Upon entering, first impressions were everything they should be, as my dining partner Mark and I were warmly greeted by our hosts, Ivan and Isabelle Colls, partaking of Bucks fizz and canapés in the relaxed bar area before moving on to the restaurant.

The tables and chairs, decked in crisp white with scarlet, chiffon sashes enhanced the traditional décor, whilst the ambiance was achieved by delicate background blues from a female vocalist, nestled discreetly at the far end of the room.

From a new, four-course, a la carte evening menu, with a combined option of 15 appealing dishes, which I'm told is just the 'tip of the iceberg', compared to the brand new menu which hits the tables this week, I opted for the stuffed field mushroom, with garlic cheese filling, in a herb crust, to start, and wasn't disappointed.

It arrived accompanied by a baby leaf salad, and was creamy, tasty and just enough, whilst my dining partner's chicken and bacon salad, in a honey and mustard dressing, also impressed, particularly the lean, crispy bacon and the hidden croutons, for added flavour.

After a brief, digestive interval, our main meals — rump of lamb with a herb crust, and beef Wellington — arrived, well-presented and instantly appetising.

Served on a bed of Dauphoinise potato, layered with spinach and port redcurrant sauce, my melt-in-the-mouth lamb was lean, lovely and complemented to perfection by the sauce, which was rich, but not overpowering.

My dining partner's beef Wellington, fillet of beef wrapped in flaky pastry, topped with a wild mushroom sauce, included a surprise pate filling, which enhanced the flavour and impressed the taste buds, too.

Surprisingly satisfying for a la carte portions, we simultaneously cleared our plates — yet, being a self-confessed dessert connoisseur — I made sure I had plenty of appetite left to do my pending pudding justice.

Both opting for my all-time favourite, banoffie pie, I'm pleased to say it ranked right up there with the big-hitters, at the top of my sweet-treat league table!

A chunky, crumbling base, topped with thick, sticky toffee, cool whipped cream and fresh banana, it was banoffie pie as banoffie pie should be — indulgent, calorie-crammed and so scrumptious, I sat praying Mark would turn his back, so I could sneakily steal a spoonful of his!

We rounded our evening off with coffee and a plateful of homemade chocolates, rubbing shoulders with civic and sporting dignitaries, and sharing our complimentary thoughts with proprietors Ivan and Isabelle and new chef Carl Palmer.

Travelling home in the car we tried to list criticisms, but in truth there weren't any. Overall, the hospitality team were competent, courteous and conscientious, and the fine food and wine well worth sampling if you have a date free in your diary.