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Brewer's Fayre restaurants offer a warm welcome to those who want a reliably tasty meal in pleasant surroundings, with plenty of choice, minimal fuss and friendly service. With a reputation going back 25 years they should have a fair chance of doing that, but don't take our word for it. Give them a try and see if you agree that this is how good quality pub food should be served.

Whether it's snacks, grills, pub classics, fish, Sunday roasts or side dishes they think their way through the options, talk to their guests, and then come up with the goods. Not everybody wants a full meal so they've considered the needs of those who want to keep the gap filled and the children contented, perhaps on a journey or a day out.

Hot filled baguettes are always popular be it sausage and red onion or a classic chicken club sandwich. Jacket potatoes are good on their own but filled with mature cheddar cheese and beans they take on a new dimension.

More paced occasions demand a wide menu, perhaps with starters of breaded butterfly prawns, chicken goujons or breaded camembert bites. Grills are there for the hungry and whole rack of meaty BBQ pork ribs served with extra sauce, chips and coleslaw can be very welcome. The days of the mixed grill are back - or did they ever go away - a 4oz rump steak, two pork sausages, and a gammon steak topped with a fried egg served with all the trimmings will remind you if they did.

Salmon and prawn fishcakes are served with buttered new potatoes, tartare sauce and a lightly dressed salad. A combination of sea and land comes with a rump steak, whole grilled chicken breast and breaded breaded butterfly prawns, served with chips and a side salad or garden peas.

The rise of eating out in pubs has brought into our daily lives a whole legion of what might be termed 'pub classics'. Many of them have their roots in what used to be called 'good home cooking' and include such dishes as sausage, egg and chips, beef and ale pie, chicken and mushroom pie and for the very daring a beef lasagne. Well, all of them and many more are on the menu at Brewer's Fayre, supplemented by such new regulars as vegetable Goan chicken curry, pork chop, chilli con carne and grilled chicken and bacon salad.

It has often been said that chicken tikka masala is now the most popular dish in Britain. Some may not really want to believe that, much as they love curry, but travel, population movement and other factors have widened our scope and they are probably pretty keen on fish and chips in Timbuktu.

What is certain is that the great British Sunday roast is exclusive to these islands, though copied maybe elsewhere or in ex-pat outposts. No surprise therefore that it's on the Brewer's Fayre menu. A trade of three roasts with an opportunity to trade up to a mega roast for a modest sum. With it come two Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, fresh seasonal vegetables and that important element - gravy.

A fine list of immensely tempting desserts may well bring the most ardent weight-watcher to their knees. A short but well thought out wine list offers all choices, except champagne, by the glass. Staying the night - check to see if there's a Premier Inn next door - chances are you'll be lucky.

A quick click on their Website is always worth while. The only thing that stays still permanently is the quality which is helped by a changing menu, and some very special offers.

Stanley House is an attractive newly restored and developed complex only a short distance from the M6 and M65, easily accessible from Cumbria, Manchester, Yorkshire and Merseyside. Formerly an historic farmhouse built on manorial scale, with handsome stone farm buildings adjacent, it has been transformed into a boutique hotel in the farmhouse with all other facilities in the buildings. The overall result is stunningly effective.

As with any good hotel the restaurant is regarded as the jewel in the crown with a dramatic décor of shades in rich blackberry, amethyst, purples and greens, complimented by silver and crystal, sumptuous linen, cut glass and elegant cutlery. From Northcote Manor, where he was Head Chef, comes Warrick Dodds to follow his holy grail, the "pursuit of perfection", with menus for every occasion.

The a la carte version offers around seven choices for each course, with risotto of smoked bacon, garlic and parsley, smoked bacon foam, or cannelloni of lobster, crunchy fennel, lobster and citrus foam make up two of the starters. Main courses can offer char-grilled fillet of beef with seasonal vegetables, potatoes and red wine sauce, poached fillet of wild sea bass, braised fennel, tomato refergardo with basil purée, or baked cannon of lamb, olive and herb crust, herb scented couscous, shallot purée and lamb sauce. Amongst the desserts is an artist's palette of ice creams and sorbets, a prune and Armagnac soufflé with Anne Forshaw's yoghurt ice cream, or a chocolate delice, mascarpone espresso parfait and walnut espuma.

The Auberge Restaurant is located in High Street, Rishton, near Blackburn. It was formerly the National Westminster Bank, but now serves a much worthier and entertaining mission in life than the transaction of mere money, perhaps best demonstrated by a vault that is full of wine rather than dusty papers and filthy lucre. English cuisine tinged with influences from Europe sets the tone, and Auberge does a brisk trade in weddings and funerals, so in that context at least a sense of match and despatch continues to make itself felt. Functions, special occasions and parties of up to 50 people are very welcome.

Over the years I have reached the view that, in general, any restaurant which takes trouble over its Sunday lunch stands a good chance of being pretty much on the ball at other times, and Auberge is no exception. Their à la carte menu is always available and starting courses could offer some of the famous Bury black pudding served with fried onion and bacon, stir-fried tiger prawns and vegetables tossed in garlic butter. A plate of smoked salmon, or wild duck confit served with red onion and beetroot compote provide a cold option before turning attention to a good range of main courses, starting with the guest fish of the day or, by giving 48 hours notice, fresh lobster prepared to your taste.

A vegetable korma is served with a timbale of rice, and by way of contrast a griddled fillet steak of ostrich with a wild cracked black pepper cream sauce could introduce you to something new. Stuffed loin of suckling pig, a 6oz venison steak or pan-fried lamb rump are all served with sauces of your choice, seasonal fresh vegetables or salad if preferred. A pleasantly sharp citrus shortbread is served in layers, filled with orange cream, but before you leap spare a thought for the homemade brandy snap basket, packed with stem ginger ice cream and topped with a brandied apple sauce.