What a transformation! I had not been to the Royal Lodge for several years and at that time I must say it was somewhat run down. The new owners have worked wonders. It is light and airy with light wood furniture and fittings and extremely welcoming. We had a drink at the smart new bar and then sat down and studied the menu. It was full of delights. We opted for the a la carte menu but two of us shared starters and puddings. (There was the option to have a table d'hote menu @ £25 for 2 courses or £28.50 for 3). Our starter was imaginative and delicious - little scallops with black pudding, a salsa and fresh coriander leaves. We both chose lamb for our main course which was tender and tasty. The waiter proudly told us that the chef had reared it, so no wonder it was good. We were quite full at that stage so opted for local icecreams for dessert - lots of choice of flavours and, as expected, very tasty. The meal was completed by a cafetiere of coffee, good and strong as we had actually asked for double espresso, which is a shame they don't have. The service was excellent, just the right amount of time between courses, helpful and pleasant. All in all, a good experience and I shall add it to my list of local restaurants that I both go to myself and recommend to others.