MARION SAUVEBOIS gets a taste of a former celeb hang-out

The Swan, Southrop, Gloucestershire GL7 3NU

Tel: 01367 850205 theswanatsouthrop.co.uk

SNUGGLED in the sleepy village of Southrop, it is nearly impossible to imagine The Swan once held court to the capital’s glitterati.

Turning off a narrow country lane onto a maze of conspicuously deserted streets, the armies of shutterbugs at one time lining the rows of cottages to catch a glimpse of Kate Moss polishing off a crème brûlée were well and truly gone.

And yet until three years ago, the supermodel and a host of household names like Take That’s Gary Barlow and Jason Donovan graced its bar and chocolate-box dining room.

While this lent the Cotswold pub a certain mystique – not every establishment in the vicinity of Swindon can boast such a catalogue of diners - I could not help but wonder what may have caused a horde of famous patrons to suddenly depart never to return.

The loss of its chef Sebastian Snow and a few managerial changes can go a long way to explaining this sudden fall from favour I expect.

And yet I had been assured that the food was as delectable as it ever was. So when I was invited to see it for myself, I was more than happy to oblige.

A charming cross between a homey rustic cottage and hunting lodge, the restaurant was in every way the idyllic country retreat. The rather scarce clientele meant that from the moment we took our rather cosy seats, we had the full and undivided attention of our lovely waitresses. A basket of homemade crusty focaccia accompanied by olive oil and balsamic vinegar was swiftly conjured and we were soon in deep concentration perusing the extensive menu.

In preparation for this difficult exercise I had already spent a good 15 minutes examining The Swan’s offerings from the comfort of my desk at the office. I knew just what I would order – a Scotch egg. By the time our waitress returned to take our orders, I had gone back to the drawing board and let myself be tempted by the Cornish mackerel, miso, peashoots, sesame and cucumber (£7.50). The delicate fillets of mackerel certainly did not disappoint. Packed with a surprising blend of flavours, they were perfectly rounded off with a final burst of sesame with each bite.

My partner opted for the intriguing Pata Negra reservé, manchego, watercress with Pedro Ximenez (£12.50). This turned out to be a generous serving of mouth-watering cured ham.

The plats de resistance were chargrilled sirloin steak au poivre for my dining companion (£26.50) and the baked Southrop Manor goose egg, cassoulet and sourdough (£16.50) for me. My pre-dinner perusal had born fruit this time and I stuck to my guns on this one.

The sheer size of the cassoulet placed in front of me complete with what seemed like foot-long slices of crispy sourdough, knocked the wind out of me for a few second – which is a rare occurrence.

A enormous goose egg (delightfully gooey) was draped over an expanse of Toulouse sausages, delicate chunks of duck and broad beans, all slathered in tomato sauce with subtle hints of paprika. As moreish as the dish was, after 30 minutes I had to admit defeat and leave a good third of the beans and a few morsels of sausage untouched.

On the other side of the table, there was no talk of leaving a single crumb behind (and frankly very little talk in general so absorbed was he in his plate).

Although dessert seemed quite unthinkable, the temptation of a passion fruit crème caramel and coconut tuile (£7) was just too strong to resist. Having convinced my other half to share, we proceeded with care with the delicate sweet. The first fresh burst of passion fruit led me to reconsider our little arrangement and revise the sharing up to a more sensible 70-30%.

Kate Moss and her posse may have once ruled The Swan's dining room but we certainly felt like the restaurant’s new VIPs when we eventually made our way (rather haphazardly given the lack of lampposts) to the car in the pitch darkness.

They know not what they are missing.

The Swan is located in Southrop, GL7 3NU. To make a reservation call 01367 850205. Alternatively visit www.theswanatsouthrop.co.uk