FLICKING through The Northern Echo of exactly 50 years ago – November 13, 1965 – a new feature entitled “Eating Out” caught the eye.

The paper had set up a panel of anonymous diners to provide suggestions “where you should be able to eat well and not necessarily expensively”.

That day, the panel recommended the Black Bull at Moulton, near Scotch Corner, which, after finding itself caught in a court case has recently been redeveloped as one of the area’s finest dining places.

But what was it like 50 years ago?

“A five course meal plus coffee, cream, and as many mint chocolates as your conscience will allow you, costs 21s – and no economies are apparent in the quality of the food or the size of helpings,” said the Echo.

The Bull was not open on a Sunday, which seems strange today, and there was one sitting for dinner at 8.30pm. You had to order lunch, if you wanted it, in advance.

“The menu is not vast but is pleasantly varied,” said the Echo’s critic. “A choice of four courses to start with included Rollmop herrings, Lobster Bisque or real Turtle Soup and an excellent Terrine.

“This can be followed by grilled or smoked trout, or a spaghetti with a tomato, mushroom and ham sauce.

“The main course offers four choices: roast duckling, steak with an imaginative stuffing of herbs and onion, and a paella bursting with prawns, breast of chicken and peppers, and tasting wonderful.

“It seems very sensible to offer only one pudding and cheese rather than a number of inferior ones. There’s a syllabub pudding, a subtle concoction which included wine and cream, and the cheese includes an excellent Stilton.

“The wine list is not grand hotel size but it has been selected with discrimination and is reasonably priced throughout. The pleasant rose is served beautifully cold at 10s. Talbot St Julien is 21s.

“The surroundings are pleasant if a bit olde worlde. The service, presided over by the proprietor, is good-humoured and attentive. One gets the impression that they really care about food, and are delighted when their customers do also.

“The Black Bull offers a winning combination of good food and value for money.”