I f ever there was an idyllic English pub, it is The Kingham Plough. It goes quite perfectly with Kingham itself, named England’s favourite village by Country Life magazine.

The village nestles in the Evenlode Valley, between Stow-on-the-Wold and Chipping Norton, and is chocolate-box pretty. It certainly has got a lot going for it in the desirability stakes, including beautiful Cotswold cottages, two pubs, an upmarket hotel and a private school. The train station makes it easily accessible from London and elsewhere, many heading for the upmarket Daylesford Farm just a mile or so out of the village, where the well-heeled can buy organic goodies, de-stress in the ayurvedic spa and yoga studios, or eat in the restaurant.

On their way from the station, they would be missing a huge treat, however, if they did not pop into the Kingham Plough, where food and venue are in perfect synergy, and where they are likely to get a meal that is not only excellent, but also good value.

Overlooking the village green, The Plough was a traditional local until the arrival, two years ago, of a its new owner, the innovative ex-Fat Duck chef Emily Watkins, who has quickly stamped her mark on the place. She and husband Miles Lampson revamped the pub inside and out — with the addition of seven bedrooms — introduced exciting, daily-changing restaurant and bar menus, and relaunched with a new name, The Kingham Plough. The venture was praised from word go, and foodies have been beating a path there ever since.

But I had never eaten there, so was delighted when Emily invited me over to sample her brand of food and hospitality.

We were warmly greeted front of house by the laidback Andy Rainbow, who soon had us comfortably seated at a corner table in the rustic, barn-like restaurant where the late evening sunshine was trickling in through the windows and giving the whole place a comfortable glow.

The menu is short and based on the best of what is available locally and seasonally, and it can evolve throughout the day as supplies arrive. As we nibbled on the gorgeous home-made white and granary rolls and sipped our chilled wine, we debated our choices. Should it be wild Scottish salmon, leek and Jersey Royal potato terrine or home-cured pastrami with tomatoes and bearnaise sauce for starters, or maybe Oxford Blue cheese dumplings with a pear dressing and pickled walnuts.

I was won over by a starter of home-smoked duck — oh, the taste! — sitting on some griddled local asparagus and red dandelion leaves and topped with the most perfectly cooked orange-yolked egg encased in crispy golden breadcrumbs. Quite sensational.

My husband Steve had a ‘special’ — an addition to the menu based on the arrival of some super-fresh scallops that afternoon. It was a scallop mousse which, though enjoyed, he found a little bland.

Main courses included more fishy delights in the form of a smoked haddock and hake pie with mashed potatoes and spring greens, or monkfish tail with potato pancake, sea beet and wild garlic. My choice was one of my favourites, crispy ‘plantation pork belly’ which fell to pieces with just a little pressure from my fork, and, combined with a little tower of ‘pressed’ potatoes, cauliflower and spring greens, was a real hit on both the taste and presentation fronts.

Steve was equally impressed with his fillet of Hereford beef (pictured above), cooked ‘sous vide’ — in a water bath at 65.5 degrees — then browned in a hot pan, which meant it was the most perfect example of a medium rare steak eaten in a long time. Topped with a melting knob of mustard butter, it was served with moreish golden ‘triple-cooked’ chips and salad. The only disappointment was that the waitress forgot to bring us the fresh horseradish root to add extra zing to the steak. By the time we worked out what other diners were grating onto their steaks, and what Steve was missing, it was too late — he had eaten the lot! No matter.

It is worth mentioning at this point that if you don’t want a large meal, you can always opt for one of the Kingham Plough’s bar snacks. Among the appealing options were Scotched quails eggs, Cotswold rarebit and sourdough soldiers, hand-raised pork pie with ploughman’s pickle, and potted rabbit. There are lots of nibbles like olives, bread and nuts, if you just want to enjoy a drink in the bar.

We were onto puddings and, as per usual, I couldn’t cope with the full Monty. Steve, however, could, and chose a plate of little oozing apple doughnuts accompanied by spicy apple and cinnamon ice cream — just gorgeous (I had a taste!). Other options were a custard tart with poached rhubarb and rhubard sorbet or a milk chocolate and hazelnut ‘arctic roll’ with banana mousse.

I fancied some ice cream too, but couldn’t choose between the array of home-made varieties on offer, so sous chef Gareth Fulford, holding the fort in the kitchen that evening in the absence of Emily, spoiled me with a tasting plate of all six flavours — elderflower and raspberry, vanilla, dark chocolate, rice pudding, Guinness and citrus yogurt sorbet. I liked them all!

Spoiling us once more, we were persuaded to try a few of the cheeses on offer, which included several from Kingham cheesemaker Roger Crudge and from another resident of the village, Alex James, former frontman of 90s pop group Blur, who has teamed up with cheese expert Juliet Harbutt to form the Evenlode Partnership. Their Blue Monday soft, blue and creamy cowsmilk cheese was delicious, and we also nibbled on some of the ubiquitous perry-washed Stinking Bishop, made just over the borders in Gloucestershire, as well as a soft Cotswold brie called St Eadburgha.

We finished off with coffee before wending our way home, re-living what had been a great meal. I couldn’t work out how The Kingham Plough had escaped my attentions for two years, but I am now busy spreading the word of its worth to all and sundry. It was really good to see such an unpretentious, tasty, rustic menu, all dressed up in sophisticated fine dining style. Try it!

n The Kingham Plough, The Green, Kingham, Chipping Norton OX7 6YD, tel: 01608 658327