HAVE you ever noticed those swanky couples having a romantic meal out, gazing lovingly at each other, while he keeps a beady eye on the swelling bill?

But this St Valentine's Day you can indulge yourself, and your sweetheart, to your heart's content ... and concentrate on busting your belt rather than your bank balance. The Black Horse, tucked away just off the A59 Liverpool Old Road at Much Hoole, is the place for tasty twosomes. You can wine, dine and date your lover - on a budget! You can smooch your way through five raunchy courses for only £12.95 each.

And if you're the really adventurous type ... you can make it a sizzling foursome and get a free bottle of wine.

I called in at this agreeable Miller's Kitchen restaurant last week and sampled some of the toothsome fayre on offer. I tucked into deep fried mushrooms for starters, followed by a chunky sirloin steak and then indulged in a banana dreamboat. Naughty, but nice!

The grub may not be gourmet, but it was wholesome and good. And at around fifteen quid a head - including a palatable bottle of plonk and coffee to finish - it was good value, too.

Mine hosts Phil and Samantha have got it just right. They don't pretend to be a posh nosherie, with upper-crust prices to boot. Rather than saving up for a month and getting done up to the nines just to feed your face, you can afford to dine out twice a week at the Black Horse and wind down in the smart, if informal, surroundings.

Phil insists his reasonable prices don't mean skimping on quality. And he's right. I couldn't fault the generous platefuls he served up on my visit.

My usual gripe about pub-cum-family restaurants (apart from the lack of tablecloths and tacky plastic-coated menus written for Sun readers ... 'Stay off your feet - we'll get your sweet') is screaming kids! But not at the Black Horse. They have an adults-only dining room. God knows what our steamy lovers will get up to in there on St Valentine's Day!

Richard's rating: Galloping good grub!

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