MY wife, Feona, and I were travelling back from the Calne Christmas Lights switch-on when she suddenly announced "I'm hungry".
Speeding homewards along the A3102, in the pitch dark, I panicked slightly. I knew there wasn't much choice for a place to stop.
Then, we saw the welcoming lights of The Westbrook at Bromham ahead, and I said "what about that place".
So we stopped, parked up in front and went inside. And I'm so glad we did.
The Westbrook is a charming country pub on the edge of Spye Park estate and is run by Kevin and Louise Fraser The Westbrook.
We were shown to a table and I ordered drinks - a pint of Bath Ales Gem (£4.10) for me and a pint of lime and soda (£2.95) for Fee, while we settled down to peruse the menu and warm up.
Feona decided to go for the Garlic King Prawns (£7.99) for her starter, while I chose a duck parfait (£6.99) served with warm crusty bread.
I have to say the parfait was one of the most delicious starters I have ever tasted, with a lovely smooth pate, accompanied by a fruity chutney and salad garnish.
My only criticism is that I would preferred the butter served softer in a small pot rather than pre-packed.
Feona's Garlic King Prawns were served with garlic butter, a salad garnish, bread and an alioli dip. Her verdict was the starter was "exquisitely tasty", nicely cooked and the salad fresh, with peppers and tomatoes.
For the main course, I went for a seasonal dish called Santa's Little Helper (£18.99), which consisted of a pie in short crust pastry filled with British venison dry cured bacon, cooked in a rich mushroom, green lentil and a red wine sauce, and served on a bed of mashed potatoes with peas and gravy.
Feona was ravenous and decided to go for the 22oz Mixed Grill (£24.99) comprising a sirloin steak, gammon steak, lamb cutlet, chicken breast, sausage, belly pork and black pudding and an egg.
My pie was delicious, with a lovely creamy potato mash, while Fee's meal found her eyes too big for her belly, as she was unable to eat it all.
She said: "There was lovely selection of meats, all beautifully cooked. There was just too much to eat but the food was beautifully presented and delicious."
We ended the meal with a liqueur coffee with Tia Maria (£5.99) and a Lindt chocolate for Feona, and an apple crumble with custard (£6.99) for me.
The crumble was made with apple, sultanas and cinnamon, while the custard was warm, not piping hot as sometimes served.
The Westbrook is situated on the Melksham to Calne Road, just one minute from the Devizes to Chippenham Road. As such, its catchment area includes Calne, Chippenham, Devizes and Melksham, all within easy reach.
I thought the food was good value for money and the price very reasonable; our total bill for the meal came to £78.95. I was impressed with the food, the recently-refurbished decor, the warm welcome and the excellent service.
John Baker
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