The Hero has had many names in the past: idlewild when I moved into the area 15+ years ago. Via the Trustcot Arms, and The Hero of Maida, it now operates under the name The Hero.

It's a delightful pub, attracting a younger crowd on the ground floor, with two more floors above doing dinner. We had a table on the top floor, dubbed the Library, which provided a more relaxed setting than the busy hubbub of the pub below.

Both of us chose a bar snack as a starter. My wife had a fish finger roll. The roll was a lovely soft and sweet bun. The fish fingers were hand-made and resembled smaller versions of the fish in "fish and chips". The tartare sauce added some salt and sourness to it. I had the pork pie as a starter. The pork was well seasoned, and the pickled cauliflower and green bean parts added some nice and sharp sourness.

Four our mains, I enjoyed a Barnsley Chop — succulent lamb on the bone with a mint and lamb sauce. It was server with sweet and tender carrots. My wife had a whole butterflied mackerel on the bone from the special menu. It was well cooked, and served with a tomato sauce — which she thought was slightly too salty.

A bottle of a white Ochoa Blanco complemented our meal well.

It's a little on the pricier side, but the food at The Hero was excellent, and the staff friendly and competent. A worthwhile upgrade to the neighbourhood.