Pear Tree Inn

A family party of twelve of us had Saturday lunch at The Pear Tree, on what appeared to be the only dry spot in England, one warm September day. As we had driven through the murk of the northern stretches of a rain-swept M5 to a destination we had seen only on the internet, we began to wonder if a long lie-in might not have been a better option. How wrong could we be!

As we arrived at the stone former farmhouse, dating back to 1750, the sun was shining, the large well-planted garden welcomed us, and walking into the bar we knew we had found Camelot. The house has been considerably extended, in a way that sits absolutely spot-on with the old house, providing a series of self-contained spaces in which party dining of all sizes becomes a serious option.

Drinks were served in a small part of the bar into which we all fitted very cosily, long enough to catch our breaths and place orders. Our table was alongside a wide sliding window that gave access to a terrace, leading to the sun-soaked garden. Service was friendly and efficient, with no time wasted. A set lunch of three courses for £16.50 turned out to be excellent value and interweaving with the a la carte presented no difficulties - apart from choice.

Of the eleven starters on parade highlights turned out to be the substantial Cornish crab with parsley and chilli, served on grilled sour dough bread, an excellent fish soup with garlic mayonnaise and croutons, and the rissole of rare breed middle white pork, topped with a free range egg fried to perfection.

Convincing evidence that we had unearthed a winner paved the way for laughter, comfort and a sense of ease, together with rib-eye steaks from Stokes Marsh Farm, well-known in these parts, free-range chicken filled with Parma ham, mozzarella and basil, served with courgette fries, and roast cod with spiced chickpeas, brown shrimp, butter parsley and bacon.

It was during the puddings that the rain decided we'd had enough privileged treatment, by which time we were lost in treats like roast white peach with honey, vanilla ice cream and Amaretto, elderflower and blackberry jelly with vanilla clotted cream, and a dazzling selection of homemade ice creams.

A clutch of Awards, together with a very loyal following in an area where they are not short of a few GBPs, suggests that Martin and Debbie Still have created the sort of place so many people seek, all too often in vain.