WOKINGHAM is renowned for its selection of independent restaurants and now residents have the chance to dig in at another fantastic eatery.

Pạ̀n on Peach Street opened in October, taking over from The Teak House. Serving Asian cuisine in a tapas style format, you get the impression the cosy restaurant will be delighting Wokingham foodies with smaller dishes for years to come.

The team welcomed my partner and I with a warm greeting and set us down, immediately serving us some soft and sweet chilli peanuts before taking our orders.

Our waiter, who was very welcoming, conversational and clearly knew the menu, suggested five or six dishes would more than fill us up - and he was right.

I opted for pulled lamb shoulder and butter chicken wings, whereas my vegetarian partner chose charred leeks with lime pickle and grated egg as well as crispy kale coated with yoghurt and complemented with pomegranate seeds. We shared a portion of saffron and coconut rice between us.

The food arrived in a staggered fashion, which we liked as it allowed us to enjoy them as they came out and not be overwhelmed with choice.

First up was a large plate of crispy kale which looked daunting at first - but its melt-in-your mouth quality and the accompanying yoghurt and pomegranate meant the dish was extremely flavourful and went down a treat.

My pulled lamb dish and the rice option landed next, and together they created a fantastic combination of taste. The lamb was creamy and tender, which contrasted the bold flavours of the rice.

Many people are wary of spicy sauces being all heat and no flavour, but the spicy salsa sauce the chef sent out to us scuppered that preconception. The sauce was absolutely delicious - it elevated the dishes to another level of taste.

Finally, my chicken wings and the charred leeks entered the arena, topping off what was already shaping up to be a delicious meal.

The meat on the wings was plenty and like the lamb, was soft and succulent and coated in flavourful sauce.

By this point I was becoming rather full so my partner tackled the charred leeks, and especially enjoyed the lime pickle and grated egg which accompanied the dish.

However, as the old adage goes - ‘there’s always room for dessert’ - and so we ordered one of each option on the menu; lemon posset with croutons and “toast it yer sen” puff mallows with anise custard.

I was not sure what to expect from the puff mallows - but I soon found out.

Our waiter brought out a plate with four huge marshmallows, accompanied by a bowl with pre-heated coals.

As the menu suggests, the idea behind this dessert was to toast the marshmallows yourself. The white treats were chewy, sweet and sticky - taking me back to a younger age where toasting marshmallows was a delight.

It was difficult to toast a marshmallow each at the same time, so if you choose to share desserts, as we did, I would recommend getting stuck in to the lemon posset while your dinner date roasts their marshmallows.

The posset was excellent - a beautiful, sweet and tangy yellow mouse that signalled a delicious end to a fantastic meal.

Pạ̀n is a delightful addition to Wokingham’s town centre. The intimate and cosy setting is complemented by food that warms your heart and undoubtedly fills your stomach to the very top.

The prices are fair, with the lamb shoulder being the most expensive option on the menu at £7. The charred leeks and crispy kale are the least expensive at £5.50 each, with a sizeable bowl of rice being just £3.

Both desserts are £5 - and the term ‘both’ is the only qualm we had. Currently the menu is quite limited in terms of the number of options available, especially for vegetarians, but with Pạ̀n having only been open for just under two months and its award-winning chef Charlie Blacker at the helm, new, exquisite recipes are bound to be forthcoming.

We certainly hope so - because we will definitely be back.