USK is a little village with a big reputation for good food and one of the gems is the Three Salmons Hotel.

The hotel dates back 300 years and had a refurbishment two years ago, so the interior is a perfect mix of historic charm and modern elegance.

Arriving on a bitterly cold night, my partner and I were invited into the warm and cosy bar to look over the menu with a drink.

After much deliberation, I settled on a starter of scallops with confit chicken wings and a main of venison with beetroot fondant and dauphinoise potatoes.

My partner went for the unusual sounding crab custard with soda bread followed by monkfish with a curried mussel sauce.

My scallops were cooked to perfection and the accompanying melt-in-the-mouth chicken was full of flavour.

The crab custard had a light and creamy texture which worked superbly with the soda bread.

By the time our mains arrived, expectations were very high and we weren’t disappointed.

The venison was perfectly pink and worked well with the beetroot.

My partner’s monkfish was just as good, with a meaty flavour which stood up well to the curried mussels.

We rounded the meal off by sharing desserts of amaretto crème brulee and treacle tart served with gingerbread ice cream. Both were equally rich and delicious.

The bill came in at £68.00 so it may not be an every-day meal destination but it’s an ideal choice for a special occasion.