Boat Inn, The

Located alongside the top lock of the seven canal locks at Stoke Bruerne on the Grand Union Canal, this lively waterside inn is more than just a much-loved local, providing a wide variety of food and entertainment for a widely-drawn clientele, including passing boaties, as well as those who just like the association with boats minus the ruinous cost of keeping them.

The timber and stone barn style restaurant, opened in 1978, offers an air of elegance, splendid views over the surrounding action, and makes an excellent venue for candlelit dinners, business lunches and that great British pastime, Sunday lunch.

The Boat Inn is run by the fourth generation of the Woodward family, and is very firmly independent of any brewery. Its location, together with the picturesque thatched roof and limestone construction, ensures that it has more than the customary share of attention lavished upon an idylically set historic inn.

However, all this would be to little avail if the food was not also worthy of attention. The prime menu is The Boatman's, a good selection of essentially up-market pub food, offering starters of fresh pineapple and strawberries with champagne sorbet, prawn cocktail on toast, Tandoori chicken strips with Greek yoghurt, or hot crab gratin.

Prime sirloin steak, or grilled loin of lamb with sour cherry sauce head a formidable array of meat dishes. A whole lobster is prepared Thermidor, and Gressingham duck makes a welcome appearance. A stir-fry of Thai noodles and King prawns introduces an element of what so many have come to regard as their favourite imported cuisine, and the homemade touch is applied to salmon, prawn and dill fish cakes, served with a lemon mayonnaise.

I strongly suspect that the boatmen of former days would have survived on food a good deal less inviting than this particular menu. However, the big night of the week is Saturday, when the candles are lit and a menu no less good, but owing rather more to style and sophistication is deployed amongst happy groups of people for whom this is the Big Relax of the week.

Starters of game and port pate, avocado, bacon and cheese wraps, or smoked chicken and mango salad set the tone, to be followed by gingered sea bass, medallions of beef served with crispy pancetta and roasted tomato chutney, or a petit fillet of beef grilled pink on a bed of wilted spinach and topped with a Stilton rarebit, definitely one for the gourmet.

Nor are vegetarians made to feel the poor relation, with a toad in the hole that involves Yorkshire pudding filled with vegetarian sausages and marmite gravy, followed by perhaps a sweet and sour pasta, and a fruity salad. For those with dietary difficulties the chefs are happy to prepare and adapt meals to suit the condition.

Bar food is available in the canalside bars, and the lounge offers a selection of wine beers and wines, and a bistro provides snacks, breakfasts and meals for parties.

For further details about this bubbly and welcoming venue click on their informative and easy to use Website.