Review of an afternoon lunch at The Oaks in Highcliffe

My colleague Matt and I were invited to try the new winter menu throughout March from the Heartwood Inns collection.

As we walked in, we were greeted by a warm and friendly atmosphere which set the meal off to a great start.

As we sat down, we were offered bread and dips, a personal favourite of the three dips to choose from had to be the red pepper tapenade for its rich taste.

Although they sounded delicious, we decided to skip the starters and go straight to the mouth-watering mains on offer.

I had the classic steak frites which came with garlic and herb butter, crispy chips and green salad.

My colleague indulged in the pork escalope served with crème fraiche and chive potatoes, brown butter, and caper sauce with French beans.

The friendly staff double-checked everything was okay with a smile on their face each time.

For desserts, I had the blackcurrant mousse which was served with poached blackcurrants, I like a fruity dessert so this was more than ideal.

Matt chose the chocolate and walnut sponge with vanilla crème anglaise and spiced hazelnuts which he thoroughly enjoyed.

I tend to go for evening meals which require more food but a midday meal of this size was perfect.

I think a highlight of the visit for me would have to be the decoration of the pub.

I particularly enjoyed the walk to the bathroom that showcased an array of different dogs, framed on the wall for customers to view.

This menu offered a variety of choices for all different types of foodies.

Each month, the menu changes and we thought that was a great touch.

As we were leaving, we were waved goodbye by the attentive staff and walked away feeling cheerful.

Overall, we were both very satisfied with both the meal and the attentive staff on hand, we will definitely be returning in the future.

Served Monday to Friday from 12pm to 5pm, you can enjoy two courses for £18.50 and three courses for £23.50.