We arrived a little early, so got a drink and sat in the sunny outdoor area attached to the restaurant, before being seated on a cosy table in a stunningly decorated room inside for our meal. The low lighting made for an intimate atmosphere (but unfortunately not so fantastic pictures!) and we settled into comfy armchairs while we took a look at the menu.

I wasn’t feeling a starter but DanMan was hankering for some mussels, so he ordered the mussels of the day which came with a creamy lemon and tarragon sauce (classic moules mariniere were also an option, but what can I say, Dan’s a daredevil). They were huge mussels and there was the perfect amount for a starter portion, and Dan seemed to thoroughly enjoy them as he polished them off pretty quickly! I was more than ready for the mains by this point so that was fine by me.

With all the beautiful sunny weather we’ve had recently I’d been craving a proper salad – not the rubbish kind with too many leaves that you make at home, but a proper, veg filled, summery salad. So I was very excited to try Judge’s Lodging’s ‘super salad’, which involved butternut squash, beetroot, herb tabbouleh (which I’m obsessed with but struggle to find nice versions of), chargrilled corn and courgette, seeds and a pomegranate vinaigrette. Yums. I also added in the optional goat’s cheese extra because I’m a wild woman and I could not have picked better; it was a beautifully balanced spring salad. I love the combination of butternut squash, goats cheese and pomegranate, and might just be a beetroot convert after having it in this dish.

ManDan opted for the spiced ginger barbecue ribs which came with a veg and cashew salad, coleslaw and skin on fries. He loved that the ribs just fell off the bone and the flavour of the sauce, and he said it was a good portion size as the thick ginger sauce might have become sickly if there was much more of it.

We couldn’t manage a pudding so got the bill and had a little chat with the waiter – the service was great all evening, as both the waiter who served us and the barwoman were lovely and upbeat (not always easy on a busy Friday night!). We came away satisfied, having both had meals which were (quite specifically) perfectly suited to our tastes, and we’ve both already said we’d love to go back as there was plenty more on the menu we both want to try.

We hadn’t booked but luckily that wasn’t a problem and we were seated towards the back on a cute (and tiny!) table. The decor and atmosphere was as cosy as it looks from the outside, with a junkyard-chic aesthetic and lovely warm lighting.

The menu was basic but fresh and delicious sounding, pretty similar to somewhere like Bill’s, and we started by sharing the avocado and tomato sourdough with basil, walnut pesto and drizzled with balsamic. And heavens to Betsy was it yummy; they didn’t scrimp on the topping and it was so delicious and fresh.

For the main event, I chose the salmon which came with hollandaise sauce, vine tomatoes, asparagus and smashed potatoes. All the accompaniments were lovely and well cooked, and the potatoes were comforting and buttery. The salmon was a little on the burnt side of crispy on top, however it didn’t impact the flavour too much and the rest of salmon was delicious and complimented the sides nicely.

DanMan opted for the lamb kofta and bell pepper skewers, which came with chips, pita, salad and tzatziki. He enjoyed the lamb but loved the peppers and tzatziki most of all, and I nabbed some of his pita and chips towards the end when he was struggling to finish!

We had no room for pudding so we came away nicely full (but not overly stuffed, I hate that – no room for post meal drinks!) and with a 25% off voucher for next time which I’m pretty sure we’ll be using. Overall, tasty food and a homely atmosphere that would make this an easy go-to meal out when we’re in the mood for somewhere easy and relaxed.