Nestled amongst the wine cafés, independent bookstores and art house cinemas of Jericho lies Jude the Obscure, a more down-to-earth and approachable establishment then one might have expected. With a welcoming atmosphere, tasty food and a lovely location, this is a Greene King pub worth checking out.

The surprisingly literarily named pub sells hearty food, the epitome of comfort cuisine, ranging from a selection of burgers through to a very affordable Sunday lunch. It seemed a fine destination for one last pub meal with my friend before he jets off to be a doctor in San Francisco (he has a very hard life). We were warmly welcomed by the staff, who showed more concern for our wellbeing than in the usual chain pub. We sat and selected our meals; deciding a feast of chicken was the suitable way to go. For starters we decided to share the Chicken Platter, a mixture of wings, nuggets and Louisiana chicken strips. Then for mains my friend selected the Chicken Trio Burger (buttermilk chicken, topped with pulled Piri Piri chicken, Cheddar cheese & Louisiana chicken strips) while I went for a pub standard, the Hunter's Chicken.

With food and drinks (diet coke for him, mixed fruit cider for me) ordered, we sat down and caught up on each others lives. Our platter came out speedily and was a satisfying if simple starter. There was nice variety to the flavours but was nothing that could not be prepared at home. Though as my friend pointed out we couldn't order chicken strips and then complain that it is something we could cook at home. Another starter option that drew my attention, suitable for those sharing, was 'Our Favourites Platter', a combination of burger sliders, mini wild boar sausages and cod goujons. Sounds like something I'll have to try on my next visit.

Onto our mains and a nice touch was that the staff checked when we would be ready for them. This gave us plenty of time after our first plethora of chicken to again sit and chat. When ready our food again came out quickly. My friend's burger was tasty and not so packed as to be too much of a challenge, sometimes an issue with the pub burger. The more is more approach was not in display here, even with a burger that combines three different styles of chicken. His only critique was that it could have used more sauce, having a somewhat dry taste. My main, the Hunter's Chicken, was a fine rendition of a pub classic. The meat was well cooked and tasty, the sauce was a nice, if somewhat overpowering addition, and the chips were plentiful. Our mains were such that I would happily return to Jude the Obscure, especially on a day when you can use the pub garden, an above average example for a centrally-located pub.

Defeated by chicken we forewent dessert and continued to soak up the warm atmosphere of the pub. This was all down to the exceptional staff, who made us feel relaxed and welcomed. I have misgivings about chain pubs given the strain they seem to place upon their staff, but Jude the Obscure is a cut above the rest when it comes to the comfort it seeks to create in your dining experience.