IT'S funny how a little thing like not being offered a steak knife can spoil your enjoyment of an otherwise excellent meal.

But if you've ordered a steak, you do expect to be given the requisite impliments to complete the task.

The Walton Arms has a great deal of charm. With its thick stone walls, stone floors and little alcoves it has the air of the old fashioned inn.

And with lighting kept deliberately low there's a real cosy feel to the place.

There is either a restaurant area with its own a la carte menu or you can just have a bar meal.

We went for the bar meal option where there is a reasonable choice including some vegetarian options.

The moment I saw the steak and kidney pudding and mashed potato on there my mind was made up.

The better half was also pretty quick going for the sirloin steak.

In total our bill for food came to £16.90.

We were served two substantial plates of food' - to quote Masterchef - which looked freshly cooked and homely.

The steak and kidney pudding was packed with filling and the suet casing was just the right consistency being nice and moist.

It was served with some creamy mash, vegetables and lashings of gravy and was just what I'd hoped it would be.

The steak too was well cooked and just as we'd ordered.

It was served with piping hot chips, mushrooms, tomatoes and onion rings.

An offer of some mustard would have been nice but that - like the by now infamous steak knife - was lacking.

I know we could have gone up to the bar and asked, but that's not really the point.

But, service apart, for value and for quality of food, the Walton Arms did us proud.

FOOD 8 DRINK 8 SERVICE 5 ATMOSPHERE 7 VALUE 8