If you're not a local,it's worth travelling to this inviting cottage,with its comfortable dining room and white-clothed tables to enjoy Stephen Mercer's cooking,delivered with a fierce desire to delight and keep lifting standards. Some dishes remain at regulars'insistence,such as the Malaysian dancing prawns entree:five juicy offerings in a hot mayonnaise,with spicy eggplant crisps. Classic techniques are on show in main courses,typically meats done two ways. A crunchy,duck-and-mushroom cigar might accompany a slow-cooked breast with fig. Similarly,a rich chicken confit in duck fat complements a Milawa breast that's lifted by a crusty farce of mushrooms and truffles. The cooking is experienced and assured,flavours harmonising like a choir. No wonder,then,that desserts deliver:a large friand of berries might be accompanied by flavours of burnt butter,strawberries and pistachio. Ute Mercer leads friendly front-of-house service:this husband and wife are clearly still on song.