Tollemache Arms, The

The Tollemache Arms, in the attractive village of Buckminster, has leapt into renewed life under the leadership of Mark Gough, formerly Head Chef at Hart's Restaurant in Nottingham. After many years in the industry, two of them in France, Mark has acquired a formidable reputation for combining the great classic dishes into a modern presentation that is causing more than just a frisson of excitement through the East Midlands cognoscenti.

A short two miles from the A1, west of Colsterworth, The Tollemache Arms, beneath a slightly austere exterior is laying on the style inside, with décor that offers warmth and simplicity derived from a good sense of chic. Whoever did the interior designs has given the building a real facelift that extends into the letting accommodation as well.

So although this is ostensibly a country pub it certainly has a metropolitan feel about it, and since it opened in October 2004 has swiftly acquired a good reputation. Not the sort of place where you'd feel at ease in anything much less than relaxed smart.

The debate over the true meaning of the word gastropub rumbles on. Whatever your stance there is little doubt that the Tollemache brings out the best in the genre with starters that could include crayfish risotto, deep fried crab croquettes with pink grapefruit salsa or Morteaux sausage with Parmesan and capers.

Grilled sea bass with basil mash and baby Chirozo sausages pulls together a good combination of flavours, and roast duck breast with apple and nutmeg risotto is a speciality of the house. The hare pithivier brings a touch of originality to a menu that has few surprises in the cuisine but relies heavily on a delicacy of style to make it very special indeed.

The Tollemache caramelised apple and Stilton tart combines two well-known local products into a mouth-watering signature pudding, and if anything it is within this area of the menu that there is more than a touch of experimentation. If you don't order it yourself ensure that someone in your party insists on the rhubarb tart with crème fraîche - I know, it's a commonplace enough dish, but here it is in a class of its own.

What has to be one of the biggest bargains in the area is their £10 two-course lunch from Tuesday to Saturday and at those sort of prices it is possible to be rather more indulgent on the hunt for some compelling wine, starting with champagne, say a bottle of Paques Brut Premier Cru at £29 or if it's a real celebration a bottle of Krug for £150.

A well-travelled wine list offers good choices within the £20 bracket and some more heavyweight reds like the Gevrey-Chambertin, a Clos Fontenay Premier Cru production, getting up into the sixties. At less rarefied levels the Merlot Reserve from the Palomar Estate offers excellent value at £17 a bottle.

The Tollemache Arms is strategically located when it comes to visiting the great stately homes of the area, particularly the events that are held there. The Burghley Horse Trials, and the CLA Game Fair at Belvoir Castle spring to mind. Newark is not far away, increasingly well known for its antique fairs.

The historic quality of medieval Stamford with its Georgian overlay needs little introduction and the Rutland Open air-theatre at Tolethorpe Hall now attracts a country-wide audience who come to enjoy amateur performances of professional standard given by the Stamford Shakespeare Company.

For further information and details about their bedrooms a visit to their Website should prove to be a worthwhile journey.