Ye Olde Swan, Woughton on the Green

Ye Olde Swan, Woughton on the Green

SOME warnings before you visit The Swan: mind your head (the beams are low), don’t wear tight clothes (you will eat a lot) and leave plenty of time (you won’t want to leave).

My friend and I were escorted into a cosy corner of the rustic village pub. Sat next to a roaring fire and listening to David Bowie, we pored over the vast menu as we tucked into some bread.

But this is The Swan, and this wasn’t just bread, but a ‘rustic bread box with arabesque olive oil and Egyptian dukkah’ (£3.95).

Next up was a scotch egg (our second starter – but is there a limit on the number of starters you’re allowed?) Again, this was not any old scotch egg. The Swan’s classy take on the classic snack was to use spiced wild boar meat and a softboiled duck egg, served with salad and tikka cream (£5.20).

Though my friend started off by saying she was ‘freaked out’ by this unusual combination, it didn’t stop her polishing off her large half.

Since The Swan has its own smoker, I felt compelled to try their hickory smoked chicken.

This came with Telggio cheese, crushed sweet potato and bacon, balanced in a tower like Jenga (£11.80).

My friend then dug into a mammoth fish pie with black bomber cheddar mash (£12.95).

We were unable to eat another bite – until we saw the dessert menu.

‘Would you like to share one?’ suggested the waitress.

‘No I want a whole one’ said my friend.

Spoilt for choice with the variety of desserts (she eventually went for baked Alaska, I chose the Chardonnay jelly and sweet shortbread, both with seasonal berries), we had the perfect end to the evening – and the perfect excuse to go back.