Old Three Pigeons, Nesscliffe
Star rating: **** Revisiting an old favourite pub can be a disappointment...but not at the Old Three Pigeons at Nesscliffe, writes Abigail Bate.

Star rating: ****
Revisiting an old favourite pub can be a disappointment, writes Abigail Bates; either things aren't as good as you remember, or they've changed so much that the place is barely recognisable.
But when my friend Alex and I went to the Old Three Pigeons in Nesscliffe for a meal, we were pleasantly surprised.
I'd never been to the pub before, but for Alex it is an old haunt; he has spent many a night in the bar with friends, drinking until the small hours. The place holds some fond memories for him, so I decided to give it a try.
When we arrived we were greeted with a warm welcome, and the pub was quite busy, even though it was Tuesday night.
The interior has a rustic, country pub feel, but with a hint of elegance; the floors and ceilings are wooden, the specials are written on a blackboard, and about half a dozen locals were propping up the bar.
The pub was the former local of Sir Humphrey Kynaston, a highwayman who, according to legend, lived in a cave on top of Nesscliffe Hill, a fugitive from the law. Intrigued, I've since sought to learn more, and found that his seat, supposedly taken from his cave, now makes up the fireplace in the pub.
Apparently, Sir Humphrey came into the pub one day, found another man in his seat and shot him dead!
Not wanting to risk the same fate, I gave the fireplace seat a miss and dived straight on to a comfortably looking sofa where we perused the menus.
Yes, menus, plural; just when I thought I'd chosen something from the main menu, I noticed the pasta and salad menu, and then there was the specials board, so I had to start the whole process again. Poor Alex was probably starving!
I eventually settled on Tex Mex chicken, and he opted for gammon with eggs.
We both decided not to have starters, because we wanted to save room for a dessert, but the choice of starters was fairly extensive, and if I didn't have such a sweet tooth I would have been sorely tempted by the chicken and duck liver paté.
When our meals were almost ready, we were shown to our table in the restaurant, a custom I always enjoy, because you can relax and chat before the meal, and when you are seated you know the food will arrive soon!
And it did arrive very quickly.
My Tex Mex chicken was super-tasty, and quite hot too; a spicy chicken breast, covered in spicy minced meat mixed with cheese. It was delicious, although the chicken was a bit hard around the edges. It didn't matter though, because the portion was so big I couldn't manage it all anyway.
Alex's gammon, he said, was tasty, but he did say he'd prefer to have a smaller, thicker piece.
Both of the meals came with chips and vegetables.
After our table had been cleared, we eagerly pounced on the dessert menus. One of the menus had traditional puddings on it, and the other was dedicated to all the different types of ice-cream you can imagine.
We decided to share a white chocolate and Baileys cheesecake instead, and it was beautiful; the filling was creamy and smooth, with just the right amount of Baileys, and the base was rich, soft and crumbly.
My only criticism would be that it was served alone, whereas a scoop of ice-cream would have been nice.
After the meal, we returned to the bar, where unfortunately somebody else had sat on 'my' sofa, but we made ourselves comfortable in a separate alcove and enjoyed a couple more drinks.
We could have quite happily sat there all night, if it wasn't for the waiter bringing the bill over to our table; we'd obviously outstayed the warm welcome of the start of the night!
Admittedly, last orders had been called, and the waiter was really apologetic, but we had planned to head straight to the bar to pay as soon as we finished our drinks.
Overall our night at the Three Pigeons had offered great food, pleasant staff and comfortable surroundings.
Unfortunately it's a bit of a drive, as neither of us lives near Nesscliffe, but I'm sure we will pop in again next time we're up walking in the picturesque hills which overlook the pub.
ADDRESS
The Old Three Pigeons, Holyhead Road, Nesscliffe SY4 1DB
Telephone 01743 741279
MENU SAMPLE
Starters
Avocado and king prawn salad (£7.25); Chicken and duck liver paté (£5.75).
Main courses
Half a crispy duck (£12.50); Sauteed chicken fillets (£9.50).
Desserts
Chocolate roulade with berries and fresh cream (£4.75); Selection of cheeses (£5.50).
ATMOSPHERE
Busy, and warm and cosy.
SERVICE
Quick and friendly.
DISABLED FACILITIES
Disabled access is available.