The Plough Shiplake

After a lengthy closure, the Plough (formerly the Plowden Arms) was rescued from its lonely furrow in 2022 when the Canadian-born owner reopened this old village hostelry following an extensive refit. The new look – parquet flooring, sofas and upholstered chairs, modern artworks, posh toilets – marries well with the dark beams and low ceilings. Readers confirm that the decor is 'stunning', as is the recently landscaped garden, complete with a firepit for summer evenings. The food (‘exciting but accessible’) also finds favour, with menus catering for most occasions – from gentrified fish and chips to a monthly ‘flight club’ where a five-course tasting menu is combined with wine pairings, cocktails and live music. The kindly priced, no-choice set lunch is a popular option, with villagers tucking into the likes of cauliflower velouté with hazelnut and apple gremolata, sea trout fillet with a cep and eel sauce, and desserts such as tonka-bean parfait. The concise seasonal carte kicks off with snacks including beetroot and horseradish arancini, though all but the ravenous might head straight for starters. Our winter lunch opened with a cigar-shaped rissole of tasty pulled oxtail, coated in a crunchy crust topped with a modicum of celeriac rémoulade and lovage emulsion. And though Parmesan masked the fungal flavour in a main course of wild mushroom risotto, the creamy rice, garden peas and fresh thyme made a comforting retreat from bitter January – as did the log fire. To finish, ‘set cream’ was a satisfyingly wobbly panna cotta matched with orange compôte and an intense chocolate ice. The kitchen also delivers when it comes to providing a stylishly traditional Sunday lunch (‘simple, not overstated, and exactly what we love,’ commented one fan), while service is polite, friendly and attentive. Drinks are a forte too, with well-chosen Old World wines (including fizz from a local vineyard) augmented by cocktails and Rebellion beers.