It was a chilly day outside, so the real fire in the rear room at The Swan was a big attraction.

The large dining area, decorated in soft cream and hung with original art, was emptier than we’d expected, but the staff made sure we were not forgotten, supplying menus, explaining specials and bringing drinks to the table.

The Swan has a traditional a la carte menu and an Asian menu, as the owner’s wife is Thai and she has brought many family recipes with her.

We decided to order starters and mains, choosing from the lunch menu, which offers two courses for £8.95 or three for £11.95.

Starters did not take long to arrive. A plateful of crispy deep-fried whitebait was perfectly complemented by homemade tartare sauce, which had a delicious bite. My honeyed parsnip soup had a real depth of flavour. In fact, it was so good I will try making it myself, and think I will add a little more stock or perhaps single cream, as the consistency was a bit too thick for my taste.

For his main course, Glenn chose the Wiltshire ham, egg and chips, a smaller version of a main course item. The ham looked lovely and tender and he said the hand-cut chips were excellent; crispy outside, but fluffy within.

I went for the Thai green curry, also served as a main menu item, available in veggie or chicken options, and was delighted. A bowlful of chicken chunks, green beans, onion and a thinner sauce than you usually get, it was absolutely delicious; full of flavour and spice and the white rice went with it perfectly.

Urged to try the range of Asian spices with it, we both liked the chilli oil, which zapped up the remaining chips. If you like spicy or Asian flavours, you would really enjoy the main menu and we vowed to come back and try it.

Pudding was now definitely on the agenda and it was no problem to have my chocolate brownie served with cream, rather than the advertised ice cream. The brownie was home-made and thinner than commercial versions, with a crispy crust and meltingly chewy interior. Glenn’s fruit crumble, however, was too much fruit and not enough crumble. It might have been better served in a shallower bowl.

The Swan is a friendly place and we enjoyed chatting with the owner and other customers. Our meal, with drinks, came to £29.40. Excellent value.

*  Food served 12 noon-3pm, 6-9pm Mon-Thurs, noon-9pm Fri/Sat, with Sunday lunch carvery
* One traditional menu, one Asian
* Cream teas
* Music and cultural events