I'D heard only good things about this pub, so relying just on colleagues' recommendations I decided to give it a go -- on Valentine's Day.

Yes, I was taking a chance by taking my loved one to a place I'd never been before on that most special of days.

But the gamble paid off and The Brown Cow was superb.

Choosing from a special Valentine menu, I opted for a garlic mushroom starter.

Garlic on Valentine's Day may not be wise but the sauce the mushrooms came in was not over done and sat perfectly on a bed of puff pastry.

My partner went for the chicken pate which came with some crispy French toast and a baby tomato and cranberry garnish.

My main course was chicken stuffed with pate. I went for the garlic potatoes (I obviously had a death wish!) and vegetables.

The melt-in-the-mouth medallions of chicken came in a rich and creamy gravy along with broccoli, courgettes and cauliflower.

My partner went for the salmon fillet which came with prawns and a cream sauce.

Nothing romantic about my dessert --- good old apple pie and a drizzle of fresh cream as opposed to my partners blackcurrant cheesecake which was brimming with fruit and cream.

The food was spot on and certainly put me in the other-half's good books.

And the price was a winner with me at just £15-a-head plus a bottle of wine.

I'll be going back on another day to see what else they have to offer. MT

THE BROWN COW, Oswaldtwistle

FOOD *****

DRINK *****

ATMOSPHERE ****

SERVICE ****

CAR PARKING ****