A PERFECT date usually includes your man, chocolate, the couch and back-to-back re-runs of well-known chick flicks. But when your other half prefers football to you in your fluffy PJs paying homage to Bridget Jones, romance soon becomes a wicked word.

Cue the PPP. He may be straight and not necessarily know the difference between Prada and Primark - but one thing is for sure - the "Pink Panther Pal" has no interest whatsoever in the World Cup - or at least has the sense not to mention it.

And that, my friends, makes him the perfect dining companion.

And so, I found myself with my latest social trinket heading towards The Grosvenor Arms, jabbering on about everything and anything bar Rooney and his metatarsal.

I hadn't been to the said gastro pub for years and was a little disconcerted when my satellite navigation system refused to recognise Aldford as a location.

After hysterically pounding the screen and having a near-collision with another car, I decided to go with memory - and, to my absolute delight, found it huddled at the roadside a few miles outside Chester.

It was just as I remembered it - a picturesque Victorian alehouse with higgledy-piggledy rooflines, a mock Tudor frontage and a charming little garden at the back.

But, despite being in the middle of a quiet hamlet, the place was buzzing with parents in their cashmere jumpers and designer loafers.

Whilst ordering a drink at the bar, I found a pile of flimsy paper menus stuffed in a wooden box.

The culinary offerings changed daily, but today it was crammed with dishes such as black pudding tart, farm sausages, duck and monkfish.

The prices were a little above average for pub fare but by no means excessive for freshly made food using mainly local ingredients.

And the old fashioned "trust tab" was a nice touch too. It was a glorious spring evening and the conservatory was busy so we opted to take our dinner al fresco .

For starters, the PPP opted for the Loch Fyne gravadlax (£6.75) while I ordered tomato soup (£4.50).

The service was fairly efficient despite the initial confusion of where to order.

The PPP seemed unimpressed by the gravadlax and bread starter, saying that

it passed muster but tasted a little uninspiring.

But what did he expect? Smoked salmon without lashings of dressing always tastes dull.

My soup, however, was nothing short of divine - thick and creamy with a dollop of croutons in the centre.

For my main course, I had ordered the goat's cheese and tomato tart with basil dressed salad (£9.95) while my friend opted for the rump of lamb (£13.50).

The flesh looked a bit too pink for my liking but he said that the texture and flavour worked well with the accompanying crushed potatoes and rosemary sauce. It all swam in gravy - but he didn't seem to mind that and declared it a triumph of tastiness.

My veggie dish received equal praise - though there was a bit too much salad and not enough cheese for my hedonistic palate. It was good though.

But the best was yet to come - pudding. With dusk slowly descending, we headed indoors to the bar area, where the wooden surroundings and heavy antique furniture felt a little oppressive after hours of sitting in sunlight.

But the atmosphere was convivial enough and the dessert menu was to die for.

All the favourites were available - from creme brulee to apple tart.

A sucker for anything extra sweet, I chose the sticky ginger and date pudding with butterscotch sauce (£4.95), while the PPP went for the bread and butter pudding with custard (£4.95).

I was super impressed by the presentation - very modern, very Jamie Oliver.

And the taste? Nothing short of heavenly. I'm not sure whether the chef was male or female - but I'd have married either for a lifetime of that sauce.

The bread and butter pud, however, impressed my companion less. Apparently, the combination of white and brown bread didn't work with the custard. But it was a matter of personal preference.

As far as I was concerned, the evening had ended on a good note. I had spent a whole three hours avoiding rubbish World Cup memorabilia and talk of Sven's tactics.

Result!

The Grosvenor Arms, Chester Road, Aldford, Chester, 01244 620 228

Interior: Traditional and countrified.

Service: Friendly and casual.

Disabled access : Yes.

Child friendly: Little ones are allowed in the bar until 7pm, after that, it's the garden only.

Smoking: Completely non-smoking since June 5.

Food: Country fare with a flash of European flamboyance.

The bill: £52.20 for two three-course meals and drinks.