The Chetwynde Hotel, Barrow

A dining out first for me this week: my husband using a fork to eat soup. We had arranged to meet at the Chetwynde Hotel in Abbey Road, Barrow. Once the home of the eponymous Chetwynde school - which effectively moved across the road some 30-plus years ago - the hotel has been a popular venue for functions for decades but is perhaps less well known for its restaurant.

I last visited the hotel a few years ago, when we held my dad's funeral tea there. Time for a return visit under happier circumstances: so on Wednesday evening I met my husband there for dinner.

I was early, so settled in the bar with an aperitif and tried not to look like I was waiting to be picked up. Not difficult - I can't think there's much call in Barrow for tweed-jacketed 50-somethings in urgent need of getting their roots done. I reckoned I was safe from any contractors staying in the hotel - and they from me.

When Gordon pitched up he joined me in the bar, which was empty bar one male guest. Two lone male diners were in the restaurant when I arrived. The car park was almost full, so the hotel was clearly busy - but there was little sign of it in the main rooms, which was a shame, because the Chetwynde, we discovered, is a very friendly place, serving cracking food.

On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the Chetwynde does a two courses for £12 deal. We were a day early - but if the food we sampled on Wednesday is typical - as I'm certain it is - then the two-course deal is fantastic value.

Gordon ordered soup of the day, French onion at £4.25, while I chose a spicy Thai fish cake for £4.95.

Our very friendly young waiter showed us to the restaurant and offered to carry our drinks for us. Good lad.

By now there was but one other diner in the restaurant, but we didn't mind at all. The decor at the Chetwynde is perhaps a little dated for some tastes (I found the different wallpaper patterns around the place a little jarring) but the whole place is very well-maintained, spotlessly clean and certainly comfortable. Large cloth napkins, too, which always earn an extra point from Gordon.

My fish cake was delicious. Clearly homemade, bursting with fresh ingredients and deliciously tangy. It came with a cooling dipping sauce and a generous side salad.

Gordon's soup was as thick as Kirk from Coronation Street. It was packed with luscious, translucent onions and topped with a Brie-coated crouton. Hence the fork. He loved it.

For our main courses, I had chosen a steak and ale pie, while Gordon went for a lamb rogan josh curry, both at £10.95.

Again, both were excellent. My pie was a large, homemade oblong affair with a crunchy puffed pastry casing (the top was a tad on the dark side) and packed with really good quality tender meat. Lovely handmade chips and a selection of traditional veg accompanied it. The veg - carrots cauliflower and broccoli - could have been more al dente but they were by no means overcooked. It was a hearty and high quality meal.

Gordon thoroughly approved of the rogan josh. Lamb is his favourite meat for curry so he was in his element. It was accompanied by basmati rice (chips or half and half were also offered) and a bowl of mango chutney. Luckily, he stopped short of licking his plate clean.

For pudding we shared a summer fruit Eton mess. Gordon had first dibs. "What's it like?" I enquired. "It's sort of fruit and cream and broken meringue," came his considered reply. "You don't say, Sherlock", I responded somewhat witheringly to my fellow food critic.

Anyway, I can confirm it was delicious - with strawberries, blackberries and blackcurrants. Really, the food at the Chetwynde is very good indeed.

I nipped to the loo while Gordon dealt with the bill. As with the rest of the hotel, the loos are scrupulously clean, if again somewhat dated. The lavatories, seats and wash basins in the ladies' are a rather startling colour - exactly the same shade as peach-flavoured Angel Delight. But I decided I approved of the whole retro thing.

The restaurant at the Chetwynde deserves to be a lot busier than it is midweek - but I expect their two-course deal pulls in the punters later on. It certainly deserves to. Here is a chef who knows what's what in a kitchen.

The Chetwynde may once have been a school - but there's nothing remotely resembling school dinners about the food being served here.

By LOUISE ALLONBY

Food 4

Service 4

Atmosphere 3

Value 3

Pros: Lovely garden, varied menu, quality ingredients

Cons: Quiet midweek, dated decor