Not long after a Michelin-recognised pub closed its doors in April, new owners swooped in to save it from permanent closure.

The White Oak in Cookham is now part of the Brucan Pubs group, who have five pubs across Windsor, Woking, Finchampstead, Witley and Cookham.

On first entering the pub, you are greeted with the same interior and style - with cosy lighting and an airy dining area complete with a mixture of tables and booths.

With the new owners wanting to quickly get the pub back open, little has been changed, but they have begun talks of a future refurbishment.

Having been invited down to try the new offering, I was impressed at the selection of food and the attentiveness of the waiters to dietary requirements. We also heard about how the White Oak responsibility sources its produce from local suppliers.

The menu has a selection of vegetarian dishes and meat - and a large offering of fish.

Before deciding on our order, we chose to get Beef shin pasties, with mustard mayo (£9). While smaller than expected, the pasties cannot be missed and were very moreish with the sauce.

I washed my pasties down with a Pornstar Martini (£8), beautifully presented, it hit the spot.

For my starter, I ordered asparagus and crispy hens egg which was lovely and light and cooked perfectly (£12.50). The egg had a runny yolk that was great with the asparagus.

Slow-cooked lamb shoulder, sweetbreads, rigatoni, broad beans and mint (£23) made for a fantastic main course, with the meat melting in the mouth. I ordered the dish not quite knowing what to expect but was blown away by the flavours.

My dining partner had the Roast Suffolk chicken, crispy potato, grilled gem, peas and bacon, dripping hollandaise (£22.5) and said the portion size was generous and the hollandaise sauce was a delicious accompaniment.

For dessert, I had the Sticky toffee pudding, clotted cream with butterscotch (£9.5) and ice cream, which was incredibly sweet and indulgent.

The table also ordered Vanilla cheesecake with black cherries, which looked pretty in a dainty dish. The creamy cheesecake and sharp cherries made for a refreshing end.

We left the restaurant impressed at the food and service, in which Struan was a fantastic host.
We were told that while the former staff were offered to stay on, many chose to leave.

Fresh faces have since taken on the various positions, and appear to be quickly learning the ropes - providing attentive, kind and patient service to all who attend.

Overall I would definitely recommend visiting The White Oak - especially if you were a fan of the former establishment.

For those on a budget, set lunch menus are available for £27 for two courses and £32 for three courses.

As more and more pubs face difficulties across the country, it is more important than ever to give your support to local and independent businesses.