On one of the most glorious days of the year, I could have thought of worse places to be than meandering through the rural outskirts of Maidenhead.

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the town, deep into the depths of Berkshire, The Royal Oak at Paley Street has nevertheless earned itself a glowing reputation.

Warmly greeted at the door, I was taken with the charming rustic interior of the pub; a local newspaper strewn on a small wooden coffee table to my right, it was clear this place really is a favourite with locals as I had suspected, as well as drawing in punters from hundreds of miles away who make the long trip just to sample some of the renowned cuisine.

Taking a seat in the restaurant, I enjoyed the quirky and eclectic display of artwork adorning the walls, a splash of unique personality you often don't see anywhere but the menu when dining out.

Both ravenously hungry, my lunch companion and I both picked the famous Scotch egg to start.

Crispy and golden on the outside with a delicious quail egg on the inside, it was everything it was cracked up to be.

Rather than satiate my hunger, it just meant I couldn't wait to get stuck into my starter of venison carpaccio, with smoked celeriac remoulade, truffle crème fraîche and pistachio.

Beautifully delicate, my guest and I remarked on how light our meals were (with her enjoying pig's head, ham hock and foie gras terrine with sauce gribiche), despite both having opted for what we presumed were heavier choices, given that our dishes were red meat-based.

My main was truly exquisite: Creedy Carver duck breast, bubble and squeak, wild mushrooms and jus with a side of jersey royals with seaweed butter.

The duck was cooked slightly pink in the middle while the skin was delightfully crispy and honestly, it was one of the best cuts I've ever had.

My companion's offering of line caught cod, salsify, garlic crumb, sea vegetables and red wine sauce (with a side of chips and truffle mayonnaise... carbs we just couldn't say no to) had the perfect tangy saltiness that makes you imagine the fish has just leapt out of the sea mere moments before.

We were too full to even contemplate dessert and it almost felt a shame to take away from the pièce de résistance, though if our first two courses were anything to go by, pudding would have been heavenly I'm sure!

One of the things I loved the most, was how genuine and friendly proprietor Nick Parkinson is; rather than talk up the restaurant (which let's be honest, given it's lofty Michelin star isn't something he really needs to do), apart from wanting to make sure we'd enjoyed our food, he was more concerned with letting us know all about an upcoming charity fashion show and luncheon for Alexander Devine Children's Hospice Service - of which he is a patron.

Humbleness is such a lovely thing and given The Royal Oak's high standing, he has every right to want to shout it from the rooftops.

But the food speaks for itself and the lovely owners are reason enough to head down, if for some reason the temptation of delicious grub isn't!

On May 10, Coco Windsor will showcase their spring and summer collection at The Royal Oak, with designs from Missoni, Moschino, Hale Bob, Twinset, Patrizia Pepe, Chiara Boni, Diane Von Furstenburg, Norma Kamali and Joseph.

The afternoon begins at midday with a glass of fizz and canapés, with the show to start at 2.30pm. Guests will then be able to tuck into a two course lunch at 1.30pm.

Part of the proceeds from the ticket sales will be donated to the charity to help it open its hospice at Woodlands Park later this year.

Tickets are £40 per person.

For more information visit www.theroyaloakpaleystreet.com/news

  • The Royal Oak Paley Street is at Littlefield Green, near Maidenhead, SL6 3JN
  • For reservations, call 01628 620541