A FORMER 17th century pub in Abingdon offers a fine dining experience for a reasonable price.

The Crown and Thistle, situated in a large building in the centre of the town, has a classically styled interior.

Tables spread across the eating area’s main room are adorned with roses and the establishment’s overall look is stylish minimalism.

The pub’s menu is exactly the size it should be, offering enough choice without being overwhelming and providing a few unique options to tantalise the more adventurous diner.

To start I opted for the saltimbocca Scotch egg (£7), a soft-boiled egg encased in a shell of sage, prosciutto and sausagemeat and doused in hollandaise sauce.

The blend of flavours created a taste explosion, with the richness of the meat and yolk counterbalancing one another beautifully.

With a Scotch egg – at least, with a fancy Scotch egg – the key is in the cooking of the egg. On this occasion the yolk was a perfect gold, oozing just the right amount when sliced through the centre.

Dining with me, Zoë started her meal with gambas pil pil (£7.50) - sautéed king prawns, garlic, chilli, white wine, tomato sauce and puccia bread. A vibrant red dish, the prawns were another delight which made me optimistic for the main course.

I ordered a Milano forte (£11), one of the Crown and Thistle’s wood fired pizzas, featuring nduja sausage, Milano salami, chilli, garlic, arrabbiata sauce and mozzarella.

The pizza had a great rustic look about it and the spiciness of the sausage and chilli excited the palate while the consistency of the wood fired base gave the meal a nice bite.

Zoë decided to go for a pizza too, but opted to ‘make her own’, which is encouraged by the menu. Diners can select from four price sets of ingredients, with items like hot smoked salmon at the expensive end and toppings like olives at the cheaper side.

She constructed her pizza with a marinara base and added chorizo, nduja sausage and grilled peppers (£11.50).

On my visit the atmosphere was somewhat quiet, but it was a Monday evening so I can forgive it that.

The food on offer was well judged, sometimes fancy, but never over-the-top, and grounded by popular choices like pizza with a classy twist.

While the prices are steep for pub grub, the Crown and Thistle clearly offers something more than what we traditionally class in that area, and therefore earns its slightly higher price tag. And, though on the more expensive side, the dishes are by no means extortionate, leaving the eatery well within a weekend treat price range.

I would recommend the Crown and Thistle for anybody looking for a nice evening out with delicious and sophisticated food at a decent cost.