Food review: Delightful dishes at The Baiting House, Upper Sapey

Maybe it’s the notion that time will extend forever, as blue skies and late evening sun create an amber glow. Perhaps it’s the opportunity to step out of the work-a-day, as pubs provide an opportunity to relax.

Whatever it is, there’s magic in the air when summer comes and when great food, impressive service, and delicious food combine on long, breezy, summer evenings.

The Baiting House has been one of the best since its launch in 2016. It’s located near Tenbury Wells, at the top of the hill climbing out of the Teme Valley, near the border between Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire, in the small village of Upper Sapey.

The focal point of village life for well over a century, the Baiting House was traditionally where drovers and waggoners climbing the hill with their horses would stop for “bait” (the local word for food, or a small snack). The earliest census records go back to 1840, when a wheelwright called Peregrine Perkins occupied the property and had a useful sideline as a beer maker.

Having fallen into disrepair at the beginning of the last decade, the Baiting House closed completely early in 2015, but was totally refurbished and re-born, having been purchased by a local couple.

Comfortable rooms were added. A nearby field was turned into a space for holiday units. And with the appointment of an exceptional chef, since re-opening in 2016 the Baiting House has won numerous awards, and been used as a model for the re-invigoration of failing country pubs across the country. Its food has been recommended in the Michelin Guide.

Kate Lane, its co-owner, embarked on a mission to reinvigorate others, including The Hopton Crown and The Rodney. She has a particular connection with the pub. She visited it with her parents for Sunday lunch or a glass of lemonade in the garden on a summer’s day. With good reason, she is incredibly proud of what’s been created, not least because it’s given a new lease of life to country pubs which had previously been neglected and even abandoned.

The refurbishment of The Baiting House has stood the test of time. There’s a bar for locals, which is habitually full of drinkers enjoying quality real ales, while dogs snooze in the corner, or wag their tails seeking attention.

An adjoining restaurant is light, airy, tastefully decorated, and full of exposed wood and decidedly cool artwork. There are colourful portraits of dogs, a railways-numbers-board that flickers into life, cardboard cut-outs of stag’s heads, and much more beside.

The staff are great. From its inception to the present day, The Baiting House has mastered the enviable knack of appointing busy, industrious, polite young waiters and waitresses who are keen to impress and deliver service with a smile. It’s good training and a will to do well, presumably, that sets them apart and adds to the customer experience.

The food has been at the heart of The Baiting House’s offering since day one and it remains at a high level.

The Michelin Guide for 2023 describes it thus: “The assured yet understated modern British dishes are well priced and nicely balanced and, most importantly, deliver bags of flavour. Make a night of it and book a lodge with a hot tub.”

Dishes make the most of local flavours, where possible, and so, for instance, there’s a Herefordshire Rarebit On Toast, with balsamic vinegar, onion jam, pickled shallots, and Parmesan. Local cheeses and exceptional local meat are other offerings on a menu that’s brilliantly written and offers a selection of five starters, five mains, and five desserts. There’s ample choice for all, with mains offering a vegetarian choose, an impressive fish dish, and three others that feature the best of local meats.

My partner and I have visited frequently since 2016 – and have never had a poor experience. Each time, staff have excelled, the food has been sublime, and we’ve left sure in the knowledge that we’ll be back again before too long.

We visited earlier this week, booking at midweek table at the last minute and enjoying the drive to the border of south Shropshire, through some of the region’s most picturesque and attractive countryside.

We started with a warming cheddar loaf, served with a light, creamy Marmite butter. The umami flavours of the butter were a perfect match for the soft, yielding bread, and reassured us that we were in the hands of an accomplished kitchen.

My partner started with a summery salad of Isle of Wight tomatoes with a fresh, creamy burrata, and a green, herb oil. It was a delight. The sweetness of the tomatoes was perfectly paired with a sensational burrata while the herb oil added body and depth, bringing the dish together.

I enjoyed a long-established staple of The Baiting House’s menu, a light, fluffy cheese souffle that was served surrounded by a molten cheese sauce. A little onion jam had been placed beneath the souffle, providing sweetness and a light acidity that cut through the richness of the dish. Topped with chopped chives and offering bags of flavour, it was a delicious way to begin.

Our mains were stunning. My partner enjoyed a fillet of beef that was perfectly pink and that was served with black garlic, roasted onion, greens, and a deep, hearty, beef sauce. A side of skinny fries, deliciously crispy and crunch, completed the plate.

I ate a magnificent slow-cooked lamb shoulder with courgette, basil, mint, a light and dreamy potato fondant, and a rich lamb sauce. The shoulder was sensational, breaking apart beneath the knife in luxuriant stands of flavoursome protein. The sauce was lip-smackingly good while the vegetables had been lightly cooked and retained plenty of crunch.

It made for a happy, two-course dinner, and a delightful evening at one of the region’s most reliable and consistently high-achieving pub-restaurants.

Details

The Baiting House, Upper Sapey, Tenbury Wells

www.baitinghouse.co.uk

01886 878178