The Gladstone Arms bar and restaurant

34 Gladstone Road, Chippenham, SN15 3BW

www.thegladstonearms.co.uk (01249) 660535

Limited parking

South-facing beer garden

Sunday roasts served midday to 4pm

Advisable to book well in advance

I have tried several times to book a table at the Gladdy, as it is affectionately known, but never call early enough and it is always booked up. They have recently started opening on a Monday and it was on this day I finally had success. I now understand why it is consistently number one on Trip Advisor.

The front of the building looks rather drab, but inside the environment is calming and classy, with mint green walls and a wooden floor. The well-kept beer garden is surprisingly large and can seat as many as indoors.

We were welcomed with a smile and immediately given a jug of water. The servers, one of whom was the owner, were very pleasant and knowledgeable about the menu, and attentive without being suffocating. They have the balance just right between keeping you waiting and rushing you.

Both dishes arrived beautifully presented. My partner Andy’s beef fillet, served with fondant potato and wilted spinach, was thick and cooked to perfection. He was quite taken with the shallots coming in three different ways – crispy ones finely sliced and fried, one juicy sautéed and a thick and flavoursome puree.

My vegetarian lasagne was the best I’ve ever tasted, the creaminess of the béchamel sauce and goats cheese contrasting deliciously with the sharpness of the balsamic vinegar on the bed of mixed leaves and dried cherry tomatoes. A thick slab, alternating multiple thin sheets with roasted squash, was coated with crisp cheese enhanced by crunchy pumpkin seeds.

For dessert, Andy’s chocolate brownie was warm and melt-in-your-mouth moist and came with a rich chocolate sauce and vanilla icecream.

I cracked the crispy caramelised crème brûlée topping, garnished with plump, ripe raspberries, to find a helping of creamy custardy heaven.

At £23 for the beef fillet and £5 for a small glass of wine, it was not cheap; the total with two glasses of wine was £56. But unlike a lot of fine dining, they do not skimp on the portions, and we both came away feeling more than satisfied.

JULIE ARMSTRONG