The Eagle Tavern
Faringdon , Oxfordshire
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Lest anybody think it is the fate of Little Coxwell to languish in the shadow of its fully grown sibling, Great Coxwell, less than a mile away to the west, we have two words for them: the Eagle. Serving local farmworkers since Edwardian times, it has now spread its wings to embrace a more far-flung constituency, with a handful of guest rooms providing extra amenity. Marcel Nerpas heads up the kitchen, when not writing an entertaining blog on the website, and while his cooking is in the recognisable village pub style, it is distinguished by its commitment to hearty generosity. A pistachio-studded duck liver pâté comes with cardamom pear, as well as brioche, or you might begin with a fully loaded fishcake, built of cod, salmon and prawns, with celeriac rémoulade. Rabbit pie is a country dish if ever there was one, a sturdy edifice of meat and roots in crunchy pastry casing, while the vegetarian main could be homemade gnocchi with roasted squash, mushrooms and Parmesan, aromatically dressed in white truffle oil. Variously topped tarts await at the finishing line – lemon meringue, salt caramel and chocolate, tatin – or get stuck into a rice pudding with Armagnac-drenched prunes. Beers are well-kept and the wine list does its job.
