I do. He's not there.

"He wasn't Australian but he was mad. We've got a new chef now," laughs Ilena Basedow, manager of this Marston's pub. "But I'm Australian."

And is she mad?

"I don't think so," she adds.

Last time we visited this pub five years ago it was called simply the Trout Inn and was under different ownership. I had the best ham hock I have ever eaten.

What do you think? Post your comments below.

So on previous form the omens looked good.

First impressions of the pub are a long bar with a restaurant section at the far end down a step or two. On the other end of the pub are a couple of snugs with lots of leather bucket seats.

The restaurant has well scrubbed wooden tables, each with fresh red carnations, and banquette seating and a wood burning stove which, on a chilly night, is unlit.

"You might be warmer here," says our waitress, indicating the bar area.

"Yes but we'll be nearer the speakers," we say. The sound system is blaring out Oasis at the level preferred by teenage bar staff rather than 50-plus diners (of which there are quite a few on our night).

There are three menus: a specials board offering dips and pie of the day (beef and vegetables), a laminated one with fish and chips, pasta steaks and a printed sheet which looks the business.

It's the first time in many years that I've seen tournedos Rossini on the menu, let alone a pub, and they also offer Dover sole simply grilled with lemon butter. I reckon there's a hotel chef in the kitchen.

There is. He's Gavin Bradbury, aged 29, who trained at Castle College, Sheffield, and then cooked his way around a series of hotels before coming home to Brimington.

Being in a pub called the Trout I could not help having the trout fillet starter (£6.95) which might well be thought to be overpriced but is simply fried, tastes absolutely fresh and comes with two slices of rustic bread and butter.

The pub is down the road from the local trout farm but the fish doesn't come from there.

My wife's battered calamari (£5.95) comes from even further away. We love the light, crisp, frilly batter but the flesh within ranges from soft to rubbery. Still, not bad.

The printed men also offers beef stew with parsley dumpling, peppers stuffed with goats cheese risotto and veggie lasagne.

We opt for rack of lamb (£18.95) and breast of chicken in a white wine sauce (£9.95).

The lamb, properly pink, is gorgeous. Cooking has been well timed, the meat rested and the meat is tender and full of flavour. A red wine sauce has been sweetened with redcurrant jelly. What a joy.

What a shame, then, to serve it up, plated, with vegetables that have been hanging around for a bit and come almost cold, apart from the boiled potatoes. Although I do get a bonus in the shape of lovely, properly caramelised shallots.

My wife's chicken is also well up to the mark.