I’VE long had an affection for The Foresters at Lower Cumberworth.

I’ve seen its transformation from a village ale house to a bustling pub/restaurant under a number of landlords and landladies.

The development of the inn was pioneered in the 1970s and 1980s by a larger-than-life character, an affable German, Walter, and his wife.

It’s popularity grew and grew and it became very much an ‘in-place’ south of Huddersfield – particularly at weekends.

But, along with a number of country inns, The Foresters has recently hit on hard times and was closed for a lengthy period.

Then last August a new, young team moved in – general manager/front-of-house Hayden Garnett and head chef Andy Thompson, a partnership which honed their catering skills at the Old White Bear, at Norwood Green, hopefully to regenerate The Foresters and stimulate the dwindling trade.

Judging from our experience on Thursday evening last week, things seem to be working well ...

So far so good.

We arrived just after 7pm and business was brisk. There were a couple of chaps drinking at the bar and most of the tables were taken with people either eating or ordering meals. It was a bitterly cold evening, but there was a homely feel about the place – and importantly a roaring ‘real’ fire in the large hearth.

There is a wide choice of drinks at the expansive bar including guest ‘real ales’ and a selection of wines. Carol opted for a glass of sauvignon blanc, I couldn’t resist the Yorkshire Blonde!

Hayden, who had served us with the drinks, brought the menus to our table by the fire.

We ordered and were soon shown into the stylish, tastefully-decorated and lighted restaurant dining area. The upholstery on the chairs around each table was in contrasting shades, some plain some patterned, the atmosphere was relaxed.

The menu makes for impressive reading. There are sufficient choices to suit all palates, including non meat eaters and vegetarians.

For starters I had ordered the Baked Field Mushroom with red onion marmalade and Golden Cross goats cheeses with a rocket salad. Carol went for the soup of the day – tomato and basil, slightly ‘devilled’ with chilli.

We were delighted with our choices, brought to us by attentive waitress Jess. My mushroom creation was impressively presented, deceptively generous in portion and subtle in flavour. Carol’s rich dark red soup was attractively served up in an ornate bowl with a toasted ciabatta and she awarded it her instant seal of approval – and coming from a mean soup maker herself, this was a real compliment.

I chose the Ballotine of Chicken with smoked bacon and mozzarella cheese, served on a bed of crushed new potatoes with parmesan and cream with a side dish of mixed vegetables.

The poultry was moist and melt-in-the-mouth tender, the flavours in the sauce expertly blended, and, served on an extra large plate, the portions were again deceptively generous.

As Masterchef judge Gregg Wallace would have it: this was indeed a good plate o’ food.