In a quiet residential area, in a small seaside town in Essex, sits The Royal Oak Inn. There's no missing it on the main street, with its classic English pub exterior and modest car park. Inside, the tables are decorated with fresh flowers and music plays softly in the background, mingling with the chatter of diners and staff.

With a bottle of wine to suit most tastes, and a good selection of beers and ales, The Royal Oak Inn definitely ticks the box for booze. And when it comes to the food, they're doing everything right in that department too. The menu changes regularly, so there's always something new to try. Starters include classics like chicken liver paté, pitta bread and hummus, and hearty homemade soup of the day. Salads can be ordered in both small and large portions depending on your appetite, and main courses, in keeping with the rest of the pub, are traditional through and through. Bubble and squeak, sausage and mash, and burger and chips are just some of the dishes you can expect to find. The organic chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms and served with potato rosti and seasonal vegetables is both flavourful and satisfying, but perhaps the real triumph of the menu is the steak - or rather, the steaks. A selection of rib-eye, rump and - on the specials board - sirloin, cooked to your liking and served with chips, sautéed or new potatoes, will leave you spoilt for choice. The chef has a great relationship with the local butcher, and the evidence is in every tender mouthful. Such fantastic food should be shared with friends and family. And if you're planning a special event, The Royal Oak's function room, with the facility to cater for up to 100 people, is the perfect choice.