Brucklay Arms: Main Street, New Deer

NOTHING can beat a hearty meal after a long journey.

And having been turned away from another pub – which was too busy – we drove further inland to the New Deer’s Brucklay Arms.

At 7.50pm on a Saturday night my pal and I were fearful the bar would have stopped serving.

So we were relieved to see a sign telling us grub would be provided until 8pm.

The only option for a starter on the menu was the soup. So we thought we would just opt for a main meal each.

My pal decided upon the steak pie, which was a snip at £6.50. Topped with a huge crusty pastry, the generous helping of stew looked a real delight. I could tell my mate was enjoying his meal because I heard very little from him while he was eating – and it took him just minutes to polish off a huge serving.

I opted for the steak (£10.95), which was served with an optional jug of whisky sauce (£2.50).

The slab of meat that was put in front of me was superbly cooked and the creamy sauce was the perfect complement to the tender slice. The mushrooms and onion rings were also beautifully done.

The long drive had really whetted our appetite before dinner. So it was a true joy to find a pub which served such high-quality food in such a welcoming atmosphere.