Wooden beams and a good old fashioned roast

10:18am Wednesday 16th May 2007

SET on the country road that ultimately leads to Wallasea Island, the Shepherd and Dog is a nice-looking place.

Opposite Gore Farmhouse - which claims to have been built in 1450 - and directly behind Ballards Gore golf course, it's a big, mock Tudor, old-style pub.

Inside, there's a separate restaurant area. It feels old fashioned, and not in a deliberate way. The walls and ceiling are beamed, the space between artexed and painted a colour that we couldn't quite agree on.

"Terracotta?" "Is that a colour?" "Burnt orange?" "Burnt salmon." But such descriptions are no reflection on the meals!

Because what you get at the Shepherd and Dog is unpretentious, good, home-cooked food. A cassette tape (OK, it could be a CD, but I want it to be a cassette!) quietly plays hits from past decades, not daring to challenge the natural chink and chatter of the place.

Nearby, a lady is served a big plate of proper-looking bangers and mash and, before tucking in, has a chat - on first name terms - with the jovial waiter. Service, by the way, is brisk and friendly.

The menu is supplemented by a specials blackboard with various meals crossed out and others added below.

We skipped a starter, which included the usual array of things such as soup of the day (it was leek and potato), whitebait, mushrooms and potato skins.

There was a very good choice for main courses - steak, fish, chicken, lamb, pies, vegetarian and salads were all on offer in various guises.

There was even a French-recipe rabbit casserole on the menu. However, in such a setting, we had to opt for a good, old-fashioned roast.

And that's what we got - a good, old-fashioned roast - the Shepherd and Dog is well-known for them.

It was exactly as it should have been - beef, roast potatoes, boiled new potatoes, batter pud, cauliflower cheese, carrots and courgette all topped with a gravy to die for.

I was still licking my lips as I rolled into the car afterwards. My partner, Jo, had pork with stuffing, which she despatched, effortlessly, in next to no time.

We were left to our own devices while letting it digest, with the aid of a well-stored and well-poured pint of Guinness.

The dessert menu consisted of classics such as sundaes, pies, trifle and, of course, spotted dick.

After some mulling, we chose jam sponge pudding and a banana split. The sponge accessory was custard, cream or ice cream. Jo was tempted to go for all three but settled on the ice cream with the pud which, she claimed, was perfect.

My banana split was sprinkled with multi-coloured hundreds and thousands but, that aside, was also exactly as it should have been, right down to the tinned fruit salad.

The Shepherd and Dog is a friendly place and welcoming too - unless you're under 12! (it says no children on the door and the website says no under 12's).

That's a shame because this really feels like a good, family-friendly place. But, as it was, it was like being in an old, black-and-white, David Niven type of movie.

And we even got a complimentary mint chocolate with the bill. Perfect!

The Shepherd and Dog, Gore Road ,Ballards Gore, Stambridge, SS4 2DA. 01702 258279. www.shepndog.com

What we ate

Roast beef with batter pudding and vegetables £5.95

Roast pork with stuffing and vegetables £5.95

Banana split £3.75

Jam sponge £3.75

Total £19.40 (for two)

Our verdict

food 5/5

decor 4/5

atmosphere 5

service 5

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