The menu is defiantly Modern British, with typical mains of belly of pork, rack of lamb, etc all sturdily presented with ultra-finesse finishing touches in a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. For starters I had a warm carpaccio of smoked haddock with bacon and pea-shoot dressing - a veritable sea of fish skittered with a buttery sauce and top-scattered with pea-shoots, Q had a bowl of shelled curried mussels and mushrooms, both dishes delicious and filling. My belly of pork main with black pudding was so wonderful and earthy, I felt quite defeated by it, although the little tower of black pudding was certainly the best I had eaten in a long time. Q's rack of Romney lamb were two significant chops, red and tender on a mound of runner beans with garlic, eliciting lots of mmms and aahs.

There was no space left for pudding - in fact we were rather taken by the idea of baked fig with pistachio ice cream and nougat, but were told that the figs hadn't arrived. About ten minutes later, a huge van screeched outside. When the driver sachayed up to the door with a box of figs, the front of house manager said, "He doesn't want it now - you'll have to take it back". "It was supposed to be here at 10.30" she said to us all as she came back in.

The West House is absolutely fantastic, two courses for two with wine, water and coffee came to around about £70. M