HIDDEN away in a quiet residential street, not far from the chaotic Fulham Palace Road, stands a cosy little pub. As we drive past the back of Charing Cross Hospital, down side streets, there is no sign of anything but houses, but soon enough we see a small pub appear.

We step out into the cold night outside the newly refurbished Pear Tree and the first things I notice are the big windows, which have been hand-painted with a detailed pear tree mural - a creative touch.

A nice burst of warmth greets us as we walk in and are welcomed by new owners Darren and Lulu, who have added their own touch to the venue while retaining many of the features from its original construction.

The Pear Tree dates back to the 1800s, and is allegedly the second oldest building in Fulham.

It's a Sunday and the pub is fairly busy, but we quickly find ourselves a table and are brought our drinks. As hunger kicks in, I can't wait to feast my eyes on the menu, but am taken aback when I can't find it.

I soon discover, with the help of one of the owners, that it is written on a blackboard hanging on a wall. This is because the constantly changing menu depends on ingredients sourced from a local market, which allows a seasonal selection of dishes to be provided and a reason for customers to keep coming back.

However, there wasn't much choice for us as vegetarians and, as usual, I found more options from the starters than the main courses.

As we waited and chatted, I couldn't help but notice that the pub oozes comfort, from the booth-style benches to the soft padded chairs. They are set up around a horseshoe bar, with low candle lighting, and a mixture of couples, groups of friends and families enjoying themselves.

First we shared the mushroom bruschetta (three pieces), which comes on a bed of rocket, lightly drizzled with olive oil, poached pears and toasted walnuts, although if I had known there were walnuts, I would have asked for it without.

But, being a mushroom lover, I have to say the Portobello mushrooms were flawless - juicy and cooked properly and, while the pears were a strange but nice touch, it was an appetising dish.

This was followed by leek and potato soup, with a perfect concoction of spices, making it ideal for the wintry evening, and reasonably priced at £3.50.

The secret behind this exquisite food is chef Gerard Cassin, who has worked at a Michelin-star restaurant. He has created a menu that concentrates on the best of British seasonal food at affordable prices.

Moving on to the main course, with only one vegetarian option, we weren't spoiled for choice, so wild mushroom risotto it was, priced at £7.95.

The dish was tasty, creamy and cooked just right, which can sometimes be a problem with risotto, but not this one, and there was the added pleasure of a mushroom in every mouthful. The portion looked quite small, but I was eating my words by the end of the meal!

With other main courses starting at £7.50, there were meaty options on the board, including an Aberdeen Angus burger with chips and a glass of house wine or beer for under £8, and even a Sunday roast.

The evening was topped off with an orange panna cotta dessert, which was light and served with sliced oranges on the side.

The best way to sum up this traditional local pub, a little off the beaten track, is as a home from home.