White Swan at Fence

Located in a quiet Lancashire village within easy reach of the M65, this old-fashioned pub is now home to some highly contemporary cooking. Chef Tom Parker (a new face on BBC2’s Great British Menu) shows his pedigree with cooking that melds complexity and high-end technique with an ability to please your average punter. A jokey starter involving a stuffed jacket-potato skin with Lancashire cheese, chives, pickle and herring roe might line up alongside steak tartare with sticky ox tongue, mustard and shallots, while mains offer intricate plates ranging from Yorkshire wood pigeon with Indian spices, liquorice, carrots and kale to Whitby cod accompanied by San Marzano tomato jam, leeks and red prawn. For dessert, Valrhona chocolate soufflé is given an exotic twist with passion fruit and yuzu. Handpumps advertising well-kept Timothy Taylor beers stand proud on the curved wooden bar alongside Kilner jars containing home-infused gins and rums, as well as some interesting wines.