Posh nosh in England

Ants was working all weekend, so I found a B&B in Warwick and took m'self off to dinner while the boy finished work.

A decent bar will always get my vote if they don't turn a hair when you walk in, pick up a wine list and order a glass of wine and a table for one. The Keep gets full marks.

Maybe they thought I was an eccentric heiress? Certainly the service was lovely - attentive and perfectly timed. And they'd seated me in a perfect little nook opposite two angled mirrors - so I could see everything going on in the restaurant but not have to stare at visions of myself dining.

And the food! Penne with a luscious garlicky cream sauce and courgettes (I even remembered to call them courgettes!), impossibly crisp steamed veg (England doesn't typically 'do' vegetables much, crisp or otherwise!), decadent icecream and chocolate desserts, fresh herbal teas and a really scrummy wine list.

It's fair to say that the English have spent decades earning their reputation for appalling food. Greasy pub grub, kebabs that don't quite smell right, veg boiled to within an inch of its life, baked beans at breakfast. And what is it with 'salad cream'???

On my budget, I've enjoyed precious few truly memorable meals (although haggis with whisky sauce in Edinburgh, tea at The Ritz in London, and the eclectic Georgetown in Leeds experience all rate a mention). I've had many forgettable meals that cost a lot more than the £20 I parted with this night.

I'll definitely be back - and will bring friends if I can.