Nestled in the tiny hamlet of Winchmore Hill is The Potters Arms, a quaint country pub which oozes charm and prides itself on its food and friendly atmosphere.

While it may look sleepy on the outside, the pub has a vibrant atmosphere inside, with regular comedy nights that attract top comedians, smartphone quiz evenings and a menu full of Great British pub classics to boot.

The pub’s new head chef, Attila Jakab, is keen to keep hearty home cooked meals with fresh, locally sourced ingredients at the heart of the menu and he is doing a brilliant job.

There is something for everyone on the menu, with classic dishes like prawn cocktail for starters, beer battered fish and chips, homemade beef burgers or sausage and mash for mains.

There are also dishes that wouldn’t look out of place in a top restaurant, like chicken ballotine stuffed with chicken and bacon mousse with wild mushroom sauce and confit of duck leg with apple and parsnip mash and port sauce.

The dining area was bustling with people enjoying their meals when I went along on a Friday night with my boyfriend Stephen. As we took our seats, we marvelled at how cosy the restaurant area is, with exposed beams, comfy chairs and crackling fires.

On to the food - for starters, I went for the soup of the day, which was white onion soup with mozzarella croutons (£5.50). The soup was delicious - thick, creamy and full of flavour, while the large croutons were the perfect addition to the meal, adding a little bit of crunch, while topped with melted cheese.

Stephen chose the duck liver pate with a red onion and balsamic chutney with toast (£6.50). The portion is incredibly generous, with a whole jar of the smooth pate, topped with the tangy chutney. The pate is beautifully rich, but it did mean that Stephen struggled to finish the whole jar on his own.

On to the mains and I decided to go for the fillet steak with house fries, roasted tomato and peppercorn sauce. At £22.95, it is the most expensive dish on the menu, but it did not disappoint. The steak was thick, tender and juicy, cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned. The house fries were crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, while the creamy peppercorn sauce added a sharp, spicy kick to the meal.

Stephen chose the confit pork belly with apple, black pudding and sage crumble with garlic mash and cider jus (£15.75). This is the kind of meal you could expect to see in a high end restaurant – the presentation was stunning and the pork belly was lovely and tender, with crunchy crackling. The crumble was a very pleasant addition, with

We were surprised at just how much garlic was in the mash – it seems to be something that restaurants can get wrong, but at The Potters Arms it was delicious. The cider jus topped the meal off perfectly and Stephen couldn’t fault it at all.

After an incredible starter and main, we could only manage to share a dessert – hot chocolate brownie served with vanilla ice cream (£6.50). The brownie was warm and gooey, melting in your mouth every time you take a bite. The ice cream was good quality too and we left the pub that night feeling incredibly full and satisfied.

The food is brilliant value for money and the service was impeccable, while the range of beer and wine is vast.

All of this means the Potters Arms is the kind of place you could proudly take guests to show them the delights of rural Bucks, whether it is a Sunday lunch, evening meal or supper club.

As well as fabulous food and a friendly welcome from Richard, who works tirelessly to run the pub by himself, it is now a well-established venue on the comedy circuit after three years of comedy nights.

I went along to a comedy night in July to see comedians Mike Gunn, Jim Smallman and Allyson June Smith and I can honestly say I have never heard so much laughter in one room. The atmosphere was electric and well worth the £16 ticket – especially as food in the interval is included in the price.

The next show will feature Bob Mills, Mae Martin and Michael Legge as compere on December 17. 

Visit www.pottersarms.co.uk for the menu and to buy comedy night tickets.