The head chef of The Fishes, Corin Earland, looks to be one of the rising stars of the hospitality industry after scooping an Acorn award.

This isn't some Mickey Mouse accolade - previous Acorn winners include Marco Pierre White, Gary Rhodes and Marcus Wareing. I wonder how long it will be before Corin Earland decides to go it alone?

The other one to watch at The Fishes is Acorn Scholar Rob Hartwell, who was awarded the 2008 Acorn Scholarship last November. Hartwell cut his teeth at The Fleece in Witney before becoming a junior chef at The Fishes.

But back to the food. Yes, we've mentioned the gastropub in North Hinksey already this year, but that's because it's one of the few places in Oxford where the food's both high quality and imaginative.

The summer menu isn't all about white meat and fish; as ever, aged Aberdeenshire beef looms large - Peach's co-owner, Hamish Stoddart is keen to buy from rural Scotland not only because the meat's high quality, but also because he wants to support the livestock industry there.

But the specials board is where the treasure lies - sea bream with black pudding and rhubarb is one of the more quirky dishes you might see here.

Although I was tempted, the fact that I am no fan of black pudding meant it was ruled out, when my girlfriend and I accepted an invitation to sample what was cooking. I opted for a slab of Cornish halibut with a lively assortment of pleasingly green broad beans, chopped fennel, caramelised lemon and plenty of mint, while my girlfriend did battle with a marvellous plate of beef with trendy smoked mash.

We both found the dishes tantalising, but filling (we'd spoiled our appetites slightly with roast quail with poached egg, and thick watercress and smoked ham soup, as our respective starters).

The Achilles heel of The Fishes is the limited pudding range (although the parfait we shared was more than up to the job), but the grub is outstanding, the service impeccable and the wines not to be sniffed at.

Picnics and barbecue boxes are also available - though this summer, I fancy demand may be limited.