Address: Church Lane, Mellor, BB2 7JR.

Phone number: 01254 813333

The Bolton News review by Jenny Minard from December 11, 2008.

IF the stress of life is getting you down and you need a break then visit The Millstone at Mellor.

Chef manager Anson Bolton comes from Astley Bridge and brings his local roots both to the cooking and the atmosphere of this village hotel in the Ribble Valley, two miles from Blackburn and just four miles from the M6.

Anson’s roots in the food industry and Bolton are long.

He has family links with Smithills Coaching House, went to Smithills School and learned to cook at Bolton College.

His career spans 20 years with stints at The Swan in Bradshawgate in the mid-1980s. Anson has also worked at four star hotels in London and for P&O cruise line.

With ambitions to move closer to home, and owning a season ticket for Bolton Wanderers, Anson became chef manager at The Millstone in July 2002.

Despite the economic downturn The Millstone is not really feeling the effect. Anson said: “We are still really busy.

"Bar food is doing really well and customers here feel that they really get what they pay for.”

I have to agree. I was treated to canapés of mini duck roll and crab cakes with olives on the side. It whetted my appetite and I knew I was in for a treat.

The starter of potted Goosnargh duck and apple and plum chutney melted in the mouth.

I chose the special dish for my main course — sea bass with roasted potatoes, butter green beans, oyster, mushroom and red wine jus.

The fish had a meaty flavour and you could really taste the freshness as it crumbled at the slight touch of a fork.

Dessert was a light lemon affair — a mix of cheesecake, posset and curd.

My partner indulged in spicy parsnip soup with fresh bread.

His main course was a “cooked to perfection” grilled sirloin steak with a garlic and herb butter, plum tomato, flat cap mushroom and onion rings. Hearty to say the least.

To finish, warm chocolate brownie, chocolate sauce and clotted cream made a divine winter treat.

Coffee and brandy by the fire was the perfect way to end the evening.

And at £31.50 for three courses, you are certainly getting what you pay for.

Anson says the hotel is trying to help the customer who might be feeling the credit crunch pinch.

A two course meal in the bar costs £11, with light meals and smaller menus before 6pm.

Despite having won two rosettes from the Lancashire and Blackpool tourist board awards for two years running, Anson has no intentions of making the food pretentious.

He said: “We have really good suppliers in this area and that’s what it’s all about. Good food.”

Lancashire Telegraph review by John Anson from April 19, 2008.

TIME for a touch of quality this week and a trip to one of East Lancashire's most renowned establishments.

'Come and try our new spring bar menu' urged the sign and we needed no further encouragement.

The Millstone has managed to pull off the difficult trick of combining great food and a relaxed atmosphere.

Diners mix with residents and locals popping in for an evening pint and with its wood panelling, there's a distinctly club-like feel.

The bar menu is packed with dishes made from local produce. A true sign of a confident chef is a fairly limited number of choices yet each one has you tempted.

I went for the haddock in Lancaster Bomber batter with mushy peas and thick cut chips from the bar menu at £10.95 while the better half opted for one of the daily specials - grilled rib eye with Blackstick Blue glaze, baby gem salad, thick cut chips and peppercorn sauce for £16.95.

Now I can already hear some readers commenting on the price, but you do get what you pay for and the tender steak with its cheese topping and a large jug of rich sauce was a mighty fine meal.

The same could be said of what was essentially posh fish n' chips.

The haddock was beautifully moist and the flavoured, light batter was the perfect accompaniment.

Praise too for the chips, which were proper' affairs and you even get a pot of homemade tartare sauce and half a fresh lemon wrapped in muslin.

We had planned to try some of the tempting sweets on offer - the sticky toffee pud has near legendary status - but the mains were such good sized portions we couldn't find the room.

When you do have such a well-established eaterie of quality as The Millstone, it's often easy to overlook quite how good it is.

One visit should quickly make you realise why it is held in such high regard - but always remember, such quality doesn't come cheap.

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