Northcote, Langho

Northcote is one of my favourite places in the world. It was our first Michelin star, we had our wedding reception there and it is situated in some of the most beautiful countryside in Lancashire. It's always nice weather when we go too!

A couple of years ago, we went for Sunday lunch, and it was so good we vowed to do it again soon. Time got in the way... After a bit of a 'week' at work, my husband cheered up my dreary day by telling me he had managed to secure a table on Sunday. Excitement central!

We arrived at Northcote to the usual wonderful welcome from front of house gent, Chris. We were given menus then came the signature pea mousse with dipping crisps, but this time we also got a sausage roll each! Greggs... listen up. Whilst the pea mousse is always light and wonderful, these sausage rolls were pork perfection! I could have made a right pig of myself...

Our four course lunch started with a vibrant new season's carrot and coriander soup, which had hidden 'scorched' carrot at the bottom and a dollop of coriander cream on top. Beautiful.

One of my favourite things about Northcote is the bread. It has never changed in the years we have been going, but if it did I would be inconsolable. By far the best is the legendary cheese roll. This is topped with cheese but also has it swirled throughout, like a dairy filled danish. Amazingly good! We also had an onion roll, which is sweet with a glazed top, and a simple white roll. They all come warm from the oven and are absolute heaven.

Paddy had the wheat fed guinea fowl ravioli with pickled mushrooms and tarragon. The texture on that ravioli was phenomenal.

I opted for the slow cooked hen's egg with cured pork, peas and goat's cheese. This was a very fresh dish and the cured pork was immense, but there was a little too much yolk compared to the rest of the components.

The main event is something to behold. Roast beef (rare in my case), cauliflower cheese, mashed and roasted potatoes, carrots, green beans and the best Yorkshire in Lancashire. The gravy isn't half bad either. I really can't say enough good things about this - just as wonderful as I remembered.

Paddy had his heart set on the banana cooked in its own skin with toffee and coffee, but they had run out by the time we were ordering dessert. The alternative was a treacle tart with raspberries. As soon as this arrived I wished I had ordered it, and proceeded to steal some. I loved it.

I had the Yorkshire rhubarb, jelly, just churned vanilla ice cream and walnut doughnuts. I was sold on doughnuts. This was more like a trifle, and didn't really contain much rhubarb or jelly. Maybe my vision was clouded by the amazing rhubarb jelly we had at St John's. Saying that, it was cooling in the warm weather and the doughnuts were brilliant.

We finished with tea and coffee in the lounge. Never a boring affair, these come with the same delightful mini Eccles cakes that you will see at the Ribble Valley Inns.

We had a great time at Northcote. The service was a little slow at times, but it looks like there are slightly more covers than the last time we went. However, all this can be forgiven when reminiscing over the photos of that amazing roast dinner.

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