FANCYING ourselves as a couple of ladies who lunch, daughter-in-law Lynn and I pitched up at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle to check if the chef's cooking was as high as his reputation.

Trained at the Savoy and Gleneagles, success has followed Adrian Barratt and his wife Jill whatever venture they have taken on. They first gained a following at Barwick's in Richmond, with customers following them to the Hack and Spade at Whashton and from there to the Arden Arms at Atley Hill.

So after working so hard to establish their reputation, was taking on the challenge at what is essentially a caf at the Bowes Museum not something of a comedown?

The Barratts think not. With a young family they were keen to balance work and home and the Caf Bowes is only open during the day. However, the word caf is something of a misnomer. With a revamp, fresh flowers on the tables and good quality silverware, the Barratts have already given it a light and airy bistro style. And although reached via the main entrance you don't have to be a customer of the museum to eat there.

Since we discovered this oasis, Lynn and I have been steadily working our way through the menu, with our trips becoming more and more frequent as each dish becomes a favourite. Food ranges from a selection of half a dozen hot blackboard specials and home-made puddings through to the sandwiches, cakes and biscuits expected of an establishment catering for a visitor attraction. But whatever you choose, the standard is excellent.

This time round I went for the smoked haddock chowder; so popular they dare not take it off the menu. But at least two of the hot dishes change daily and on the day we were there included gratin of mushrooms with a Stilton and herb crust, farmhouse sausages with black pudding and caramelised onions, an hors d'oeuvre platter or Bowes rarebit with crispy bacon and home made chutney.

Lynn picked the mushroom gratin at £5.95, and despite me repeatedly asking her how it was I could not get much more than "Mmm" out of her until the dish was clean, the wholegrain mustard sauce mopped up by a generous slab of rough-textured granary bread.

The mushrooms were whole and cooked to perfection. "Firm and not slimy," was Lynn's verdict and who is mother-in-law to argue? She has had the dish before and although there were others on the menu she has not got around to trying yet, it is a credit to the Barratts that she had been so impressed on the previous occasion that she couldn't resist them again.

She pronounced the sauce creamy, but not overdone with mustard, and the topping had just the right amount of crunch. "How can someone create something like this from a few mushrooms and breadcrumbs?" she mused.

Not used to eating large portions at lunchtime, I plumped for the chowder at £4.95, which was extremely substantial. Chunky is the best description. There were chunks of smoked haddock, chunks of potato and chunks of leek. I adore any type of fish and the smell was divine. What with that and the colours marrying well together I needed no invitation to dip my spoon. My dish too was accompanied by a hunk of granary bread.

Before venturing on to a dessert, all home-made by Mrs Barratt, we each sipped a glass of chilled white wine at £3 a large measure while we gossiped and people watched. Wherever you sit you get excellent views, either of the museum grounds or the hills on the horizon. The wine as yet is only red or white, large or small, but as I write a wine list of half a dozen choices is at the printers.

Nicely mellow, we tackled our puddings. Lynn went for chocolate delice, promptly christening it "heaven on a plate."

A thin chocolate sponge base was covered by a thick but light, white chocolate mousse and topped with a thin dark chocolate glaze and white chocolate shavings. Even I, who never chooses chocolate for a pudding feeling it lies too heavily, tried a spoonful and got my wrist slapped when I aimed for another.

I tend to say I am not a pudding fan and will always choose a starter and main course over main course and pudding. However, there is always an exception and if creme brulee is on the menu then I am just a girl who can't say no.

It came in a ramekin dish but I could have eaten a bucketful. I savoured the smooth custard, deliciously flavoured with vanilla, trying my best not to swallow it but to let it melt on my tongue. I had childish fun bashing the brittle topping with my spoon, it too was just right as was the accompanying shortbread.

We finished with coffee, which was the only letdown in that it wasn't hot enough. But as the machine, which offers every version known to man, had only been installed the previous day and the engineer was still sorting out its teething troubles it was forgivable. And as soon as we mentioned it we were given a free refill, which was piping hot.

Many people will visit the museum and pop into the caf as an afterthought. Lynn and I do it the other way round. Try it, but do it soon, as the Barratts' former customers are already turning up in droves.

As I spoke to Mr Barratt after our meal he was approached by a woman so impressed with the quality of her luncheon that she was back for afternoon tea. Need I say more?