Rosemary Restaurant, The

Although the English countryside and the charming village of Stanton Fitzwarren seem a most unlikely setting for a Japanese restaurant, it's quite easy to make the connection once the facts are known. The nearby Honda factory has many employees from Japan and the hotel where the Rosemary Restaurant is housed, Stanton House Hotel is probably home to many of these expats, hence the need to assuage their homesickness and nostalgia with some delicious food as they would find in their own country.

The décor is simple and unfussy, and the gleaming dark wood of the furnishings and the airy French windows that look out over the meadows, elevate it from the mundane to classic elegance. Smiling waitresses make you feel at home and it's only natural to settle down with the anticipation of a good meal ahead.

The à la carte brings together all the favourites and the execution is top notch, making this a big contender among the best Japanese restaurants in Britain and as Mathew Fort, former restaurant critic of The Guardian, said, "..I'd say that the food coming out of Rosemary's kitchen is among the classier Japanese grub in Britain".

Starters include the yakitori, skewered chicken in sweet sauce; sautéed ox tongue; sliced spicy belly of pork or the deep fried fish cake. Tantalising you further are the well known sushi and sashimi variants, prepared with salmon, squid, tuna or prawn while the grilled sea eel with rice is a must for those who like to experiment.

The other way to enjoy the variety and delicacy of these dishes without the agony of choosing one over the other is to opt for the bento box. Traditionally, these were lunch boxes packed with different forms of food, and sent by home makers to their children or husbands. Today in Japan, commercially packed bento boxes are commonly seen everywhere as people want to eat on the go. At the Rosemary however, there is no rush, and the kaiseki bento provides a selection of 7 dishes, a feast for sure!

Tempuras, stir fries and teriyakis make their presence felt in the menu amongst other more traditional dishes such as tonkatsu, pork loin and salad or gyu yakiniku, stir fried beef and peppers. The Sunday lunch buffet is a fantastic deal and prices are heavily discounted for children; the all you can eat menu is a definite bargain too.

The Stanton House Hotel is a convenient place to stay if you plan to visit the Cotswolds, Stonehenge, Avebury, Bath or Oxford. They have 82 rooms, all en suite with direct dial telephone and satellite TV. For more information about the hotel or the menus at Rosemary, a simple click on their Website will do the trick.