Swan at Salford, The

The Swan is part of an outstanding and unusual company that owns and manages 10 pub/restaurants in the centre of England. In a world which grows increasingly processed and stylized they have chosen to pursue their own clear path. It is one which has brought them awards, stature, respect, as well as a decent income, which can perhaps best be summarised by saying they care about their people, those who work together to make Peach Pubs successful, and those who enjoy the results of that success, their customers.

It would be possible to enlarge upon all this indefinitely, but our purpose here is to tell you about The Swan at Salford and how they put into practice their strongly held principles.

Located in a rural setting less than ten minutes from central Milton Keynes, The Swan offers the pleasures of a country gastropub within easy reach of the town, and only two miles from Cranfield. Recently given a major overhaul one of the major additions has been a comfortable and relaxed dining room where formality exists only to enhance the experience of those who look for a sense of occasion.

The a la carte menu together with a selection of great Sunday roasts is also served from noon - 4pm and 6.30 - 9.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The all day menu is not available on Sundays.

A typical evening, for instance, offers a pleasurable setting to the after-work unwind groups, and others seeking a special setting for a meal that is reliable rather than over-challenging. This is well-achieved through the abilities of well travelled Head Chef, Neil Simons whose first aim is to assess and meet the expectations of a clientele that knows what it wants.

A meal can start with a visit to the Deli board, either for nibbles or starters - a selection of interesting cheeses, charcuterie, antipasta or fish, as well as an Indian influence. Starters come as confit duck spring roll with chilli dip, crab cakes and mango salsa or a Caesar salad with char-grilled chicken, anchovies and crispy bacon.

The main course char-grill experience offers Aberdeenshire 28 day dry-aged 16 oz T-bone steak, fat chips, herb butter and watercress.. Other mains include the best fish the market can offer, free-range sausage with mash, rare roast beef salad with watercress and a blue cheese crème fraîche, fishcake served with samphire and dill butter, though my hat gets tipped to the Moroccan spiced lamb steaks with lemon and mint, and chickpea couscous.

Follow with poached summer fruit knickerbocker glory, chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream or a pistachio parfait with crème anglaise. From noon till 6pm there?s a good range of sandwiches and about ten dishes, several served as starter/main options, one of which is an excellent Caesar salad with free range chicken, crispy bacon and anchovies.

The wine list bears the imprint of somebody who knows about wine, and whilst not lengthy is very much to the point. It is always heartening to see well-respected labels in evidence, with prices mostly contained within the £12 - £25 range, offering value for money and well-travelled choices.

The gastropub is not a phenomenon created by the marketing men, it is primarily a reasoned response to public demand. The Swan is a fine example of a thoroughly thought-through answer to that question.

For more information about this attractive gastropub, do take a look at their Website.