Cosy crown affair

Thames Ditton is a name that fairly rolls off the tongue and one that conjures up idyllic pictures torn from Three Men In A Boat. Once there were two gnarled old pubs here: the Swan on one side of the narrow thoroughfare and The Crown on the other.

Then in 2003 the gastropub revolution reached this leafy suburb and The Crown got a makeover. The modernised inn sign retains the date 1925 and when you go inside there are still enough original features for it to be convincing - cosy arts-and-crafty fireplaces and a panelled ceiling - but the new look is standard gastropub - on one side sofas by the fire plus bar stools and 'the restaurant' on the other.

The Crown has a small and busy open kitchen and friendly staff. Even midweek it is jammed. The locals have little else to turn to, but despite a menu that is steady rather than inspired, The Crown is very busy and booking a table ahead of time is prudent. The short menu changes daily but starters might include a spiced parsnip-and-lentil soup, decent enough gravadlax, spiced vegetable parcels with mint raita, a baked buffalo mozzarella, Serrano and roast tomato salad (it's a moot point whether the baking improved the mozzarella as it loses some of its milky freshness), or a smoked chicken tabbouleh - interesting but a bit short on the parsley.

Mains are from gastropub central casting. Lamb shank comes with root vegetables, a roast chicken breast comes with a Tuscan bean stew, there's haddock and chips. An accurately cooked chilli, lime and garlic-seared sirloin comes with chips (and a rather good banana chutney) but the chips have spent time in oil that has seen better days, and you expect quite a lot from a £13.75 main course, particularly in a gastropub. Puds range from apricot Bakewell tart to a treacle and chocolate cake with caramel sauce - nice cake but maybe not as soggy as a true pudding addict would wish.

The wine list is priced unaggressively, Timothy Taylor's Landlord bitter is well conditioned and even when busy the staff couldn't be more helpful. The Crown is a pleasant place to eat, so it's no wonder the residents of Thames Ditton flock there in such numbers.

The Crown
Summer Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey, KT7 0QQ