THE DOUBLE RED DUKE

OPEN-FIRE COOKING AND SEASONAL INGREDIENTS ARE THE FOCUS AT THIS COSY COTSWOLDS HIDEAWAY

Is there such a thing as the perfect aubergine dip? I’d say the wood-fired miso-flavoured version I’m presented with at The Double Red Duke must come pretty close. Mixed with sesame seeds, mint leaves and the silkiest of olive oils, it’s a smooth, creamy, smoky starter, just tangy enough to make my mouth tingle. If dinner was just a bottomless tub of it, I’d be quite content.

In reality, there’s plenty more to come.

I’ve eschewed the main courses and instead ordered a handful of small plates, to get a good taste of what’s on offer at this cosy 17th-century coaching inn. Here, the kitchen is headed up by Swedish chef Henrik Ritzén, formerly of fine seafood restaurant Fiskekrogen in Gothenburg.

The dishes are made from locally sourced ingredients, with most cooked over an open fire using cherry and apple wood from just down the road.

Although the aubergine dip set the bar high, the three seafood plates that follow don’t disappoint: the raw rock oysters are complemented perfectly by the juice of elderflower and dill mignonette; the scallops with parsley and garlic butter are packed full of flavour; and the tower of sponge-soft crab piled onto a rye brioche is offset beautifully by zingy pickled kohlrabi. A refreshing glass of vinho verde washes everything down nicely.

Last out is the middle white pork, which has been slow cooked overnight and is so tender it barely needs cutting. I put a bit of everything on my fork for that first bite — the pork, fennel and glazed cabbage — and smear it in a pool of the tamarind sauce. The blackened skin crackles before yielding to the softness of the loin, the combination of flavours at once sweet, tangy and deliciously comforting. Then I top off the night with a refreshing mango pavlova and a potent tequila old fashioned before tottering off to bed.

My garden-facing room comes with vintagestyle wooden furniture and is decorated with flashes of red, black and cream. The highlight is the bed — it’s spacious and comfortable, with giant, marshmallow-soft pillows that allow for a sublime night’s sleep.

In the morning, I sit at the same table by the French doors and listen to the birds in the luscious garden, while I sip coffee and daydream about a certain dip. Doubles from £160. Small plates from £7. Farida Zeynalova