourced from Radford Butchers, in Sleights, and fish from Dennis Crooks, in Whitby.

On the night we visited, starters were between £3.85 and £4.95 and included a "soup of the moment" of tomato and Wensleydale, a smoked salmon and prawn dish and a red pesto and red pepper tart.

Catherine went for a house chicken liver pate which came with green tomato chutney, while I tucked into a green avocado Caesar salad with parmesan shavings and some bacon bits (both £4.50).

Chicken liver pat is a world-beating taste sensation in my over-effusive book, and Catherine said that her home-made effort was satisfyingly rich and tasty. The green chutney was red in colour. Is that normal?

Caeser salad isn't much of a challenger generally for the first course crown, but this dish was a pleasant shambles of tasty cheese, crisp bacon and iceberg lettuce mixed in a creamy dressing.

Main courses are hearty, perhaps to reinforce the constitutions of pale motorists.

There is everything from a fillet steak (£13.95) and Harome wild duck breast with rich port sauce (£11.95) to fresh tagliatelle (£7.95) and Whitby haddock with salmon sauce (£9.25).

My dining partner looked ecstatic when her dressed Whitby crab (£8.50) arrived, sitting on a plate of salad with bread and mayonnaise, and soon said the taste lived up to expectations.

I wasn't so sure about my tenderloin of pork with calvados apples (£10.95). The pork was beautifully cooked, but the soft Bramley apple slices were very tart and not to my taste. The wilted baby spinach also came covered with a heavy sprinkling of sea salt - too much in my view.

For dessert we shared a deliciously creamy slice of traditional trifle (£3.85 for all puddings) after turning down treats such as sticky toffee pudding, chocolate orange mousse or a crme caramel.

To wash it all down Catherine had some red wine at £2.85 a glass (bottles cost between £10.95 and £24.50) and I sank two pints of Theakstons best at £2.10. Lovely. Would they consider using a pump sprinkler to make it smoother?

The bill came to £37.40, which we agreed was fair value, and a special mention should go to our Polish waiter, a student on a gap year, who entertained us throughout.

Finally, for those who can't face that long, dark drive home, remember that there are eight themed bedrooms, some with splendid countryside views, which cost up to £35 per person.

The Horseshoe Inn, Main Street, Levisham, near Pickering. Tel 01751 460240

Chris and Catherine visited on September 2.

Fact File:

Food: good

Service: attentive

Value: good

Ambience: spacious pub

Disabled access: No

Restaurant reviewers aim to be fair and accurate. Any comments on this review should be addressed to Chris Titley, Features Content Editor, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN or email

features@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 09:00 Saturday, September 11, 2004