Orange Tree, The

The Orange Tree has been a public house since 1755 and can be found on the long and winding Totteridge Lane, near the village green. The dining area looks stylish and welcoming - done up in warm shades of brown and copper, offset by polished wood - this belies its age and comes as a pleasant surprise.

Its well stocked, spacious bar serves ten different beers on tap, ranging from standard lagers to European speciality beers, including Leffe, Erdinger and some English cask ales. Apart from several champagnes for special occasions, they also have a fine balance of new and old world wines to suit varied tastes.

Contemporary pubs such as these usually share a number of characteristics. An important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be. Good, too, to have a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay. After all, drinking should be taken seriously.

But of course there are other factors, not least of which is the food and drink. The term 'gastropub' covers a multitude of blessings and it is possible to see influences of brasserie, bistro, restaurant and even café at work within the great gastro umbrella. So expect to find no one single cuisine, but a blend designed to provide something for everybody, no matter what their treat may be.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, Spanish tapas of Serrano ham, manchego, sardines, chorizo and tortilla, a baked Camembert with rustic bread, Greek mezze with taramasalata with humus, tzatziki, feta and flatbread, or a pizzette with garlic, rocket and Parmesan. Amongst the starters, touchingly referred to as 'little dishes', there is freshly made soup, steamed asparagus with prosciutto and hollandaise, crab cakes with tomato, chilli and coriander salsa, or cider braised onion tart. Look, too, for Black Pearl scallops when the market is right.

The salads - sorry, that should read 'leaves' - offer a seared salmon Caesar with marinated anchovies and parmesan, or for chicken with chorizo skewers, watercress and minted cucumber raitha. A recent addition to the menu is the delicious crispy duck with mouli and spring onion in plum sauce.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic Margherita of tomato, mozzarella and basil, or the challenging diavolo spiced chicken with peppadew peppers, chilli and tabasco. For those who like to build their own pizzas you can, for a modest sum, add to the basic dish with a choice from chorizo, olives, jalapenos, mushrooms, spring onion, or bacon. Or of course the whole lot if you're feeling that way. Pastas include fettuccine with salmon, prawns, coconut, spring onions and chilli, chef's choice risotto, or penne with crab, tomato, and pepperonata. For the big event there is always a fish of the day on request.

Finally, steak burgers join the ranks of respectable restaurant food and puts in an appearance on the menu with Swiss cheese, bacon, relish and fries. The duck confit with honey and orange roasted root vegetables is another dish worth trying. For hearty eaters there are good fillet steaks with horseradish Chantilly and mash.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes buttered new potatoes, Belgian frites and mayo, and greens, leeks and peas. For those who have to be lashed to a plank to induce them to eat root vegetables, try them here, honey roasted and altogether different from the all too often pallid steamed variety. For desserts resort to the blackboard, where there is always a good display, often with some of the local cheeses to set the buffs alight.

A well constructed Website enables you to keep in touch with menu changes or forthcoming events.  Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.