Red Lion Hotel, Knighton

Reviewer's rating *** One of the best things about living in the Welsh borders is the absolutely fabulous range of walks on the doorstep, including several long-distance footpaths.

So Knighton is a magnet for walkers. And there is nothing better after a long walk than a hearty lunch and a drink or two.

That's why my husband and I were delighted to find the Red Lion, right opposite the clock tower in the centre of the town, a perfect lunch spot after a lengthy ramble one Saturday.

It was great to be greeted by the warm, orange glow of a fire in the woodburning stove, and the regulars were just as warm in their welcome, immediately drawing us into their conversation and praising the pub's food and drink.

"Are you serving food?" I asked the lady behind the bar. "Yes, no problem at all," she replied, pointing us to a huge blackboard menu of fab pub grub which ranged from the classic ham, egg and chips, steaks, omelettes and sandwiches to more exotic fare.

"I recommend the chicken tikka masala. It's all homemade, you know," said one gentleman as we ordered a pint of lager and a glass of red wine. When locals and regulars are keen to praise the food, that's always promising.

For us, the only slightly off-putting feature was the huge television screen on which everyone was following the racing. TV in a pub dominates the place, inhibits conversation and is hard to ignore. Still, the locals were enjoying it, and it's their pub.

In fact, if you want to escape the telly there is a pleasant, snug dining room on the other side of the double woodburner.

A quick trip to the toilet between courses proved to be a reasonably pleasant experience. The loos were down a flight of stairs, which could cause problems for people with disabilities. But I was assured that if the situation arose it was possible to gain access downstairs by going outside and behind the pub, so it would be possible to accommodate someone in a wheelchair.

To start, I decided on vegetable soup, which was accompanied by wonderful crusty bread freshly baked every morning on the premises. My husband chose whitebait. I found the soup delicious, if a little rich (it contained tons of cream) and my husband seemed to enjoy helping me out when it came to finishing it.

He also loved his whitebait, which was perfectly cooked, golden brown and accompanied by a fresh, crisp green salad.

Next I went for a cheese, mushroom and spinach pancake and my husband enjoyed a partridge and game pie. When the dishes arrived we were amazed. They were absolutely huge! The pancakes were dripping with golden cheese and came with gorgeous crunchy roastie-style chips and a side salad.

As soon as I cut into my pancakes and tasted them, it was obvious that these dishes were made from scratch. Inside was a glorious mix of mushrooms, spinach, plenty of coriander and a cheesy sauce. The salad was very nice, too.

My husband was delighted with his choice. He received a very large, deep dish of game pie with peas and crunchy roastie-style chips. "There must be at least two partridges in here," he exclaimed as he dived into the pie, which was packed with succulent meat and vegetables.

It's hard to fault food as good as that. My only small criticism is that the amount was overwhelming. There was so much of it that even my husband, who has a hearty appetite, struggled to clear his plate, and there was no way he was able to help me out this time!

So for just £30 the pair of us got a really nice slap-up lunch and several drinks each, in good company, which is excellent value for money. Customers need to make sure they have enough money in their back pockets to pay for the food, because the pub takes only cash.

Overall, I enjoyed my lunch and so did my husband. Hungry hikers who come down from the hills couldn't do better than pop in and enjoy the home cooking. They definitely won't go away feeling hungry, and they won't be much out of pocket, either.

By Sophie Bignall

Contact

Red Lion Hotel, 21-22 West Street, Knighton.

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Breaded mushrooms with garlic mayonnaise (£4.25)

Deep fried whitebait with salad (£3.95)

Main courses

Cheese mushroom and spinach pancake (£6.95)

Game pie (with partridge and pheasant) (£6.95)

Desserts

Apple caramel crumble pie (£3.45)

Chocolate fudgecake (£3.45)

ATMOSPHERE

Relaxed atmosphere where visitors receive a warm welcome from staff and regulars alike

SERVICE

Friendly and eager to please

DISABLED FACILITIES

Toilets were down a flight of stairs, but staff say access is possible via a door round the back of the pub