The Dusty Miller’s recent history has mirrored the travails of the pub and restaurant industry.

Since 2008 this cavernous building in Dunbottle Lane, Mirfield, has had more comebacks than Frank Sinatra.

It shut down as a pub after attracting the “wrong crowd” and in the last seven years successive licensees saw the future in food.

It’s been the Yorkshire Puddin,’ The Dusty and the Dusty Bar & Restaurant. Sadly, none was to last. It wasn’t a case of My Way, it was the highway.

I’ve eaten at all three of those incarnations and the experience was pretty mixed.

In September, having been closed for the best part of a year, the Dusty found itself wanted again when Chris and Kelly Routledge were looking to replicate their success on a bigger stage.

The couple had made the Royal & Ancient in Colnebridge a packed-out gastropub but their tenancy was up and they needed more restaurant space.

What the Dusty has is space – in abundance. But the sheer scale, with the overheads to match, is what has brought it down in the past.

Chris and Kelly have done a brilliant job breathing new life into the Dusty. On a wet and cold night just after New Year, it was warm and welcoming.

In its early weeks I’d noticed social media reviewers (everyone is a reviewer these days!) highlighting slow service. Teething troubles, of course.

I was amused, therefore, to read a sign on the wall which read: “We don’t serve fast food. We serve fresh food as fast as we can.”

The place wasn’t busy when my partner Sian and I visited the day after New Year. Most would still be stuffed from the festivities. Not us!

On entering, we were greeted and invited through to the restaurant. It’s pretty much as I remembered it.

What I noticed as we browsed the menu was the music in the restaurant, a mix of old and more recent classics. Good choice by someone. And, nope, no Sinatra.

There was a couple in the corner of a certain age. The gent indulged in a sing-a-long to The Hollies’ He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother and Needles and Pins by The Searchers.

Object? I joined in quietly, while quaffing from our bottle of the Spanish house red, Lobo Loco (£12.95).

The menu was extensive with a wide choice of starters and mains. Sian had first pick, as always, and went for the Crispy Duck Spring Rolls (£4.95).

The Jerk Chicken Pie with Caribbean relish looked tempting but I opted instead for the Black Pudding Potato Cake (£4.95).

Sian’s spring rolls were neat and golden crisp, packed with meat and came with a delicious sweet chilli dip. Great appetiser.

My black pudding dish was fish cake-like and I loved the diced beetroot combination. It was served with gently grilled streaky bacon and a honey and mustard dressing. Nice.

The Crispy Duck Spring Rolls starter at the Dusty Miller, Mirfield.

Plenty of imagination has gone into the starters. Beer-battered Brie or Curried Haddock Fishcakes for next time methinks.

The mains also deliver. Whatever you fancy from fish to a roast, burgers to pasta, a steak to jerk.

Sian’s first dibs was Jerked Caribbean Chicken (£9.95) with sticky rum sauce and spicy rice. The chicken breast was a generous portion and perfectly-cooked.

I went for the 24-hour slow cooked Salted Beef Hash (£9.95). The beef was the tenderest I’ve had in a long time and the dish was served with a fried free range egg and onion rings. Super mid-winter fare.

Service from two attentive members of staff was excellent and the food wasn’t slow. In fact I had to ask for five minutes between the mains and the dessert.

Given the choice earlier, the dessert blackboard looked a little sparse. Apple crumble, jam roly poly, vanilla doughnuts, chocolate tart or a cheeseboard.

Sian went for crumble and custard (£3.95). The apple was one of those tongue-burners which make it tricky to eat while my roly poly with custard (£3.95) was also a bit disappointing.

Sian's apple crumble and custard at the Dusty Miller, Mirfield.

It seemed over-baked and the jam had gone AWOL.

I think the dessert menu needs some of the imagination shown with the starters.

We still cleared our desserts, however, and the finale didn’t detract from a great meal overall.

Sinatra won’t be back but the Dusty certainly is. And we won’t be Strangers (in the Night). Groan.

47 Dunbottle Lane, Mirfield, WF14 9JJ

Tel: 01924 490178

Website: Under construction

Opening hours: Food served Mon-Wed noon-8.30pm, Thurs-Sat noon-9pm and Sunday noon-8pm

Children: Welcome

Disabled access: Yes

The bill: £52.65 including drinks

Would you go back? Most certainly