Star rating: * * * *

There are many different reasons for deciding to eat out instead of cooking at home. Some might want to celebrate an anniversary, while others are just plain hungry.

But for my wife Claire and I, it was to mark our final meal as just a couple – the end of nine long months of pregnancy.

And boy, did we choose the right place.

I have driven past the Hare and Hounds on the way to work for more than eight years and indeed, had visited it some time ago.

But it was always a bit of a mystery to me, amid endless tales of struggling traditional pubs this seemed to be an oasis of booming business.

So why does the Hare and Hounds continue to prosper?

The answer, we discovered, lies within the diversity of customers.

The pub is run by Ian Barton, who for years has also done a great job at the nearby Duke of York.

And it is clear he knows his trade.

Although food definitely provides a great deal of trade, the pub has not forgotten those who laid its foundations, the drinkers.

They are very well served with a good number of ales and ciders, plus all the usual tipples.

Long may that continue.

In all honesty, neither Claire nor I were particularly hungry – our nerves over the impending ‘birth day’ certainly saw to that.

But we both needed to keep our strength up by eating unfussy food served with few pretensions.

The menu certainly gave us those choices – we counted a total of 20 options, without even looking at the specials board.

In order to retain the ‘no frills’ theme of our meal, I chose the Black Country faggots, while Claire decided to have the steak and gammon combination.

Our hunger pains had returned with a vengeance and we didn’t have long to wait. Within 20 minutes, two steaming plates arrived on our table.

My experience of faggots had previously been restricted to the famous offerings of Mr Brains, so my main course was a real treat.

I was presented with three gravy-soaked liver faggots that delivered everything they promised.

The problem, perhaps, was that along with the chips, they delivered too much.

After one-and-a-half faggots, I limply gave up.

No more – my hunger pains had scuttled away as quickly as they arrived and I could eat no more.

To be honest, I was disappointed, as the taste and texture were a real highlight of my culinary life.

Luckily, the staff were sharp enough to offer a ‘doggy bag’ – our border collie called Blue certainly ate well that night.

But what of Claire? She was busy watching me grapple with three huge faggots, but nevertheless enjoyed her main course hugely!

Both the steak and gammon pieces were very, very juicy and cooked in exactly the right way.

They arrived on a plate that was piled high with an unnecessary amount of chips.

The chef had seemingly forgotten to cut down on the steak and gammon sizes, which were admirable.

They were so large that Claire was also unable to finish her main course – another treat for Blue.

It is at this point that I usually describe how we defied our lack of appetite to ‘force’ down a dessert. Not this time, however.

Although the dessert menu appeared to offer more of the same, our appetites had simply wilted.

The three of us will be making a return visit very, very soon.

By James Shaw

SAMPLE MENU & MINI GUIDE

Starters: Chef’s pate of the day (£3.75); Thai fish cakes (£3.95)

Main courses: 10oz sirloin steak (£10.95); Mixed grill (£14.95)

Desserts: Gateux (£2.95); Rice pudding (£2.95)

Atmosphere: Varied, with drinkers and diners mixing easily.

Service: Unfussy, but very attentive and efficient.

Disabled facilities: There are disabled facilities in the toilets.

Smoking policy: No smoking.

Contact: The Hare and Hounds, Holyhead Road, Oakengates (01952) 612946