The Hand & Flowers

It may bear the name of a pub, but the Hand and Flowers is very much the template for an ideal modern restaurant. On the outskirts of Marlow, the whitewashed exterior opens into a clean-lined rustic-chic setting with the textures of black timbers, flagstone and wooden floors, chunky wooden tables, leather banquettes, and bare red-brick walls set against a neutral colour scheme. Tom and Beth Kerridge run the place with a pleasing lack of formality or pretention and a serious commitment to food - after all, anything less just won't cut the mustard in a centre of high-achieving culinary excellence such as Marlow. Chef-patron Tom Kerridge's CV shows a past spent in pedigree kitchens, and it is clear from what arrives on the plate that he has the experience and confidence to deliver simple, yet sophisticated food without resorting to gimmickry. Underpinning it all is carefully-sourced produce, finely-honed classical French technique, and a strong vein of creative flair, as seen in starters that use warm stout and brown bread to put a new spin on moules marinières, or deploy unusual ingredients such as pickled rhubarb and chickweed to accompany crispy pig's head and pancetta. Main courses sometimes plough a hearty furrow, serving slow-cooked duck breast with Savoy cabbage, duck fat chips and gravy, or are as imaginative as cod with artichoke purée, smoked roe, hazelnuts and golden raisins.