Address: Overshores Road, Entwistle, Turton, BL7 0LU.

Phone number: 01204 852013.

The Bolton News review by David Magilton from February 10, 2011.

IT’S back — and I’m sure many a weary walker will welcome the return of one of the most popular pubs in the Turton area.

The Strawbury Duck has been a comforting watering hole and eating establishment to the fell-walking fraternity for longer than I care to remember.

But for the past two years the building, handily placed at the Entwistle railway station, has been boarded up and looking in a sorry state.

Now it has reopened as the third pub-cum-restaurant owned by Adam Chapman, who also runs the San Marino in Belmont Road and Il Torro in Horwich.

It has been completely reburfished and, in the process, lost some of its charm and appeal as the old benches have been removed.

But the floor plan is the same despite the new look and there is a modern and more gastropub feel.

That might not suit everyone and the addition of the piped music seemed an unnecessary distraction. But the log fires are still there.

The Duck is still a drinking haunt with an excellent array of beers on offer, but food always has been a big part of the pub’s attraction and that is still the case.

There are more than enough choices to suit every palate and the menu states at the top that the Strawbury Duck is proud to say all their food is freshly prepared and cooked to order and that they source the best local and free range produce wherever possible.

That includes their own rare breed of Saddleback pigs and Hereford cows.

There are a number of tempting starters and I went for the Bury black pudding with poached egg and wholegrain mustard sauce, which was delicious, while my wife was delighted with her homemade Fleetwood fish cakes, served with tartar sauce and lemon.

I chose off the blackboard for the main course, tempted by the duck in a strawberry sauce, a perfect concoction considering the pub’s name.

It was delicious and although I liked the sauce it could be a bit overpowering for some people.

I had a choice of potatoes and went for mash, although I was surprised when it came that the price of £12.95 did not include vegetables, which are an additional £1.95.

My wife decided on Mrs Singleton’s Lancashire cheese and onion pie with buttered pastry, served with a huge jacket potato and sour cream.

It was all very tasty, but enough for two if you don’t have a large appetite.

The pie is served in a tin baking tray and when my wife asked the waitress “to turn it out”, she had to take it back to the kitchen to do it.

It’s either that or eat it out of tray which is far from ideal.

There are several delicious-sounding desserts, such as bread and butter pudding, sticky toffee pudding and chocolate brownie, but I plumped for the Manchester tart with double cream.

Unfortunately, it was pretty tasteless and the chocolate dust sprinkled around the dish was an unwelcome addition.

There is a good selection of beer and the house wine is a reasonable £11.95 a bottle.

But although I found the food on the whole excellent, I thought it was overpriced.

After all it is still a pub, and we had to contend with what resembled the Hound of the Baskervilles, lying on the floor two tables away.

The meal with two pints and a glass of wine came to £50.

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