THINK restaurant chains and most people's first thoughts are of greasy, spotty teenagers grunting as they throw an unpleasant-looking substitute for food at you.

My worst experience in such an establishment, which shall remain unnamed, came a couple of years ago in South Wales, when my excuse for a meal arrived with the roots still attached to the potatoes. I asked for a replacement, but was instead greeted with the very same meal plus some dismembered looking spuds!

It was with some trepidation then that I accepted an offer from another nation-wide chain of eateries, Beefeater, of lunch at their Fareham restaurant, The Oast and Squire.

By the time I had finished however, the incident with the root-wielding spuds was but a distant memory.

This delightful, inviting restaurant found along the A27, ticks off all the boxes when it comes to an enjoyable lunchtime meal for two.

Welcoming, helpful staff gives the restaurant a homely feel, while the mouth-watering, well-priced menu make it difficult for even the fussiest of eaters to find something to tickle their taste buds

In the end both my fiance and I plumped for the lunch time meal deal, available from 12pm - 5.30pm, which offers two courses for the wallet happy price of just £7.50. This means you can either opt for a starter or pudding to accompany your main course. Better still, for just £1.25 extra you can have all three!

For starters we both had the delicious fresh honeydew melon, which was the perfect appetiser.

For main course I had the marinated chicken with a jacket potato and peas, while my fiance had the grilled salmon, again with a jacket potato and peas.

The chicken and the salmon was juicy and tender, while the jacket potatoes were perfectly fluffy. Both meals were beautifully cooked, and despite the portions looking a little on the small side, easily filled us up.

The Oast and Squire is an immaculate, spacious restaurant, with a classy, modern interior and an extensive menu that caters for both meat eaters and vegetarians alike.

Oast and Squire, Peak Lane, Fareham. 01329 844377.

Check it out.