STEPHEN WEBB enjoys everything about a pub on the outskirts of town

The Bolingbroke Arms Hook, Swindon SN4 8DZ. Tel: 01793 852357

DINING at The Bolingroke Arms, you’d be hard-pressed to think you are a short distance from the M4 motorway. Or just a few miles from the outskirts of Swindon.

This delightful pub restaurant gives an air of relaxed calm and peace, from the moment you step through the door to the cheery farewell from the staff as you make your exit.

The Thursday evening we visited, the place was busy but not crowded. The chit-chat of fellow diners could be heard, but it was never noisy or boisterous. There was a welcoming homeliness about The Bolingbroke Arms.

So, having soaked up the atmosphere, it was down to business – the food.

The menu offers many tempting dishes, and with a specials board to consider as well, we were not to be hurried.

With half of my pint of Arkell’s Wiltshire Gold consumed during the deliberations, my mind was finally made up.

For a starter, I chose pan fried scallops with crispy pancetta served with mixed leaves and a balsamic dressing (£6.95). This was a pleasant start to the meal, light and tasty, with the scallops perfectly cooked and their softness countered by the crunch and saltiness of the pancetta.

My wife’s starter was goats cheese bruschetta, also served with mixed leaves and balsamic dressing (£5.95). No complaints here either, and the dish was soon polished off.

On to the mains and I chose pan-fried lamb’s liver and bacon in a rich onion gravy (£11.95), which came with mashed potato and fresh veg. This was a good hearty dish with some great flavours, the liver and crispy bacon offering a contrasting chew and crunch, and the onion gravy was sheer heaven.

Across the table, pan-fried pork medallions in a Stilton and cider sauce was served with crispy apple and cheese dumplings (£13.95) . This went down very well – “flavoursome” was the verdict, with the cheese dumplings getting special mention.

And talking of crispy and crunchy, I couldn’t resist the pear and apple crumble (£6.25) for dessert, and it certainly lived up to expectations. But if I was expecting a dinky little pot with a drop of custard, then I was mistaken – this was Sunday lunch-style afters, a large helping that was a struggle after all that had gone before it.

But duty called and I’m glad I forced it down – it was scrumptious, with a beautiful fruit filling and a great topping, with almonds giving that extra bite and flavour. Two scoops of ice cream (£4) was enough for my wife – it’s made by Marshfield Farm and she chose honeycomb and chocolate.

The bill came to £80, which for three courses – and a rather delicious bottle of Australian Ironbark shiraz – wasn’t too bad. Good food, good drink, a good pub.

It was a good night out.