A PACKED car park was the sight which greeted my arrival at the Black Horse at Swainby.

Not only that, there was even a marshal organising things.

Surely the pub - albeit popular - could not be so busy early on a Tuesday evening?

But it was - with a mix of drinkers and diners and as a starting and finishing point for the annual Whorlton Run, immediately underlining the pub's role within the local community.

The Black Horse - nestling by a stream in this picturesque North Yorkshire village - is very much a local with a wider appeal, offering an extensive menu in cosy, informal surroundings.

Indeed, the menu is so full of variety you need to allow yourself plenty of time to choose your dish of the day.

Faced with mouth-watering choices, I eventually opted for deep fried breaded goats cheese with tangy sauce and salad garnish.

My guest went for breaded garlic mushrooms - again with salad to the side.

Both were delicious. But, be warned, the portions are more than generous.

My starter consisted of two large wedges of cheese while my guest had to pick the mushrooms out of their breaded coatings to avoid being too full for the mains.

This was a shame. Neither of us like leaving food - especially when it is so tasty.

For mains we tried chicken fajitas and duck breast.

My chicken was part of the pub's "sizzling skillet" range and served with tortillas, salsa sauce and soured cream.

The chicken was lovely and blackened and had been cooked in peppers and onions.

The duck breast was served on a potato rosti with an orange and lime sauce. My guest said the meat was nice and tender and blended beautifully with the tangy sauce.

To accompany, there was a large dish of mixed - and very crisp -vegetables and new potatoes. Here again, there was too much for us to finish.

So it probably won't be too much of a surprise to hear we decided to share a pud.

After much soul-searching, we went for raspberry and whisky creme brulee and this was an absolute joy.

At every stage, presentation of the food was thoughtful and impressive.

The bill for all this was £44, including three small individual bottles of wine.

Chef Sean Barnes prides himself on the variety of meals on offer.

To give you an idea, starters include soup at £2.85; spicy crab fishcakes at £4.95; prawn cocktail £4.95; deep fried breaded goats cheese £4.95; and stir-fried duck and smoked salmon and prawns £5.95.

Mains feature beef wellington at £15.95; the Black Horse grill (sumptuous but not for the faint-hearted) £13.95; loin of lamb £13.95; stir-fried pork £10.95 and lamb shank £13.95.

Steaks and sauces are also on offer, but with a warning of delays of up to an hour at busy times.

Poultry dishes include chicken cooked in a range of sauces such as cajun and duck breast with honey and mango sauce.

Fish fans won't be stumped for choice either with options such as grilled shark steak and swordfish complementing the more well-known varieties. Prices range from £9.45 to £12.95.

The sizzling skillets boast sirloin teriyaki and chicken teriyaki and my chicken fajitas with tortillas, salsa and sour cream which cost £10.25.

Backing up the brulee are sponges, cheesecake, ice creams and specialities like warm crepe filled with apple and toffee sauce.

The pub is jointly owned by Steve Wiper and Clive Bland, who have been in charge for 12 years now.

Mr Wiper says the Black Horse was "a bit rundown" when they took it over.

"Food was on offer then, but over the years we have developed this side of the business," he said.

He says the pub is very much part of the local community - as proved by the gathering of the annual run. And it is very much a place for families.

Having worked in a variety of establishments and locations, Mr Barnes has picked up lots of ideas.

"I mix and match these, often using my own version of ingredients," he said. "And while we offer an extensive menu, people complain if certain items are not available."

Lamb and duck dishes are favourites among the many regulars and the menu is changed twice a year.

So if you fancy a real village pub - surrounded by lots of good walking territory - and with ambitious and imaginative cuisine, the Black Horse is a pretty safe bet.