MY colleague declared he would like to go somewhere really nice for lunch. No scampi or sausages, rather a delectable meal that would satisfy his appetite and imagination.

"Couldn't we try The Mole Inn again?" he asked, reminding me that last time we called there we were turned away because, despite having empty tables, they had accepted their full compliment of customers for the session and wouldn't take any more.

So, with our saliva glands working overtime as we anticipated one of the chef Gary Witchalls' meals, we pointed the car in the direction of Toot Baldon, which you reach by turning left when travelling on the A4074 from Oxford, having just passed Nuneham Courtenay. It's a winding country road, which passes the Seven Stars pub at Marsh Baldon and eventually hits the Watlington Road, if you overshoot The Mole.

"They won't turn us away again, will they?" Chris asked somewhat apprehensively as he locked the car. It seemed they might. We certainly weren't welcomed with open arms.

We were told that as they had a large party in, they wouldn't be able to serve anyone else for some considerable time. This was our lunch hour. We didn't have that much time, but as we had been through all this once before, ending up in Garsington with a sandwich, we managed to convince them we should be fed. We offered to order right away if that would help. It seemed that was not possible. "The chef's going to scream at me if I take in any other orders," she said in a hostile sort of panic that suggested we should just sit down and shut up until it was our turn.

Ironically, on The Mole's website it states very clearly that they do not accept large party bookings, yet the day we called, a party of 17 was given priority over a casual table for two.

So we waited, warmed by a glass or Rioja, which was indeed very comforting.

As Chris remarked as we looked around, this is a really lovely pub. It's rough-hewn beams, wooded floor, roaring fire and that warm buzz that some places get when they are popular epitomised everything positive about eating out in 2008. It was good to see that it's a child-friendly place too. One child on the table next to us was offered a cushion to bring her up to the height of table, another was being treated as if she was a grown-up ordering a very important meal. That was all positive, but the way we were treated initially was less than perfect.

It was as if the pub was becoming a victim of its own success. I've seen it happen before. An establishment reaches a certain peak, then doesn't seem to cope any more.

I'm not saying that The Mole Inn is a lost cause, far from it. However, I do think that they should take a hard look at the way they treat customers who call shortly after 12pm with great expectations, only to have them dashed almost immediately they walk through the door.

It was decided by the waitress that if we wanted food, it would be best to order from the a la carte menu as this was cooked by a different chef from the one on main lunches. This meant we were unable to order the home-made steak burger served in a soft flour bap with frites and salad (£8.95) or the char-grilled steak sour dough, Dijon, onion, frites and salad (£8.95), the mature cheddar, smoked bacon plus tomato panini, with frites and salad also £8.95, or the fish and chips, tartar sauce with red pepper relish at £9.95, all of which are listed on the lunch menu.

Instead we ordered sea bass, served with mussels (£15.95) and natural smoked haddock, served on a bed of mashed potatoes with poached egg and spinach (£13.95). Both meals were simply delicious. A real treat actually. We finished our meal with double espressos at £2.90 each.