pleasing distraction. It is easy to forget you are just 50 yards off the busy A10, midway between Cambridge and Ely, with easy access from both.

Beyond the distinct bar area, this is primarily a restaurant, with lots of homely wood and comfy seating reflecting the style of the food. The atmosphere was friendly, relaxed and informal, and other diners were truly eclectic, from a mixed-age group celebrating a birthday through to young businessmen in for a quick lunch. Those preferring the outdoors are well catered for with a café-style seating area and a collection of benches dotted around on the grass one tier down. Particularly welcome for families will be the well-equipped and well-fenced play area and parents can even keep an eye from inside if they get one of the window tables.

The menu has broad appeal with numerous popular dishes including burger and chips, steak and ale pie, and a range of pastas - nothing too clever, complicated or unfamiliar and this could be the reason for the success of this restaurant. If you come in a party, most people should find something to please. At the top of the price range are the steaks which can be served with a choice of sauces. The rump was tender and came rare as ordered (not something you can take for granted), and accompanied by a generous supply of stilton sauce. The sliced chicken breast was succulent and came topped with chopped bacon and mushroom in sauce, on a bed of pasta.

Instead of a menu for puddings, you stroll along to the cool counter where a wide choice of chilled desserts was on display - chocolate and fruit flavours featuring strongly. There were also hot puddings such as crumbles and pies available. With such filling main courses, however, the generous portion of mandarin mousse was a refreshing and light finish to lunch. For those seeking a quick meal there are baguettes and sandwiches, as well as jacket potatoes, and a choice of real ales on tap to help them down, or the truly local cider.

If you happen to overeat, there is a pleasant river bank to walk it off and eye up the boats, dreaming of aquatic outings on lazy summer days.

The Lazy Otter is a good all-rounder, somewhere to take your aunt, your children, or have an office outing. If you fancy getting away from the urban grind, this makes a reasonably priced and pleasant retreat for all ages.