Rose And Crown, Sutton on the Forest

Not many restaurants in these parts have won four-star praise from the Sunday Times's acerbic food critic AA Gill.

Tables at the Rose And Crown at Sutton on the Forest went like proverbial hot cakes after Gill raved about the place back in 2001.

But it's all change at the country pub, which has been taken over by Martin Burgess, a property developer who has saved the Rose And Crown from being turned into housing.

Inside, it certainly looks different. Gone is the stark and formal dining room with its soft lemon walls and crisp white tablecloths. Instead, there is a new oak floor and a collection of mix and match wooden table and chairs - creating that dark, yet cosy, feel you expect from an old pub in a picturesque village. The new look, by the way, comes from York's very own celebrity interior designer, Peter Plaskitt.

As you might expect, quality was the watchword at the Rose And Crown, but would that still be the case now?

We booked for Saturday lunch, phoning ahead because I wanted to secure a highchair for our 13-month-old daughter, Eva.

When we arrived, they had set up our table indoors, but because it was sunny we asked to sit in the patio garden. Outside there were four tables, one of which was occupied by a mum breast-feeding her baby. Nearby was a bed of lavender, just in bloom, and giving off its distinctive heady fragrance.

We immediately felt at home and brought out our packed lunch for Eva while we studied the menus.

We could have chosen from the bar menu which features a selection of sandwiches priced from £3.95, but we were determined to find out if the food was still as good so we opted for a three-course lunch.

For starters we chose Ballontine of duck (£5.75) and baked goats cheese crotin on a waldorf salad (£4.95).

As we waited, a basket of warm bread and butter was served and the tables around us filled up, mostly with villagers popping in for a pint and a bite.

Our starters set the scene for what was a great meal. The duck dish featured three different types of the bird, broken down and served as a terrine with a helping of kumquat chutney on the side. The sweet yet sharp condiment worked terrifically with the strong flavour of the duck meat in what was an unusual mix of flavours and textures.

The goat's cheese salad was equally good. The cheese was creamy and mild while the celery and apple salad gave a crisp, contrasting crunch.

Next, we had pan-fried fillets of seabass with buttered summer greens, new potatoes and peas (£13.75). This was a winner in every way. The fish was perfectly cooked; its soft, light flesh soaking up the buttery-lemon sauce and filling the mouth with the taste of summer. The veggies, which included asparagus and peas, were delicious as well.

My husband's Yorkshire rib-eye steak with rocket and smoked cheese salad and chips (£13.95) was just as successful. His only complaint was that there were "not enough chips".

We were given also a side portion of veggies, which were a replica of what was served with my seabass. A different selection would have been more welcome.

For pudding, we had a duo of creme brule - vanilla and chocolate in separate pots - and fruit salad in a Pimms syrup with mango sorbet (each £4.95). My husband said the vanilla creme brule was "one of the best ever" but found the chocolate dish, one brule too far. Luckily, Eva enjoyed some of that one. My fruit salad featured all the stars of summer: strawberries, raspberries, melon, orange and pineapple, but it was hard to detect the Pimms in the syrup. The sorbet was light and refreshing.

With a drink each and some coffee, the bill came to £57. We thought it was expensive, but worth it for the quality of the food.

The pub also does a three-course Sunday lunch for £13.95, which features a choice of traditional roasts but also a few items from the daily menu which we sampled. Now that would be good value, and booking is definitely advisable.

We found the service to be top notch as well.

Although it's not really cut out for children and babies (there are no changing facilities and just one booster-seat-style highchair available), we had a great time at the pub with our daughter, who, between courses, was able to crawl around on the lawned garden. The pub says it is happy to prepare food for children and for vegetarians.

So, for great food in a relaxed environment, the Rose And Crown is worth a visit.

Food: very good

Service: spot on

Value: pricey

Ambience: country pub

Disabled facilities: No

Rose And Crown, Sutton on the Forest. Telephone: 01347 811333. Closed Mondays.

Maxine visited on Saturday, July 19, 2003.

Updated: 17:02 Friday, July 25, 2003