management's professionalism and responsibility. But flair is also in evidence here, in the design and execution of meals that are both highly imaginative and gratifyingly filling.

Ordering from the table d'hôte menu, we chose salmon tartare and avocado mousse with shisho cress and ginger infusion; this was stylishly presented and offered a beguiling variety of textures and flavours, and, indeed, colours. The very substantial char-grilled rib-eye steak was superb, blackened on the outside and meltingly rare within, while the accompanying crushed garlic root vegetables, glazed red wine baby onions and vanilla balsamic jus had just enough piquancy to hold all the flavours together.

RAF memorabilia in the bar hark back to the building's previous use (until the 1960s) as an officers' house, serving the nearby Duxford Air Base; visitors during this period included Bing Crosby and Winston Churchill. Now understatement is the restaurant's watchword: the lighting subdued, the tables decorated by a single candle and a small bouquet of flowers, classical music playing softly, the staff pleasant and attentive without approaching intrusiveness. The result of this is to focus attention on the food, which richly deserves it, and two complimentary courses conveyed a sense of generosity and value for money. Appetisers included excellent olives and an inventive turkey satay. A choice of freshly-baked breads accompanied the amuse-bouche, which came with the compliments of the "chief", as the waitress endearingly put it. This was an unusual combination of couscous and smoked duck, but any scepticism vanished with the first mouthful.