Katherine MacAlister relishes a seasonal menu that boasts winning flavour fusions at a hostelry only the men seem to know about

Where on earth were all the women in Duns Tew we wondered after arriving at the packed predominantly male pub, the White Horse Inn.

All chatting, drinking and eating, they were a jovial bunch, and apparently made up of several different groups.

We heard snippets of golf and rugby chat as we wound our way through the bar, choosing to park ourselves at our table rather than compete with the scrum.

Maybe all the women were cowering in another room or trussed up in a nearby barn?

Maybe they were all dining in splendour up the road at Soho Farmhouse, or there had been a mass exodus. Either way, we were the only gals there.

Proprietor Michael Regan was equally as bemused but pleased to hear that nothing, and I mean nothing, would ever get in the way of me and my food.

Immediately soothed by a Cotswold gin and tonic served with rosemary by the friendly staff, it instantly set the scene in this quintessential English pub serving local, seasonal British food.

And we soon relaxed, falling under the White Horse’s instant charms.

The menu is changed daily but there were still 10 starters and mains to choose from and our hearts melted a little as we read through the options.

I settled for the chicken liver parfait with onion marmalade, toast and pickles (£7) which was delicious; the bread a gift of its own, the parfait just the right side of creamy and soft with a wonderful depth of flavour.

The accompanying chicory, Stilton and walnut salad (£7) was another highlight, tossed in a garlicky dressing, which accentuated all the flavours and brought it together, a trick many chefs miss but not Alex Edwards.

We were saving ourselves for the next course; the smoked haddock fish cakes with spinach and hollandaise sauce (£14.50) were screaming my name. And they were worth a shout as well; the beautifully flavoured, generous, crispy smokey fish and earthy potato framed by the smooth bitterness of the spinach and the creamy piquancy of the sauce, although sadly the sauce ran out before the fish cakes did.

The seasonal guinea fowl, celeriac, morteau sausage and fennel (£16) was another gift of a dish, the gamey taste of the bird, mixing with the vibrant cut of sausage and the gentle aniseed of the fennel accompanied by creamy celeriac; a wonderful marriage of autumnal flavours.

By this time the men had got hungry and began trooping into the dining room, braying loudly and guffawing, which meant we had to shout or move around the table to hear one another, which we did if only to discuss dessert.

I have to say I was disappointed in my vanilla panacotta because although firm and the right consistency and flavour, it lacked a suitable bedfellow.

The shortbread biscuit just wasn’t up to the job, something wet and fruity was needed.

It was like trying to eat rhubarb without custard, or fish without chips. A coulis may be predictable but it does compliment perfectly.

My friend was happy though, winning hands down with her slice of chocolate truffle and dollop of caramel – the truffle was soft and crunchy, sweet yet bitter, while the caramel could have been eaten out of a jar with a spoon.

And as I drove home I wondered whether that is why there were no women at the White Horse; perhaps the men know they are onto a good thing and were colluding to keep it their little secret.

If so, the cat is out of the bag now. Women fill your boots.

The White Horse Inn, Daisy Hill, Duns Tew, OX25 6JS
01869 340272