Chilli Pepper

There is a good deal to be said for the Cotswolds at any time, except perhaps in winter when they seem to go in for sudden and unexplained falls of serious snow, but even that has it advantages as you warm your customary bits in front of a well supplied log fire in places like Chilli Pepper, where the fires are as hot as their name.

From a menu that describes itself as international with some justification select starters of grilled King prawns marinated in lime, sweet chilli and virgin olive oil or delicious new potatoes with crispy bacon, marinated baby artichoke, French beans and lemon honey vinaigrette. But if it really is winter a bowl of warming and substantial soup reaches the parts that the fire may not.

Main courses offer a selection of steaks, starting with a fillet of beef with peppercorn sauce or wild mushroom cream sauce, and completing with a cod steak poached in white wine and served with a herb cream sauce. The fillet of venison is pan fried with a light cream wild berry brandy sauce, whilst light eaters may head for the penne with tomato cream sauce.

Lemon cheesecake makes a fitting ending but those with unlimited waistlines may throw discretion out of the window and revel in the bread and butter pudding with baileys, nutmeg and warm custard. There is also a very attractive bar menu with club sandwiches, smoke salmon Benedict with hollandaise, or a rattling good ploughman's lunch of sublime proportions.

A very educated wine list pays due heed to the kitchen brigade, with plenty of choices by the large or small glass, from all the main wine growing countries world-wide, though I was sad not to see the Lebanon represented - perhaps management might consider a delve into the Bakaa valley? Mind you it would be hard to beat in the class an Australian Jester Shiraz, Mclaren Vale 2002 made by the up and coming young winemaker, Ben Glaetzer. Chile is well represented, as it deserves to be.

These are the sort of country inns that parched travellers in the middle of some inhospitable desert hallucinate about - just brilliant! Find out more from their Website.