DOWN a winding country lane, past fields of sheep and with the sound of horses hooves clattering on the road outside, foodlovers looking for excellent value in these tight-belted times can find a very pleasant pub.

The Galton Arms in Harrow Lane, Himbleton, near Droitwich, must be something of a local secret, as I discovered when trying to park there for Sunday lunch.

Expecting a quiet pub restaurant I was pleasantly surprised to find it packed out; so booking is advisable.

But, although busy, the layout of the tables is such that your party can still enjoy a meal in relative peace.

The staff were pleasant but not intrusive and orders and requests for sauces and drinks were brought promptly. The three-course Sunday lunch menu was brilliant value for money and for just under £13 each we each enjoyed well-presented and tasty dishes.

The starters we chose were a tomato soup with chilli, which had a pleasant kick to it, but might have been improved with the option of french or brown bread rather than plain white on the side.

We also tried the goats’ cheese and tomato tartlet, which had a lovely, almost sun-dried tang to it.

Chicken livers were very tender, with no stringy bits and were presented on a large pile of lettuce but might have been better with some toast.

For mains we couldn’t resist a roast and sampled a tender but not fullflavoured beef, melt-in-the-mouth turkey and pork with crackling. The accompanying roast potatoes were good but could have been crispier.

There was also a good selection of broccoli, carrots, new potatoes and baby corn. The gravy was a bit bland but fine and we were provided with whatever sauces we wanted.

The desserts were also wellpresented and of a good standard, although the creamy Eton Mess would have benefitted from a little more meringue.

The lemon tart had a pleasant base – something between a sponge and biscuit – and was quite sweet, served with strawberry ice-cream that tasted homemade.

Diners can also choose from a menu that includes traditional pub food such as steaks and pies, along with an exciting-sounding range of vegetarian options. There was also a vegetarian option on the threecourse Sunday lunch menu.

It was a little misleading that the specials board was out when the dishes described on it weren’t available on a Sunday.

This was a lovely place to enjoy a value-for-money Sunday lunch, the emphasis being on quality rather than value and I only hope my praise won’t mean it will be booked out next time I visit.

HOW IT RATED

The Galton Arms, Harrow Lane, Himbleton, near Droitwich Telephone: 01905 391672

Food **** Value for money ***** Ambience **** Service ****