Red House Inn, The

It would be idle to ignore some of the previous form attached to this delightful pub, nor is there any point in discussing it. What we can say is that an entirely new team has taken over shortly before 2009 hit the New Year banners and that owner Sandra Bryant and Manager Gareth are off to a good start, with Head Chef Anthony Daude pledged to look to the future and create menus that will catch the imagination of a discerning and mobile public. And if you like what he creates there is a direct contact to Anthony to find out more, or how it's done, which I don't doubt could also be used to complain - one of his ambitions is to see that doesn't happen!

Red House has character by the ton, with its roots buried deeply in the 13th century, a coaching inn, large open log fires and the capacity to lift people out of credit crunch gloom, or any other dismal condition.

The menu is of convincing length. How often do those vast ambitious menus fail to deliver the goods? If people cannot find something they like from a five dish selection of starters they can hardly be very hungry, and whilst satisfying the pangs may not be the whole objective it sure covers a lot of ground.

Pea and ham hock soup, potted Morecambe Bay brown shrimps, or a terrine of game and quince chutney - there are three selected at random, all of which would meet my criteria, hungry or not. Add a duo of Test Valley smoked trout, or baked Camembert and garlic toast and I would be very happy indeed.

Much the same can be said for the main courses selection - limited, but versatile and attractive. Ale battered fish and chips, minted mushy peas and tartar sauce; steak and ale stew with homemade parsley dumplings and braised red cabbage, or crispy twice-cooked pork belly, celeriac mash and buttered kale ale are not exactly the sort of dishes that most of us would pass by, particularly when their website carries an image of one of the most toothsome looking 16oz T-bone steaks it has ever been my privilege to clap eyes upon. Naturally it comes attended by French fries, watercress and green peppercorn sauce.

A comely selection of side dishes is of the sort that fill you with desire rather than dismay, such as curley kale and shallots or wilted garlic spinach. Desserts are pretty straight down the line with old favourites like burnt Cambridge cream and orange shortbreads or sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and whiskey ice cream, and a dark chocolate tart with clotted cream leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, except the after-bliss.

A nice touch is their relationship with their main suppliers, with links to them all direct from the Red House Website, one of whom, Great Western Wine, based in Bath, does the honours in that direction. Find out more about changing menus and plans for the future on the same site.