Mermaid Steet, Rye
01797 223065

Open daily, noon-2.30pm and 17pm-9.30pm

Review: November 11, 2005

Nestled in the sleepy village of Rye, The Mermaid Inn is a seemly reminder of just how good a pub can be.

Dating from 1156, the building is packed with tiny traces of history - such as a smugglers' escape route hidden in the pub's stone-clad fireplace and its low-slung beams, carved out of ancient ships' timbers.

Owners Robert Pinwill and Judith Blincow, who were both born in Rye, pride themselves on the way their pub is the heart of the village and a second home to some residents.

"We're a traditional pub, yet we have a really high standard,"says Georgina George, pub manager and daughter to Robert.

While the charm of the place attracts new faces through its doors, the award-winning menu means many become regulars.

With dishes on the set menu such as baked monkfish, served on curly kale with cumin and mussel sauce or smoked quail salad with lime and chilli (£37.50 for four courses), the food is an interesting mix of contemporary British and French. There is also an inventive vegetarian set menu, with dishes such as poached pear with saffron, Roquefort and balsamic dressing.

A la carte, starters include lobster bisque (£6.50) and mains lemon and parsley Dover sole with saute potatoes (£23.50).

With eight four-poster bedrooms and a Tudor reception room, the inn plays host to numerous couples and newly-weds - as well as the odd celebrity, such as Johnny Depp and Piers Brosnan.

A place of true comfort and escape for all its visitors.

Review by Hester Phillips

• If you are interested in restaurants in Brighton, Hove and Sussex, visit www.theargusfoodguide.co.uk