My first ventures to Elland came in the late 70s and early 80.

Back then Bertie’s was a bistro with a Relais Routier award.

The Francophile future in-laws insisted Routier was where the French lorry drivers ate and drank – so it must be tres good value.

We drove a couple of times from Burnley to eat there and French lorry drivers and the father-in-law were right – it was excellent.

Asking around last week, La Cachette kept cropping up in various recommendations and so we headed down to Elland for a night out.

We were heartened and bit giddy to see La Cachette is actually Berties@La Cachette and all the memories of that cross-Pennines trip in a big green Avenger came flooding back.

Tempted by the early bird menu we booked for a starter, a main and half a bottle of wine, each for £20 a head, and enjoyed a couple of beers at the bar while we pondered the menu.

It’s all dark wood, tiled floors, mirrors, gleaming glassware and cigarette-smoke-yellow painted walls and a bustling atmosphere, with attractive, smiley bar and waiter staff dressed in chic black. It all felt very French.

It prompted another French memory when we ate at a railway station in Carcassonne a few years ago

Would the food be as good as there or even as good as Berties all those years ago?

It was.

My wife got over the fact that the on-line menu wasn’t the same as she had been fancying: the chicken with tarragon wasn’t available. However the selection on offer more than made up.

After ordering, we were seated just where we had wanted – at a high banquette at right angles to the bar in the noisier end of the room.

My cod bresaolo was excellent – a fluffy winter mix of salt cod and olive oil usually eaten in winter by our French chums with bread or potatoes. It came on a slate slab and was beautifully presented although I’m not sure that grated carrot belongs anywhere in any cuisine.

Across the table, a Black pudding Scotch egg on a really tasty, perfectly cooked risotto went down very well. It appeared well-centred in a flying saucer white dish. The egg could have been a bit runnier but the yums suggested all was very well.

Other choices included scallops, deep fried brie and chicken liver parfait – so pretty broad options.

My main was braised pork shoulder with honey Black pudding potatoes with a carrot and swede puree – another great winter dish – rich and melting.

The wife continued her family’s French thing by going for the beef bourguignon with potatoes and spinach.

She was surprised but not disappointed when instead of chunks of beef it was more like a brisket burger with autumn veg and perfect buttery mash. Our house is a big fan of slow-cook brisket as it’s soft and tasty and melty in the mouth, rather than chewy. This was a real hit.

Two little glass jugs had a half of red and a half of white wine which were both very “house” – ie light and easy to drink.

The banquettes around were filling up with mainly older diners yet the place had a real buzz. The waiters were very friendly and just as attentive as you’d wish and the food came just after the right amount of breaks.

There was an advertised 15 minute preparation time for the rhubarb clafoutis.

Clafoutis with Yorkshire rhubarb at La Cachette Elland

I’m not a pudding man but Mrs W declared it the hit of the night. Fresh from the oven, hot, with pink, sweet rhubarb chunks amid a battery sponge mix – or whatever clafoutis is.

It was judged totally scrummy and, as we were heading down memory lane fast, the last time she’d had one that good was Carcassonne.

So back to comparisons with France...

And it was just as good as Berties all those years ago. Relais Routiers back then and a big thumbs in 2015.

31 Huddersfield Road, Elland, HX5 9AW

Tel: 01422 378833

Website: www.lacachette-elland.com

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs: noon to 2.30pm, 6pm to 9.30pm. Fri-Sat: noon to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm. Sunday: Closed.

Children: Welcome

Disabled access: Yes, but no access to bathrooms

The bill: £61 inc drinks

Would you go back? Yes, and this time we won’t leave it 30 years