THE puritanical sign outside the Rook and Gaskill Inn is blunt. It promises No Music, No Pool, No Machines....and presumably No Fun Either. But it also promise "Great Grub" and that is why I found myself in the pub, with flatmate Matt, awaiting dinner.

Like all York Brewery pubs, the Rook and Gaskill has a thing about people being strung up on a rope.

While the Three Legged Mare describes in great detail the scaffold on which the city's unworthy were executed, the Rook and Gaskill is named after the last two men to be hanged in the city.

Rook and Gaskill met their fate for stealing 14 sheep and, judging by the interior, messieurs R and G were probably still alive to see the birth of this pub. It's a wholesome place, plain and very no nonsense.

One thing is certain: with a wide choice of cask ales and imported produce from around the globe, the pub is a drinker's paradise.

But what's the food like? On the night we visited, the menu was limited.

The choice was reduced to Harvest Vegetable Pie or Chicken Kebab. The pub staple - the steak sandwich - was sold out.

Three items is hardly variety but this was a blip. There is usually plenty more to choose from. I went for the pie (£3.10) while Matt took up the challenge of the kebab (£3.50).

With the Rose and Crown's legendary portions only metres across the road, the Rook and Gaskill was always going to have a hard job competing.

But as the piping hot plates were delivered, I found myself surprised at the ample size of both meals.

While they still can't compare with the Crown's country-sized plates, the Rook and Gaskill has nothing to be ashamed of.

The kebab, skewered and served with a mountain of chips and vegetables, was the undoubted highlight of the fare on offer.

My only previous experience of kebabs has been of the 'on-the-spit for two weeks' variety served up in the average city centre van.

So it was an eye-opener to finally see, and taste, how they should be done. The chicken was well-cooked, yet tender, and was coated in Mediterranean spices.

The chips were superb. Light, crispy and fluffy, someone had spent some time cooking these. It was a refreshing change.

Meanwhile, the Harvest Vegetable Pie came in its own dish, with a side salad. Topped with potatoes and with a cheese sauce, it was packed with carrots, beans, cauliflower, broccoli and leeks.Like the kebab, the pie is a fair size.

The cheese sauce gave it a rich quality, but was not overbearing. The vegetables had a firm, almost crispy texture, and were full of flavour.

The salad, a mix of lettuce, onion, tomatoes and cucumber, was standard pub-style but pleasant enough.

To the important part - the beer. Matt stuck away a swift pint of Terrier (£2), a York Brewery favourite. It's dark quality, yet smooth taste has made it a popular choice at Brewery bars.

Rather ridiculously, given that I was drinking in a real ale pub, I am not a big fan of ales and beers.

But for those of us who prefer the more continental beverage, fear not, there is still plenty of choice.

I went for the Mexican lager, Corona, at a reasonable £2.50 a bottle. It's fresh, it's crisp and it's imported. Need I say more?

On the whole, there are more positives and negatives to a meal at the Rook&Gaskill and at just over £13, it wasn't too hard on the pocket.

Those who like their pubs to be on the frisky side should eat somewhere else. Those who don't like to talk should do the same.

But anyone who likes good food and good beer could do a lot worse.

The Rook and Gaskill Inn, Lawrence Street, York. Tel 01904 628488.

Steve and Matt visited on January 14

Updated: 09:22 Saturday, January 25, 2003