The Cross Oak, Oakdale Terrace, Penmaen, nr Oakdale

DRIVING through the village of Penmaen, it is hard to miss the Cross Oak pub.

With its colourful hanging baskets, the pub was a worthy winner of the recent Caerphilly in Bloom competition.

It is every bit as easy on the eye inside as it is from the exterior, with it's exposed beams, lovely bar and traditional decor.

Taking shelter on a wet and windy Friday, my girlfriend and I were warmly ushered into the comfortable dining area of the pub.

To begin, I ordered a prawn cocktail and my girlfriend opted for the creamy garlic mushrooms.

The prawn cocktail (£2.95) was pretty good, as were the garlic mushrooms (£2.95) judging by the cleared plates returned to the kitchen.

Feeling flush, I opted for the most expensive dish on the menu by far for main course - Neil's Tornados Rossini (£16.95).

Cooked just as requested, a prime cut of beef served on a bed of pat in a Diane sauce came complete with a generous serving of crunchy vegetables.

It was extremely good and justified the hefty price tag.

My girlfriend had Neil's Legendary King Prawn Stir-fry (£10.95) which, I'm afraid to say, was rather disappointing, though ridiculously over-sized.

We skipped dessert, although if the chocolate gateau is half as nice as it looked, it will be a treat for the tastebuds.

Along with a bottle of Shamwari red wine (£9.95), the bill came to a reasonable £43.75.

Service was excellent throughout the meal, and a visit to the pub is heartily recommended.