This year sees the 35th anniversary of the Beefeater chain, which some might think to be more a cause for commiseration than celebration. Myself, I have always considered Beefeaters to be restaurants for people who don’t like restaurants, or at any rate are put off, possibly intimidated, by them. No chance at a Beefeater of being baffled by the contents of the menu or put in one's place by a snooty waiter or sommelier.

Like Berni Inns whose mantle (and in some cases properties) the company inherited, Beefeater is presumed by many to be a prawn cocktail, steak and Black Forest gateau kind of operation. In fact, they have moved with – or possibly been dragged along by – the times. Now you will find available such previously unthinkable offerings as pine nut salad, sea bass fillets and lobster.

Punters have three Beefeaters to choose from in Oxfordshire. Best known is The Mitre in High Street, which many cannot forgive for no longer being the fine old hotel, with its coal fires, cosy corners and antique fittings that it was for centuries. W. E. Gladstone and Winston Churchill were among those who savoured its comforts. It became a Berni Inn 40 years ago, and was acquired by Beefeater in the early 1990s.

Abingdon has The Ock Mill, a handsome conversion of a notable historic building, while The Longwall, in Cowley, was purpose built in 1995 on the site of part of the Rover works. Close to what is now its entrance stood the famous chimney which until its demolition still wore its wartime camouflage. Photographs and other memorabilia associated with cars and the factory supplied the Longwall’s decorative theme, but these were dispensed with in a make-over four years ago, which brought the place into conformity with the Beefeater decor – thus do chains operate. The surplus-to-requirement items were not chucked, however, but given to the bus and transport museum at Long Hanborough.

On our first visit to The Longwall within days of its opening, Rosemarie and I were placed up in the galleried seating area. I still remember angrily eyeing some of the dishes we had ordered rapidly cooling for ten minutes or more in the servery area below.

On our Sunday lunchtime visit a couple of weeks ago, we were placed at a small table in a curious corridor-like area close to the front entrance. But at least it had a glimpse of the sunny outdoors unlike most of the other tables.

Our taste was for the traditional, as seemed appropriate in this 35th year. Rosemarie started with a prawn cocktail, a very different thing these days from the served-in-a-glass with iceberg lettuce concoction of old. Now the prawns are big ones (rather undercooked in this case as their transparency showed) delivered on a plate with fancy leaves, sliced tomato and cucumber, and a Marie Rose sauce with a surprisingly piquant ‘bite’, Rustic bread replaced the triangles of brown sliced. I had whitebait, which were OK, though a bit big (almost sprats) and not a patch on the fresh ones I enjoyed at lunch last week at Cibo! in Summertown. The tartare sauce had the chemical taste of a mass-produced product.

But if the starters were disappointing, the same could not be said for the main courses. Rosemarie’s chargrilled rack of New Zealand lamb, served slightly pink, was judged perfect, if the accompanying red wine sauce was sticky and rather overpowering. Al dente green beans and dauphinoise potatoes were both excellent.

I chose fillet steak, which again demonstrated that only the best is offered, where meat is concerned. It was tender, juicy and fat, indeed so fat that it would have benefited from rather longer on the grill to produce the ‘medium rare’ I requested. The chips were big, crispy and golden; the accompanying pine-nut salad (an extra £2.95) boasted a good dressing.

After so much cholesterol I perhaps should have passed on cheese, but I was glad that I hadn’t when the Stilton, brie and mature cheddar appeared with assorted biscuits, celery and grapes. Rosemarie had delicious Belgian waffles with chocolate flavoured fudge sauce. She didn’t think much of the ice cream, though — that watery stuff that Mrs Thatcher had a hand in inventing during her days as a chemist.

As part of its 35th anniversary celebrations, Beefeater is offering a free meal to anyone whose 35th birthday falls between October 12 and 18. Contact your local restaurant for details.