Blacksmiths Arms, Westow

WHEN the new owners of the Blacksmith's Arms called last orders they didn't do it by half measures. Before its dramatic facelift, Richard and Julia Brown auctioned off all the Westow pub's memorabilia and artefacts - from tubs of custard powder to the pool table - raising cash for local sports groups.

Almost two years later the transformation is remarkable.

This former sleepy, stuffy tavern has banished stained beer mats, pork scratchings and dusty dead flower arrangements and is now welcoming, modern and plush.

Outside is a tiered landscaped area, ideal for soaking up the sun, chilled wine in hand. The interior design cleverly the modern with traditional features. Scrubbed wood tables are snug against dark wooden booths filled with squishy cushions. A log-burning stove warms one corner of the bar, while pistachio green walls are littered with caricatures and sketches.

At a grand dark wooden bar we were greeted by a polite host who offered us menus and invited us to nibble bar snacks - homemade parsnip crisps and pork crackling.

What a choice. Among the starters were leek and potato soup, with flaked haddock(£3.95), honey-glazed belly pork (£5.25), goats cheese fondue with shallot puree, dried figs and bread sticks (£5.50) and slow-cooked rainbow trout, black olive cous cous and anchovies (£4.95).

After studying the mains and making our choice we were led into one of the two dining rooms. Ours had several tables for smaller groups, whereas the neighbour had a couple of substantial tables that would be terrific for large parties.

I'm a sucker for attention to detail. Pretty patchwork placemats were placed on a crisp white linen tablecloth with a side plate full of gleaming cutlery, all illuminated by a large church candle.

To start, the red-headed antipodean had plumped for the pork and I decided on the rainbow trout.

When the food arrived I realised that this wasn't going to be masses of hearty pub grub but minimalist nouveau cuisine.

The food decorated enormous white plates. My starter was a work of art.

Should I frame it or eat it?

His pork was a modernist sculpture. Pork, black pudding, a slice of apple and pease pudding were placed in a tier with a tasty juice artistically dribbled round. The meat was apparently very tasty, but very fatty, which one would expect belly pork to be. The other half said it was a very enjoyable appetiser.

I was a little disappointed with my trout. Slow-cooked looked a bit like uncooked to me. The fish was translucent rather than opaque and flaky. It had a pleasant taste and the small mound of black olive cous cous crossed with anchovies was a salty hit. The plate was dotted with three black olives that had been lightly battered and deep fried. When popped in the mouth they exploded with taste. Divine.

For mains we chose from local 8oz sirloin steak, grilled plum tomato, flat mushrooms and rustic chips (£12.95 or £14.95 for 10oz), fillet of turbot with braised baby gem lettuce, broad beans and bacon (£14.95), Gressingham duck breast with pink rhubarb and foie gras macaroni (£14.95), breast of local chicken, lemon and chive risotto and grilled langoustines (£15.95) and rump of lamb, English peas and shepherd's pie (£13.95).

My rugby player was dying to get his teeth into a steak while I decided on the lamb.

The main courses were again worthy of a gallery. The lamb was arranged in slices and was slightly pink in the middle, just how I like it. Dotted along a drizzle of tasty sauce were half a dozen large peas and placed beside this was a tiny, two-inch wide mini-casserole dish of shepherd's pie. Barbie doll must have been on kitchen duties.

The meat was melt-in-the-mouth gorgeous and the shepherd's pie had fluffy mashed potato and flavoursome meat. I love veg, but disliked the peas. They were woody and tough.

His steak was a prime cut and cooked well. The mushrooms and tomato were a perfect accompaniment. The rustic chip I pinched was fried to a deep golden colour and succulent.

I was particularly excited about visiting the Blacksmiths Arms because owners the Browns are entrepreneurial farmers who have a sloe gin and chocolate-making business in neighbouring Eddlestone. I have a sweet tooth and figured that the desserts would be to die for.

I wasn't disappointed. I went for a chocolate fondue cake with black cherries and a pistachio ice cream (£4.50). The cake was crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, and toe-curlingly rich.

Other afters included caramelised homemade brioche, banana tatin with a rum crme brule and orange and muscat jelly with dark chocolate ice cream - all at £4.50.

The dining experience and service was first class, although I was slightly disappointed with my food. We spent £51.10 in total, with £14 on a bottle of house red.

The place has a definite vibe about it. The Blacksmiths Arms has transformed from a caterpillar into a butterfly.

Blacksmiths Arms, Westow.

Tel: 01653 618365

Victoria visited on April 28, 2005

Updated: 15:18 Friday, May 06, 2005