Overlooking the River Lea from Lower Hatfield Road, The Whistling Duck embodies the surrounding countryside, with a high profile menu that is an excellent flagship for British cooking with abundant choices; a Chef's brigade led by Head Chef Steve Bower, originally from Papillon, is hungry to ensure that The Whistling Duck always flies in top gear.

When pressed Steve said, "the heart of a good restaurant is its food and using only the very best fresh produce combined with the best of traditional British cooking with an added twist is exciting and fulfilling."

So what of the menu? A dozen or so dishes set the scene for a meal that will be remembered for all the right reasons. Lightly spiced fresh crab cakes are served with a sweet chilli salsa and garlic mayonnaise, whilst caramelised chicken livers comes with mushrooms, onions and balsamic syrup. The duck liver pâté may catch your interest too with its delicate hint of Armagnac wrapped in Parma ham.

They don't spare the fish here. There's a deluxe fisherman?s pie as well as a dreamy bouillabaisse with white wine, garlic, tomato and herb sauce well laced with crustaceans and served with garlic bread more than makes up for that. The ultimate seafood platter is designed with real addicts in mind, think trout, smoked salmon, crab, prawns, crayfish and mackerel roulade. Prime fillet of beef are served on a leek and potato rösti topped with a mild Stilton glaze, dressed with a rich Claret jus garnished with French bean parcels. Rack of lamb, honey roast duck breast and paupiette of pork fillet compete for the attention of diners whose interests are both cosmopolitan yet loyal to their well-honed and often simple tastes.

Sticky toffee pudding is almost a national dish since it escaped from Cartmel, but not always with the seriously rich fudge sauce that is applied to its person at The Whistling Duck. Amongst other desserts that catch the eye are the crêpes Suzette, wonderful wafer thin pancakes steeped in orange, caramel and Grand Marnier syrup before being served with a vanilla ice cream shot. An Ultimate Petite Selection of six positively mouth-watering desserts can, be warned, leave you wishing you had ordered them all - in full.

With their space and setting it is hardly surprising that catering for parties, large groups and special events is a way of life at The Whistling Duck. They're a very sociable lot in Hertfordshire too and partying out finds a warm welcome at the restaurant, with tailored arrangements a speciality. A lunchtime menu with good choices at very reasonable prices is always a good opportunity to test drive a restaurant with bigger things in mind.

Their Website is full of useful information attractively set out, in which pride is clearly taken. A good augury for a restaurant that you leave glowing with a sense of wellbeing.