Brookleys Bistro and Wine Bar, deep in the heart of New Forest, is a wonderful location on which to settle down with perhaps coffee and pastries in the morning, a sandwich or salad at lunchtime or a romantic dinner. The flicker of candle lights and warm colour tones fill the airy interior and set the tone for an impressive meal in the evening.

The dinner menu could open with salmon and herb fishcakes on seasonal leaves and a lemon butter sauce or the classic retro prawn cocktail, followed by a main course of magret of duck with sechuan pepper on braised red cabbage and rump of lamb with a redcurrant and rosemary jus. A glorious conclusion to the meal could be a tarte au citron raspberry coulis and sticky toffee pudding.

The lunchtime set menu embraces choices such as fresh mackerel fillet with citrus salad; beef carbonade 'à la flamande', and warm tart 'tatin' crème fraîche.