Katherine MacAlister checks out the new look Quod Brasserie after a six-week refurbishment

For those of you keener to stay in and watch Death In Paradise than venture out into the sleet and biting winds, to mention no names Mr Greedy, there are fortunately several new premises to tempt one away from one’s pipe and slippers.

Namely Quod which re-opened after a six week refurbishment programme relocating the famous bar into the centre of the room to make everything more accessible.

Why they didn’t do it years ago remains to be seen, and something owner Jeremy Mogford has even asked himself, because it looks so right, you hardly notice the change.

Beforehand, stragglers, bar flies, and anyone waiting for a table, which was most of us as you couldn’t book, had instead to squeeze into the bar up the far side creating an inevitable dovetail while the harassed bar staff tried to make up orders, serve customers and get past the maelstrom of customers busy beating each other over the head for a bar stool.

It renders Quod much more peaceful and ordered, while increasing the wow factor, which when combined with the astonishing art collection on the walls and the glass windowed façade on the High Street takes quite something.

I sound impressed and I was, but food-wise, while Quod ticks all the boxes, is has never moved me. Yes it's perfect for taking your parents out for a smart lunch (students love it but can't afford to go without mater and pater in tow to pay the bill instead having to make do with pressing their faces up against the enormous pane glass windows at the beautiful people inside)- but in terms of food, I remain largely untouched.

Not that they pretend to be catering for anyone other than the posh pizza, burger, steak, salad and fishcake crowd rather than the jus and foam brigade. And the new menu proves that they are trying with some interesting dishes on the menu including a lamb rump and kidney turbigo with roasted salsify £14.50 or the warm ham hock & lentil salad, chicory and turnip tops £12.95 while the staples remain, tweaked maybe, but the heart of what they do at Quod is entertain. Think of it as the Ivy of Oxford.

Mr Greedy however is much easier to impress- well he married me after all- so give him a good steak, some really special red wine, and a few scallops served gratineed in a shell (8.50) with some prawns thrown in for good measure, which is obviously no longer the domain of the 70s bathroom but back in fashion, and he’s a happy man.

“That was an extraordinarily good steak,” he said, finally conceding that a night out had been a good idea after all. “The chips were crispy, the béarnaise sauce really moreish, I could have drunk it from the jug, and the crisp radish salad perked it all up a bit and stopped it being too heavy.” As I said easily pleased.

I, on the other hand am harder to impress, well I married him, and while the celeraic and celery soup (£6) was creamy and earthy it didn’t stop me in my tracks like the chowder I’d experienced at Worford Organic café or The Greyhound in Letcombe Regis. It didn’t encourage me to run out in the street and haul people in or do a victory jog in the middle of the restaurant. Instead I nodded, smiled and finished it.

My biryani came with raita, toasted cashew nuts and poppadoms £11.95, another new dish to the revamped menu , which arrived with the curry sauce in a little jug, again an accomplished dish, with all the accompaniments tastefully laid on. But were there any mouthfuls which made me want to close my eyes and whimper or start doing the can-can? No, instead I wondered how it compared with my local curry house.

But then if you are coming to Quod in search of Michelin starred food then you are missing the point. Because what it does better than anywhere else is it's enduring ability to be all things to all people. Whether you are out with your children, parents, girlfriends or husband, they will all enjoy it equally, and that is it's real achievement.

Want a curry, a pizza or a steak- you can get it all under one roof at Quod, all day and night and always in the best possible taste,

And that’s what makes Quod so great and as such Quod's ability to impress remains undiluted.