Toms Dining Room at The Original Malt Shovel

Rebuilt in great style on the site of an old coaching inn in the 1840s, overlooking the village green and fountain, with the intention of catching the tourist trade that thronged to the village to see the old Pudding Tree, in the shade of which every seven years the Burley Pudding had been distributed until 1787. My word, the days of innocence indeed!

Recently there has been a realignment of the restaurant trade in Burley, with David Wooley as the new owner, and the restaurant re-christened TOMS - well, just think about it . . . . .

Starters can yield a warm salad of smoked chicken, soft egg and strawberry dressing, a "proper" prawn cocktail with a Malt Shovel twist (anyone know what an improper one is?), or perhaps salmon and pimento bruschetta, elderflower dressing and rocket salad.

Main courses of sticky roast suckling pig and butternut squash mingle with braised oxtails and sweet potato mash with leaf spinach, or slow and easy beef in red wine and shallot with parsnip and artichoke mash. Hearty Yorkshire appetites react warmly to a thick rib eye steak, onion hash and big chips with a tomato and onion salad.

Fish features strongly, keep an eye cocked for the fish stew 'en papillote' with asparagus and lobster risotto - irresistibly delicious. To finish try the French apple tart, with calvados ice cream and brandy snap basket.

Just slightly surprised that Burley Pudding does not appear on the menu - even if it was unspeakable you could always do an upgrade, 21st century style. Thank you Mr Wooley, you read about it on restaurant-guide.com