Five-star food heaven tucked away in a tiny corner of the gorgeous Ribble Valley

Pubs and restaurants don't win awards at the rate chef/patron Steven Smith has been hoovering them up without attracting a procession of food critics to your doorstep from far and wide.

I might not be in the connoisseur class that many writers claim to be, but I sure know a good plate of food when I come across one. And in all my years dining out in the service of the reader there have only ever been a handful of venues that truly take my breath away.

The Freemasons is one of them.

Now I could spend all day looking for adjectives that might do this place justice. But why try when they have all been used before by diners and critics desperate to convey the quality of the food on offer at this charming country pub, hidden away in the tiny village of Wiswell, near Clitheroe.

The Freemasons might be tucked away down the twisty backroads of the glorious Ribble Valley, but it proves you don't need to be in the West End of London to shine on the good food map.

Of course this wasn't our first visit to this little gastronomic oasis - you can never get enough of a good thing. And on each occasion it has soared to the same dizzy heights.

Our choice for lunch was the "Escape the Winter Blues" menu at £37.50 for three courses, although there were other pricier options for those not on a budget dictated by the Dining Out column's modest expense account.

Yes it can be a little on the steep side at restaurants of this quality, but believe me, you get what you pay for. And what our newspaper (partly) forked out for was truly delicious.

It all began with "snacks" which amounted to a delightful scallop nibble and a warm lamb fat and Rosemary brioche bun with sumptuous whey butter. A cracking start and we hadn't even reached the starters.

When they came, two of us had the Jerusalem artichoke risotto, with pearl barley, hazelnut and topped off with aged Parmesan. Mrs E went for the chargrilled leek and smoked haddock soup which had silky pieces of fish at the base and was out of this world. And the fourth member of our team devoured with relish the smooth chicken liver parfait on toasted sourdough with Yorkshire rhubarb.

Main course was simply a choice between fish, pork and beef, although there was nothing simple about any of it. The boss had the beautifully cooked roast loin of cod with Morteau sausage, puy lentil ragu and chicken butter sauce.

Youngest child Amy chose the organic pork, which was slow-cooked and crispy belly, black pudding, Yorkshire rhubarb, with Lancashire cheese potatoes and a mead sauce. For Amy’s partner Andrew and I it just had to be the aged beef steamed suet pudding on a bed of pickled red cabbage and triple cooked chips. Every mouthful of all the dishes was to die for.

And then came the dessert, a tempting choice of ginger baked custard, rum baba or cheese and biscuits.

After such a blissful lunch, a return visit is definitely on the cards.