As my companion and I weaved our way along a country lane towards the Smugglers Inn at Osmington Mills expectations were high.

Having both visited this well-known pub before and with fond childhood memories of summer walks ending with a well-earned break at the former haunt, we were keen to experience what it could offer in the evening.

Nestled in a small valley just a couple hundred metres from the shoreline looking out over Weymouth Bay the warm glow of the Smugglers was inviting. At our table, an extensive menu was presented to us. Pub classics such as steak and ale pie, gammon and scampi featured, as well as less-traditional dishes such as chilli salmon.

I opted for a field mushroom rarebit and cheddar starter and my companion went for smoked mackerel and horseradish pate. On arrival, both dishes were well presented. Of the two, the mackerel pate was the outright favourite. Despite the horseradish seeming to have bolted prior to making the pate, the fish tasted excellent and the accompanying crouton breadsticks were crunchy. For my starter, the subtle mushroom flavour was overpowered by the tomato sauce and the cheddar lacked ‘zing’.

With the restaurant running at full tilt, the time between starters and mains was at the limit of my stomach’s perception of food intervals. But no sooner had I uttered the words ‘I’ll go ask’, my lasagne, my companion’s sirloin steak and a side order of onion rings arrived – phew.

It was at this point that our rose-tinted regard of the Smugglers started to dissolve slightly. The two dishes, although well presented didn’t meet our high expectations.

The medium steak seemed to have spent the best part of the course interval on the hot plate and the lasagne had the deflated hallmarks of rushed preparation. Both dishes were pleasant enough but lacked the wow factor we were both searching for. With the onion rings falling foul of a long spell under a heat lamp, the now congealed and oil-soaked side dish was sent back, not to be re-ordered.

On paying the bill, I wondered whether the Smugglers would benefit from doing a smaller menu well, although ultimately it retained its rustic charm.

• This is an independent review by a reporter without the cooperation of the establishment.

My Smugglers bill:

Mushroom starter: £4.95

Mackeral Pate: £5.25

Sirloin: £13.95 + sauce Bearnaise: £1.00

Lasagne: £7.95

Onion rings: £2.50 (but deducted later)

Diet Coke: £1.90

Tanglefoot (pnt): £3.30

TOTAL: £38.30