The Foxham Inn, Foxham

info@thefoxhaminn.co.uk .

(01249) 740665.

Hidden away in some of the most beautiful countryside Wiltshire has to offer is The Foxham Inn – a country inn, restaurant and B&B offering some of the best food and hospitality I’ve been lucky enough to experience.

We were warmly welcomed and chose to sit outside on one of the loveliest evenings of the year.

It was difficult choosing from the list of starters, which included a summer truffle macaroni with parmesan cheese and a warm salad of pigeon breast with beetroot, but in the end we picked crispy quail’s eggs, Stornoway black pudding, pancetta, tomato ketchup and pickled mushrooms.

We had wondered if there would be too many different elements for one small dish, but this clever deconstructed fry-up is the best starter I’ve ever had.

The flavours were robust and hearty, but the strange sweetness of the mushroom cut through to add a balance to the food that ensured it never became too rich.

To follow, we found it difficult to choose between the range of meals on offer, including breast of free-range guinea fowl with crushed potatoes, baby vegetables and masala cream sauce and the breast of duck, creamed potato with sage, red cabbage and a cherry sauce.

My partner had the Denver steak cooked medium rare with fine beans, French fries and a creamy mushroom sauce. He said the meat and the chips were perfectly cooked and the portions were more than generous, but added that he would ask for the indulgent sauce on the side if he chose it again.

I was served the slow cooked breast of lamb with bean, pepper and chickpea cassoulet. The meat was so tender it fell apart on the fork, and the chickpeas were perfect teamed with the lamb.

As with everything else we were served, the meal was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious.

It was a shame that we were too full for dessert, as the menu, which included a lemon plate and a summer pudding, looked lovely.

With a pint of ale and a large glass of wine, the bill came to £43, which we felt was more than reasonable.

Open noon-2.30pm and 7-11pm Tuesday to Saturday; noon-3pm and 7-10.30pm on Sunday.

Food prepared to order.

Wheelchair access.

Our Eating Out is an independent review carried out by the Times without prior knowledge of the owners.