Address: Whitehall Hotel, Off Ross Street, Darwen, BB3 2JU.

Phone number: 01254 704986.

The Bolton News review by David Magilton from May 28, 2009.

IT’S not often you find a little gem, but I think I have stumbled across one on my latest venture to dine out.

MJ’s is part of the old Whitehall Hotel, an elegant stately looking building tucked neatly away just off Bolton Road as it descends into Darwen.

The restaurant has been successfully converted from a redundant swimming pool and has a modern look about it from the minute you walk into the reception area, where a bar and a couple of couches offer a comfortable start to proceedings.

The dining section is not huge, but light and airy, with a large eye-catching fish tank on one wall, while you can see the chefs in action as the food is served on the opposite wall.

There is a choice of a la carte, or from Monday to Thursday, a table d’hote menu, priced at £12.95 for two courses or two pounds extra for a third course.

The a la carte menu has half a dozen starters for about £6 and a similar number for the main course ranging from about £15 to £20.

My wife and I decided on the cheaper option, and found it an excellent decision.

The price may still be a little excessive for some in these recession-hit times, but I found it value for money.

The starters included melon and pate, but I plumped for cauliflower soup with locally produced Blacksticks Blue cheese, an interesting and tasty combination, while my wife had the salmon, which was nicely cooked but could have been served on a bed of a little more than a couple of lettuce leaves.

Then it was on to the main course, which offered slices of cod and chicken, but I was not going to let the rib-eye of beef pass me by.

It was well-cooked with a delicious gravy and the addition of mashed and roast potatoes, plus a selection of vegetables, didn’t leave me much room for dessert.

My wife went for the vegetable option, which she was delighted with. An unusual wild mushrooms risotto dish topped with a poached egg.

On to the desserts and because we were so pogged we decided to share a scrumptious sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch ice cream.

Other options were chocolate torte, cheese and biscuits and lemon cheese cake with vanilla ice cream.

It was all washed down with an excellent Australian Shiraz at £13.95.

A pleasant experience and one I am sure I will try again.

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