Yalbury Cottage

Yalbury Cottage is a delightful three hundred year old thatched cottage, in a rural setting two miles from Dorchester with ample car parking space.

It has all the necessary ingredients to make it a real home from home. That contradictory combination, which we all seem to love, of good modern food served in historic surroundings, works well here and there are bucolic, sturdy dishes which are instantly recognizable sitting alongside more modern offerings which have their genesis in Europe. Thirty seats only means booking ahead is advisable. Good wine list with house wine from £12.50.

A meal could begin with a choice of pressed ham hock and leek terrine on a sweet mustard sauce; baked shallot tart tatin beetroot relish and chive cream cheese spread; 'cauliflower cheese' - a crisp gruyère beignet on an almond and cauliflower purée or poached ballotine of salmon with a light saffron and mussel casserole.

With thoroughly tempting main courses such as butter-roasted loin of veal roasted cocotte potatoes with baby beetroot and sherry vinegar jus; coriander-glazed duck breast Cracknell farm organic duck, braised red cabbage and young fennel; slow roasted Dorset horn lamb - best end of lamb with fondant potato, chantenay carrots and minted lamb jus; pan-fried brill, buttered leeks and sweetcorn purée, crushed violet potatoes and sweet garlic foam or baked butternut tortelloni buttered spinach and truffled butternut nage.

But keep some room for their wonderful desserts like glazed orange and ginger crème brûlée with kumquat and stem ginger; plate of apple - baked tatin, sharp rice pudding and granny smith sorbet; hot and cold chocolate white chocolate and citrus panna cotta and baked chocolate pot or a selection of fine cheeses with fig loaf, quince jelly and celery.

They also have eight spacious rooms, in the modern part of the building, decorated in a simple cottage style; there are seven double or twin rooms, and one family room. Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom with both bath and shower, a direct dial telephone, a remote control colour television, hair dryer and tea and coffee making facilities. The rooms overlook either the garden or adjacent fields, and all are non-smoking.