Alford Arms, Frithesden

Disappointed with the latest visit to the Alford Arms, Frithesden. Maybe Sunday lunch wasn't the best time to go. My haddock in pea puree and gravadlax dressing lacked interest, it needed capers and lemon juice or something like that. And the dress code for blokes seems to be cropped cargo trousers, polo shirts, bald heads, sunglasses on top of bald heads, and stupid sandals PUT YOUR FEET AWAY WHEN I'M TRYING TO EAT!

Three Horseshoes

Also know to local as 'The 'Shoes' or Nell's Bar, (it's run by the charming landlady, Nell...), this is a great local country pub in the village of Cheddington, Bucks. Nell serves smashing home cooked food in massive portions. Nell changes the specials every day, but favourites are rack of lamb, spicy chicken wraps, mushroom risotto. My other half zooms in for steak and guinness pie or steak and kidney pudding all served as fresh as can be. I've eaten there many times and have never been disappointed. Good pub grub at very reasonable prices. There is a large garden with kiddy-entertainment stuff and an outdoor patio with heating. Two rooms inside, one which used to be the non-smoking bar and another one to watch the sport in. The 'Shoes succeeds for me where so many country pubs serving food fail - I look forward to eating there rather than being sorely disappointed, yet again, at inedible pub food. It's a 10 minute stroll from Cheddington Station, 40 mins from Euston, so worth a visit if you fancy escaping the big smoke for lunch. And the locals are very friendly.

The best pub food I've had in yonks

FINALLY, hurrah, jig up and down on the spot. We've found a local (ish) lovely pub in a lovely village serving amazing food, the kind you dribble about and dream about. This place is definitely where we will be going to for any celebration, and as I have just won some new business, the next time the sun deigns to come out, this is where we will be heading.

Stand up and take a bow the Alford Arms, Frithesden, nr Berkhamstead. I had pork belly with scallops and mint pea puree (on diet, obviously) and Paul had Coq au Vin. We shared a plate of british cheese which, for once, was so worth it. We'll be back.

Pub Guide - We love The Bull, Wooten Wawen

Visit to the folks in Henley-in-Arden at the weekend, a great place for restaurants and pubs, so many, such little time!

We walked from HIA through various picture postcard villages down the canal to reach our final destination for lunch with my parents, The Old Bull, Wooten Wawen. We were tempted to stop in at the Fleur de Lys at Lowsenford, but it was only 11am and we had about five miles to go...

I'd been there years ago for a family Christmas lunch, and then again a couple of years back. Distinctly average. But it has been taken over, and the food is wonderful - most impressed. I had a pea mint and lemon risotto in roasted butternut squast - just lovely. Everyone's food was great, and the salads well dressed and perky rather than hunked down on the plate with loads of raw onion and trembling naked.