The Ivy: in a league of its own

IT was worth driving out to The Ivy Inn at Heddington despite a wet Saturday night and we soon forgot the weather once we were inside.

The pub, run by Peter and Mandy Stidard, is possibly one of the prettiest in the area, with a thatched roof and open log fire in the main dining area.

The menu offered dishes including steak, roast pork belly, and homemade pie and fish, which left us slightly spoilt for choice.

For starters I chose the whitebait with lemon and black pepper crumb, priced at £5, and my husband chose the soup of the day, which was spicy tomato and chorizo (£4).

I got a good portion of whitebait, which was nice and salty, with tartar sauce and a lemon slice, and both starters came with freshly baked wholemeal bread.

My husband said the chorizo gave the soup a different texture, and although it was spicy it wasn’t overpowering.

For the main course I chose the pan roasted duck breast in brandy and orange sauce (£15.90), and my husband had the Paris Chicken (£12.90).

The duck, which was very tasty, came sliced with just a dribble of sauce over the top. The meat was tender and pink and the skin was slightly crispy on top.

The Paris Chicken came with bacon lardons and mushrooms in a creamy Stilton sauce and was also a hit with my husband, who said it was cooked well. Again, we were both given generous portions `1and a selection of vegetables.

We were slightly stuffed, but we still managed to share a crème brulee with homemade shortbread and strawberries (£6). The crème brulee was delicious, with a crispy top and a creamy centre, and the shortbread, which had sugar sprinkled on the top, was lovely and thin.

Our bill came to £52.15 and included a large glass of red wine and a shandy. This was on the pricey side, but we were given several little extras on the house.

These included a plate of four different canapés before the meal, two chunks of homemade fudge afterwards, and we got a 10 per cent voucher towards our next meal.

ANNE MOORE