Four Crosses Inn, Bicton

follows up reader suggestions and finds a genuine welcome for children.

Our visit to The Four Crosses Inn for a Sunday carvery came following a recommendation from a review reader who praised the pub for its huge selection of vegetables which had pleased her as a vegetarian.

On that basis only my husband, our one-year-old son Eddie and I went along. We had not booked a table but the busy car park at just after 12.30pm was a good sign for the pub but not a good sign for us.

I popped in to see if we were going to be lucky before unloading Eddie and everything we need to keep him occupied long enough to eat.

A smartly-dressed man who was obviously organising the tables (possibly the manager) and a young, friendly waitress dealt with my request for a table and I was promptly told they could fit us in a small restaurant area off the bar. Perfect.

The dining room where the carvery is served was already near to capacity with large parties of up to 10 diners sitting enjoying meals at the smartly clothed and laid round tables.

We were shown to our table and a high chair was brought. The menu offered a good selection of starters but it was hard to concentrate as platefuls of carveries passed our table, topped with what looked like my favourite, crispy, honey-glazed parsnips.

Anyway we ordered our starters after the waitress had promptly taken our order for drinks and served them. I was torn with the selection of starters but went for the chef's homemade soup of the day which was brocolli and goat's cheese. I am not a lover of goat's cheese and had wished it was stilton but was extremely pleased with my choice.

It was a smooth, hot and very tasty creamy soup with just the right hint of goat's cheese - any more and it could have been too overbearing.

John went for my second choice of the garlic and garden herb mushroom bowl which was served on a garlic ciabatta. It was obviously very much enjoyed by John and Eddie and it got to the point where our one-year-old won the fight to scrape the bowl clean of the delicious creamy mustard and garlic sauce.

Next time we'll be ordering Eddie his own!

We both ordered a carvery. John went first while I entertained Eddie (if we had booked a table in the main restaurant we would have been able to leave him at the table within our view while we queued for the carvery).

As soon as I arrived at the carvery I realised what the review reader was referring to . . . creamy leeks, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes and parsnips, new potatoes, red cabbage, shallots, carrots and a beautiful creamy mash potato with what we decided had leeks mixed in.

Before that I had been served a generous slice of roast peppered beef which was so tender it simply fell apart as it landed on the plate and some juicy and succulent pork. The third option was a chicken breast, wrapped in bacon and stuffed with apricots. I was very tempted but considered the vegetables I was yet to put on the plate and thought I'd leave room.

I tried a small helping of every vegetable option (red cabbage and the mash were certainly top of the priority list) and my plate was piled high - topped with hot, homemade gravy, back to the table I went.

John's clean plate was a sure sign it was good. And a short time later, my plate looked identical.

The meat was fantastic and the vegetable selection which were all piping hot and very tasty and seasoned perfectly were all given the thumbs up.

There wasn't anything we could fault and it seemed we were the only ones who were new to The Four Crosses dining experience - everyone else seemed to know how good it was hence they were there.

Despite there being a queue (expected at such a good venue at a peak hour) there were no moans or tutts heard in the queue - everyone obviously knew good things come to those who wait. Everything was replenished before any customer had to wait and the roast meats were certainly that - fabulous.

The dessert menu (of which I had already seen samples being served) offered homemade choices including bread and butter pudding, raspberry, white chocolate and truffle pavlova and warm chocolate brownies or Eton mess.

I had seen the large portion of pavlova piled high with fresh cream and fruit and also the warm brownies of which two were served per portion.

I was desperate to try the pavlova or the brownie but I was simply too full. The suggestion of even sharing one proved too much for either of us and we were forced to decline. Devastation.

Since our visit I have looked at the pub website where I have found it is owned and managed by a small, family pub company, Jenesis Inns, where the owners, Hayley and Andy, pride themselves on their "family home" at the Four Crosses Inn.

ADDRESS

Four Crosses Inn, Holyhead Road, Bicton, Shrewsbury SY3 8EF

Tel: 01743 850258

Website: www.fourcrosses.com

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Baked brie (V) served warm with mixed leaves, fresh bread and red onion marmalade (£4.95); Salmon fish cakes, Thai mayo (£4.45)

MAIN COURSES

Homemade Lasagne (£8.95); Rosemary roasted lamb cutlets with creamy mashed potatoes (£11.45); Dorset crab and lime linguini - flaked prime crab tossed with lime, coriander with soft linguini (£8.95)

DESSERTS

Homemade Baileys & chocolate light fluffy cheesecake (£4.45); Homemade raspberry, white chocolate & truffle pavlova (£4.45)

SERVICE

Professional, friendly and prompt

DISABLED

Disabled access

ATMOSPHERE

Welcoming and friendly - a real family run pub and restaurant where staff give a genuine welcome to children