The Moonraker Hotel

Trowle Common

Trowbridge BA14 9BL

Phone: 01225 777393

www.moonrakerhotel.com

Parking: Outside the hotel

Disabled access: Wheelchair friendly via the main entrance to the restaurant.

Gazette ratings:

Food: 4.5/5

Choice: 4/5

Decor: 4/5

Customer service: 5/5

Main course prices: From £13

TripAdvisor rating: 4.5/5

Tucked away in an idyllic spot between Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon, The Moonraker Hotel has had a touch of class added to it by owners Tudor and Lucy Hopkins who have worked in several five-star hotels in the capital, and this experience was no different.

Upon opening the doors to the Moonraker Hotel's restaurant and seeing the olde worlde bar, the vintage style leather recliners and glistening crystal glasses complimented with the relaxing sounds of music from the 1950s, I knew my boyfriend and I were in for a treat even though we were the first diners of the evening.

Shortly after ordering two glasses of wine, our welcoming and enthusiastic waitress brought out two complimentary seeded bread rolls with butter, which we enjoyed as we carefully considered our food choices.

As a lover of chocolate, I have no shame in declaring that I always look at the desserts menu first and as their dark chocolate mousse jumped out at me, I decided to go straight for a main with Chris doing the same.

The restaurant's head chef Matthew Briddon prides himself on offering guests old fashioned classics made with local ingredients and even though the seasonal special board had a variety of tasty choices fit for fussy eaters, Chris and I both decided to try the pork meatloaf with potato puree and seasoned cabbage (£13).

The food arrived very quickly and we soon dug into the delicious meatloaf that worked well with the potato and perfectly seasoned cabbage, with our worries about a skimpy portion size soon washed away.

Even though I was feeling quite full, the idea of a dark chocolate mousse was playing on my mind, so when we were offered a look at the desserts menu both Chris and I answered a little bit too quickly.

There was a great selection on the menu but Chris was swayed by the berry tart (£6) as the fruit was picked from the garden and I stuck with my guns and voted for the mousse (£7) which was served with Turkish Delight and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.

The food was delicious and although pricey at £47.50 for two courses and two glasses of wine, The Moonraker certainly lived up to its promises, cementing itself as a rare fine-dining establishment just outside Trowbridge.