THE mysterious 'orange gel' is the first thing that catches our eye.

Presumably it's made from the fruit, but the pairing with chicken liver parfait and the equally mysterious 'parkin toast' makes it so enigmatic.

For a pub that used to serve its leftover bits of Sunday Roast crackling in a tray on the bar, the Greyhound has come a long way.

The old Greyhound actually closed its doors in January 2012 and the pub for a long time looked as though it may be lost.

Current owners Martyn Reed and Catriona Galbraith bought it in 2014, carrying out a major revamp.

They poached manager Lidia Dhorne and award-winning head chef Phil Currie from the highly-regarded Killingworth Castle in Woodstock.

So it is that as we cross the threshold into the world of orange gel and parkin toast, we are ready to be impressed.

We are not disappointed.

For my starter I go for the salted pollock mousse, roast celeriac, crispy squid, pickled lemon and watercress (£7) and it could not be finer: chop off bits of the honey-sweet and soft celeriac, dip them in the fish paste and top off with some green leaves and your bouche will be instantly amused.

I'm equally impressed with my main – sea-reared trout, grilled prawns, Pernod glazed carrot, charred broccoli, langoustine bisque and blood orange (£17.50).

When it arrives it looks like two bits of grilled fish on some boiled veg, but that bisque – beautiful! The sparkling sweetness with a little tart from the blood orange makes the fish bounce around, and the Pernod glaze works wonders on the tap roots.

My dining companion even let me try a bit of his twice-baked cheddar souffle, and I can confirm it's no half-baked idea.

Overall, enjoyed in the refined surroundings of the 18th century oak beams, I can recommend no finer place to take luncheon.

I didn't even miss the pork crackling on the bar.

The Greyhound Inn, Main Street, Letcombe Regis, Wantage, OX12 9JL. 01235 771969.