This is the sort of place that brings the handwritten bill on an antique silver tray, and has good linen tablecloths and napkins on its 10 tables. A love of tradition extends to the menu, a prix-fixe of two or three courses covering a short selection of French favourites underpinned by excellent sauces. But there’s still the occasional inventive tweak.

Tender duck breast is aged, cured, then smoked in Earl Grey tea, served luxuriating in a vibrant red wine jus. Melt-in-your-mouth braised leeks from owner-chef Steve Rogers’ nearby garden match happily with a well-balanced sauce gribiche. And the gamey richness of wild venison loin is tempered by a not-too-sweet prune sauce.

What else to finish with but a lighter-than-average creme caramel? Attentive yet unobtrusive staff feel as perfectly understated as the room, but they’ll happily help you choose something from the predominantly French wine list.

Good to know: The atmospheric cellar is used on busy nights and for private dining.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.