Oddfellows

The imposing Georgian façade of this townhouse hotel conceals a host of multifarious goings-on. A smart mix of antique and modern furniture has transformed the old servants' quarters into four boutique bedrooms, while pre-dinner drinks can be taken amid padded cream leather in what is affectionately known as the 'padded cell', or in the heated 'bedouin tent' that surround the back courtyard. When we visited, the restaurant was in a rear extension, but by the time you read this, it will have floated up a floor. Amid such thought-provoking stuff, the cooking may well strike you as distinctly down-to-earth, but there is real skill in its execution and pedigree in the materials used. A starter plate of charcuterie and warm Cheshire brie should demonstrate that, while mains run from cod cobbler under a cheese glaze with buttery champ, to slow-cooked pork belly with braised red cabbage and caramelised apple in grain mustard sauce. A deft version of tarte Tatin with Calvados caramel might round things off, before you repair to your tent for a digestif.