The Red Lion in Oxford’s Gloucester Green has rarely troubled the columns of The Oxford Times in the many years of its existence.

A customer won a weekly pint of Double Diamond for a year in a competition in 1960 (hope it worked wonders for her!), militant gays picketed in 1979 after one of their number was chucked out, Barbara Windsor stayed there during her 1983 New Theatre panto run in Aladdin . . .

Other reports concern various rebuildings and renamings. The 1906 property with its familiar curved facade replaced a much older and smaller hostelry in what was then called Red Lion Square. The facade, in fact, is pretty much all that remains of that newer building, the rest having been swept away in 1984 to create the Oxford Bakery and Brewhouse. Here, as its name implies, beer was brewed and bread baked in a far-sighted but ultimately unsuccessful break with pub traditions.

Periods as The Fuggle and Firkin and The Goose followed before it reverted to its original name under owners Mitchells and Butlers in 2008, with a style that could be most politely categorised as ‘cheap and cheerful’. (Mr Magoo-like, I once strolled straight over two brawling blokes on the floor as I approached the bar for a drink.) Now finally — as perhaps on past form it won’t be — The Red Lion has been propelled firmly up market to become as much, if not more, a restaurant as a pub. The pictures on this page suggest its swish new appearance. If I say it’s considered by M&B to be a ‘sister’ to The Trout, in Wolvercote, that speaks much for its new style.

I will say at once (some impatient folk might say at last) that I thoroughly approve. I admire the quality of service, despite occasional uncertainties, being achieved by manager Jacques Kieser and his young team. I like the food and wine they are delivering, having already twice sampled it in the three weeks since reopening. On the first occasion, we tried the fixed price menu for lunch and early evening (till 7pm). Rosemarie had a fishcake and then a very good shepherd’s pie; I had rustic bread with olives, a roasted head of garlic and feta, followed by roast fillet of cod. Super value at £12.50 each. As this was ‘Sparkling Thursday’, we also enjoyed a bottle of the house champagne (Louis Dornier et fils) for £20, instead of the usual £25.95.

This had been a pre-theatre trip; our next visit was post-concert. (You can order till 10pm here, which is pretty useful.) With the exquisite melodies of Fauré’s Requiem, as sung by Oxford Bach Choir, still ringing in our ears, we took our seats in the restaurant, which we found no less relaxing than before, though it was late on a Saturday night.

The choice for diners is extensive, with a selection of sharing plates, ten starters, three salads and four pasta dishes that can be either starters or mains, six pizzas, nine dishes styled ‘spit roast/ stove’ (for instance, rack of lamb, ginger beer braised belly pork and spit chicken with piri piri sauce), and three burgers, including a veggie one with pepper, beans and cheese. There are eight puddings, plus cheeses.

I opted to choose from the half-dozen recommendations of the day from head chef Christian Radu. First came pan-seared black pearl scallops, temptingly teamed with sunblush tomatoes and chorizo hash. Enjoyable as these were, the monkfish tail that followed was even better, the flesh firm but not too much so, as is sometimes the case with this once-disregarded fish. The same might be said of the accompanying risotto, with wild mushrooms and truffle oil.

Rosemarie began with a creamy white onion soup, in northern Italian style — almost an onion stew — with a parmesan crouton, and continued with juicy slices of spit-roasted gammon. These came with creamed potatoes and a delicious parsley and truffle sauce. She finished with plum and frangipane tart with lemon mascarpone, and praised its almond-flavoured delights.

I feel confident that the Red Lion is going to be a valuable addition to the Oxford scene.