It would seem that I pay reviewing visits to the White Horse Inn at Duns Tew at intervals of roughly ten years, to judge from evidence in our cuttings library at Newspaper House. A sensible critic, I suppose, might have dug these articles from the archive ahead of the lunchtime trip to the pub with three old friends. That way I would have been able to talk authoritatively on what we could see around us, rather than making wild and inaccurate statements based entirely on guesswork.

When I spoke, for instance, of the evident antiquity of the panelled room in which we ate our excellent lunch, I was lacking the corrective to this (seemingly very reasonable) view that would have been supplied by the report I made in June 1994. I quote: "Approaching through the rear door from the car park you find yourself in a sizeable room with a long wooden bar on the left, flagstone floor covered with large rugs, polished tables and chairs and panelled walls. Such is the feeling of antiquity here that it is remarkable to discover most of this part of the building is new. It was created using old brick, stone and timbers, and panelling that was once in a Bristol branch of the Midland Bank."

The 17th-century White Horse Inn at that time had recently been acquired by Michael Watson-Smyth, the boss of the Slug and Lettuce chain. After a month or two trying to run it exclusively as a restaurant, he had decided - sensibly you might think - to turn it back into the pub with food that it remains (though under entirely different management) today.

Boss of the pub for the last five years - with a long lease from owners Greene King - has been London-born Rupert Leigh-Wood. With his wife Kate (they have two young children), and an enthusiastic staff, he operates a busy and successful business.

He opens from 11am to 11pm every day, a punishing schedule of the sort many customers expect these days but which was a far cry from the regime I found there in September 1985. Owner Peter Smith was closing the bar at lunchtime from Monday to Thursday, and on Sunday evenings. He told me: "I think that customers understand. We are open when people want to come. To look after people when they are here is more important than my being behind the bar for 90 to 100 hours a week."

One thing does remain the same though - its popularity with the horsey set. In 1985, I reported that Peter entertained many trainers and breeders from the Lambourn area on their way home from the Midlands race courses, "and on lucky days the wine really flows".

Last week, Rupert was delighted to find the pub well-patronised by race fans in the area for the Cheltenham Festival. Some of them made use of the pub's eight guest bedrooms.

Our lunch was a few days before this annual bout of excitement began. Alison and I motored over from Oxford and rendezvoused at the White Horse Inn with Marcelle and JJ who live rather closer to Duns Tew. We made straight for a table (there are no formal places laid up) and after a brief study of the menu - which is both on a blackboard and in paper form - we made our orders. Rupert, who happened to be cooking at that session, responded very briskly and we were soon tucking in.

I began with an excellent bowl of vegetable soup, in which parsnip, somewhat unusually, was the main ingredient. Ali had whitebait which was . . . well, whitebait. Both Marcelle and her husband had large field mushrooms with Stilton and port, served with garlic crostini.

Good news continued with the main courses - mine a rich and vinous venison casserole (lots of shallots and mushrooms too) served with creamy mashed potato, cauliflower and red cabbage.

Ali and JJ had both wanted the fish pie but supplies had run out by the time they ordered. On Rupert's recommendation, Ali went for the cod and chips - fine fish in lovely crisp batter, and decent chips. JJ had sea bass ("Is there any other edible type?" he properly asked) with broccoli and a delicate sorrel sauce. Marcelle had the cheese tart (goat's, Brie and Gorgonzola) with red peppers, which earned a thumbs up.

Sensing that puds were going to be a shared affair - well, we did ask for four spoons - Rupert generously doubled up the portions of sticky toffee pudding and a no-less-classic chocolate fudge brownie.

In all, this was enjoyable, uncomplicated food, served with good manners and without pretension. I'll be back - and won't wait ten years this time.