WHEN it comes to fine food, the New Forest has rapidly acquired a monopoly on award-winning restaurants over the past few years.

The historic Burley Manor, which re-opened last December following an £1.8 million refurbishment, is the latest in a line of country hotels pulling out all the stops to establish itself on the culinary map.

And it certainly has all the right ingredients - an award-winning chef, superb location and boutique bedrooms leading off from a grand central staircase which could be straight out of Downton Abbey.

But although it might sound similar to in style to places like The Pig, the restaurant, which is an eclectic mix of antique furniture, original features and bright fabrics, is refreshingly different.

At the heart of the kitchen is a wood-fired stone-bake oven and the overall emphasis is on more robust, rustic, Mediterranean flavours.

The menu is divided into Forest & Coast, Tapas, Sharing Dishes (such as Cypriot-style split chicken at £28 for two people) Mains and Little Extras.

While we pondered on all this, we were served a selection of warm homemade bread and a selection of olive oils infused with rosemary and smoked garlic, chilli and paprika which pepped up the taste buds.

For our first course we shared a selection of tapas, garlic oyster mushrooms and flatbread with cumin, houmous, dukkah and pine nuts (all £4 each) and tiger prawns al pil pil (£8).

On our waiter's recommendation I opted for a Provençal-style beef daube for my main course which was the perfect choice to warm the cockles on a chilly winter's evening. A melting pot of slow cooked tender steak, braised in wine, vegetables, garlic, and plenty of herbes de Provence.

Meanwhile my other half was tucking into a hearty meal of lamb shank and creamy polenta mash (£18) with rosemary and slivers of olives.

Afterwards we shared a stone baked rice pudding (£6) topped with prunes, coconut and a smattering of cashew nuts - which was an inspired twist on a British classic.

Each dish was unashamedly bold and simple, seasonal, honest and full of flavour. And if you worry about food miles, everything is sourced locally wherever possible.

Afterwards we headed past through to a sitting room and with a large open fire for a night cap which was a glorious end to a memorable evening.

The service was relaxed and welcoming, you don't have to talk in hushed tones and it was reasonably priced too - perfect for a special occasion.

The Grade II Listed manor was recently named by Travelsupermarket as one of Britain’s Top Ten Cosiest Hotels for 2016. For more information, see burleymanor.com.