Situated on the outskirts of Dorchester-on-Thames, a short fifteen minute drive from the centre of Oxford, The Chequers at Burcot is the kind of pub worth travelling to, focusing on contemporary British food provided in a relaxed yet upmarket locale. The menu keeps things simple, offering some well-established pub classics. But the quality of the food served is outstanding.

For starters, my partner and I went with the ultimate smoked haddock fishcake and Steve's Scotch Egg (the Steve of the name being Steven Sanderson, chef-owner of the Chequers). Upon ordering the waiter stressed that, while the two dishes looked similar, they were different. And they were scrumptious, the egg in the middle of each Scotch Egg cooked just right so that it could retain a healthy yolk. There is a fun spectacle to cutting the fish cake open and finding the egg inside, and the flavour of each was spot-on. It was an early indication that The Chequers cooks food which tastes heavenly.

On to the mains and a choice of rump steak, triple cooked chips and seasonal greens for my partner, while I went for the pork belly, which came with mash, greens, and crackling. And oh my, what delicious mains they were. My partner's steak was cooked perfectly, so much so that she took a picture of the inside to make a note of how to cook her steak in the future. Her chips were huge and the greens were plentiful, and everything tasted outstanding. The only comment my partner had was that she felt the steaks should have come with sides included (they are costed separately). But this is a minor quibble for such a delicious meal.

My main was equally good, a perfect demonstration of the generous portion sizes at The Chequers. The pork belly was huge and filling, whilst also tasting great, with the right balance of meat to fat. It was accompanied by a giant portion of mash and a fabulous amount of pork crackling. This was the best pork belly I've had, and I'd be very tempted to have it again on a second visit to The Chequers.

Mightily stuffed by our starters and mains, my wife and I decided against puddings. This was a shame, as they included such delicious prospects as cinnamon doughnuts, lemon and lime posset, and vanilla crème brûlée. Yet another reason to go back to The Chequers. A third is that the staff are polite, friendly, and good humoured, helping to create a relaxed atmosphere that made this meal so exceptional.

Our meals at The Chequers were outstanding, and it is definitely the kind of establishment I think all Oxford residents should make a trip out of the city for. The food isn't cheap, but it is fantastic, and it felt like we got our money's worth. I can't stress how good The Chequers is and I am eager to go back for another meal.

Starters, mains and wine (Pinot Grigio) for two, plus service: £92.81