Beautifully upholstered benches, wide Chesterfield sofas and an open fire made The Eagle an ideal location to shelter from the cold on a crisp December evening.

The Shepherd’s Bush pub at the bottom of Askew Road also prides itself on its large beer garden, complete with an outdoor bar and barbecue, bean bags and giant lawn Jenga, making it a year-round destination.

As part of Geronimo Inns, which runs around 30 pubs in London including the Bull at Westfield and The Curtain’s Up in Barons Court, The Eagle has a lot to live up to. Geronimo was named the Restaurant R200 Pub Company of the Year in 2012.

Although the company, set up by husband and wife team Rupert and Jo Clevely 18 years ago, was recently acquired by Young’s brewery, The Eagle, like its other cosy venues, maintains that quaint, independent feel. The decor is warm and inviting, and the food is affordable but much more colourful than your usual bog-standard chain pub.

I selected the cod and basa Thai fish cakes (£7.50) from the bar menu to start, which were soft, creamy and livened up by a zingy chipotle mayonnaise. But my partner’s pear, stilton and rocket salad (£6.95) could have done with a bit more of the potent cheese.

A stand-out starter was the meaty duck and chicken liver terrine with black pudding, bacon and market chutney (£6.95).

The pinnacle of every gastropub menu has to be its burger. You often see attention to carefully sourced meat, a selection of fancy buns and homemade relishes.

And at The Eagle, I found myself virtually reaching over the table beside us, ruing not ordering the handmade Angus beef burger (£10.95), which towered with layers of mature cheddar, Geronimo relish, with bacon or onion rings for an extra £1, served in a golden brioche bun, and pieced together by a steak knife ceremoniously jutting from the top of the bun.

Sadly, my vegetarian lasagne (£11.50) was a bit of a let down after watching that spectacle. The butternut squash was soft but lacked flavour and the oily melted cheddar on top drowned out what could have been punchy feta and basil within.

On the other hand, my partner said the slow cooked pork belly (£13.95) was the best he’s ever had. It came with creamy mash and caramelised purple cabbage at a technical level and presentation more suited to a fancy restaurant than your local.

When the Eagle did things well, it did them excellently, and with a bit more consistency, this could be a really exciting menu.

Nonetheless, the cosy setting, relaxed atmosphere and Geronimo reputation means I will certainly be returning.