Restaurant at The Fox Inn

Every so often you come across a restaurant, or as they would have said in the 1662 Prayer Book if they'd been talking about food instead of singing, "dining rooms and places where they eat", where you instinctively know as you walk through the door that they've got it right. Of such is the Fox Inn at Oddington, a Virginia creeper clad dwelling dating back to the 11th century and exuding charm and antiquity at every turn. There are flagstone floors, fresh flowers everywhere, large open fireplaces that are not for decoration, and the most wonderful people.

For the Fox is primarily the village pub, as it has always been. A restaurant has become part of the evolution of the place and now plays its part in the ambience of this enchanted corner of the Cotswolds. A starter of charcuterie with cornichon of olives comes from a selection that includes carrot, coriander and ginger soup and gravadlax with a dill mustard dressing. Fish arrives fresh from Cornwall so give thought to the baked sea trout with creamed leeks and saffron, or perhaps a plain good old ribeye complete with mustard butter. A fine array of desserts includes the faithful sticky toffee pudding, with chocolate, a mango and passion fruit parfait with Kiwi coulis, and a very tasty apricot and almond tart.

The wine list is interesting and quite specific as between old and new world wines, with an emphasis on the former. House wines are sold by the glass from £2 a 125ml charger.

It would be surprising if the Fox Inn ever went Michelin, and to do so would almost certainly destroy its principal asset. Stay as it is chaps and satisfy more of the people more of the time.

Reviewed by Michael Tebbutt