Oxford

The gastropub concept has its established repertoire (sausage and mash, beer-battered fish and chips), so it's a pleasure to find more adventurous cooking here. At the Oxford, a salad of fried squid and spring onion with sweet chilli sauce featured excellent freshly cooked seafood, first-rate greens and an original blend of flavours. To follow, warm salmon salad with asparagus and decoratively cut strips of cucumber was also very nicely done.

Another main, chicken leg stuffed with pork and pistachio and wrapped in bacon, with parmesan mash, spinach and a Madeira jus, sounded like it might all be too much, but was deliciously subtle, the contrasting ingredients handled with skill. A weekday lunch menu also offers varied sandwiches and salads, and there's another extensive menu with roasts for Sunday lunch.

The main dining area artfully combines comfy booths and contemporary colours with the original features of this Victorian pub; the long bar still has a proper-pub feel, with a regularly changing ale selection as well as a varied wine list. Largely different menus are served at other outlets of the Realpubs group, but all have an enterprising approach. The Oxford also hosts jazz on Mondays, and comedy on Thursdays.