The Peacock at Rowsley

Owned by Lord Edward Manners, and restyled by Parisian design guru India Mahdavi, The Peacock spreads its lustrous tail-feathers amid the rugged austerity of the Peak District. The interfacing of 17th century stolidity and modern style lends the interiors a classy dash, not least in the bar, where the rough-stone walls and log fire are offset by a sleek, marble-topped counter, and the prevailing juxtaposition of aubergine and leafy-green in the furnishings offers more visual stimulation than today's ubiquitous beige and coffee hues tend to. In the restaurant, tables set with gleaming glasses but not cloths look out over the gardens, and the mood is one of relaxing civility. Dan Smith is a confirmed localist, inveigling black pudding, beef, fresh produce and Cropwell Bishop Stilton from the environs onto menus that have a distinct undercurrent of populism (beer-battered haddock and chips, venison faggots, neeps and tatties in onion gravy, apple and rhubarb crumble with ginger custard on Sundays) beneath the more obviously contemporary flourishes. That latter tendency sees a partnering of pork cheek and black pudding with parmesan polenta, accompanied by pineapple and chicory, for starters, and a possible follow-up of spiced monkfish in coconut and mussel sauce with lentils, carrots and squash, or duck breast and liver with quinoa, turnip, rhubarb and gingerbread crumbs. Desserts tend to the lighter end of the spectrum - perhaps fromage frais mousse with pink peppercorn meringue and mint oil - but aren't above indulging the constituency that will always fall for a wodge of warm chocolate cake with peanut shortbread and caramel, accompanied by a sorbet flavoured with breakfast cereal and milk. The savoury option could be a properly melting serving of Vacherin Mont d'Or with an Eccles cake, medjool dates, apple and brazils.