In the age-old backstreets of Bristol, just behind the historic St Nicholas Market, The Elephant pub is a stalwart city-centre watering hole. Its ivory walls must have seen dozens of colourful scenes over the past 300 years; and with comfy surrounds, fantastic homemade food, quality ales and wonderful wines, it continues to be a fixture on the city’s eating-out scene.

On a cold January evening, I was welcomed into the warm environs of the bar with an old friend I hadn’t seen in months. Our excited nattering meant we took an age to order but the waiter was nothing but patient and helpful – and the zesty Chablis he recommended was the perfect accompaniment to our girly gossip. I fancied something fiery – and the pan-fried chilli prawns certainly delivered. The sweet and juicy morsels were lavishly adorned with ruby-red rings of chilli, the heat of which was offset by creamy aioli and fluffy homemade bread. My companion opted for the more mellow flavours of wild mushroom bruschetta, served oh-so-stylishly on black slate and strewn with delicate shavings of Parmesan.

We took our time, savouring the well-rounded flavours only achievable with quality ingredients and confident cooking. By this point the vibe had changed from a lively post-work buzz to a more languid atmosphere, and we were able to take in the subtle details of the pub’s careful refurbishment: stocky wooden furniture, a lovely open fireplace and retro drinks advertisements on the walls. Our attention was soon distracted though, by a particularly impressive slab of succulent rib-eye steak with homemade Jack Daniel’s sauce and the best chips I’ve tasted in a long time. In a vague nod to the January diet, I opted for crispy-skinned salmon with crushed new potatoes and warm tomato and basil salad – and as I tasted the perfectly flaky fish, I knew I hadn’t drawn the short straw. My resolve soon dissipated on sight of the warm apple crumble, whose buttery, biscuity topping and light, frothy custard was soon devoured.

Thoroughly sated on wonderful, home-cooked food, we said our goodbyes to the lovely staff; it was then we learned of the function room upstairs. And so we stepped out into the night, already planning the next, somewhat larger gathering we would have at The Elephant.