Food review: Classic fare at The Dickin Arms

They sit there unnoticed, largely, observing the scene of a delightful Shropshire pub-diner, that combines excellent local ales with decent, home-cooked food and pleasing service.

It’s typical of the attention to detail that The Dickin Arms specialises in. On the walls, there are guns, photographs of rural scenes, stuffed game and artwork, and other ephemera that locates this delightful venue firmly in rural Shropshire.

It’s a pub that does the little things well. Providing great drinks for locals or easy-to-order, enjoyment-guaranteed plates of food and an atmosphere and ambience that are a true delight.

The Dickin Arms is based in Loppington, a delightful and well-maintained village that is quintessentially Salopian.

On high days and holidays, it’s a picture. Lawns are immaculately clipped, houses are well maintained and at the pub itself, there are towering, colourful flower planters that are teeming with seasonal blooms. It is stunning, in the golden hour, when the sun begins to set and when the sky is ablaze with hues of red, orange, and amber.

The pub has been skillfully kept, so that it’s inviting from the outside and cosy within.

Muted tones provide a sophisticated backdrop while the fixtures and furnishings within make the venue of-its-place. Guns on the wall, carefully locked away, as well as a range of taxidermy reflects the rural sports in which people engage come autumn and winter.

The bar is magnificent, with a range of real ales and on the evening that my partner and I visited, a barman who was knowledgeable and helpful towards other guests.

Dogs were welcome, and one sat close to us, patiently waiting while his owners worked their way through a platter of delicious food.

The menu is long and crowd-pleasing. It seeks to cover all the bases and tick all the boxes, to mix two unnecessary metaphors.

There are dishes that are very English, there are flavours from Asia and other parts of the world, there are such classics as fish and chips, decent steaks, pies and burgers.

It’s a menu that is all things to all people and covers the basics and the classics with aplomb.

I did wonder whether it might not be too long, and whether cutting down the choice and improving the quality might not give the kitchen team the opportunity to deliver higher standards.

Not that standards weren’t generally good. A bowl of mushroom soup, generously served, with fluffy bread and pats of good quality butter, was a delicious way for my partner to start.

Earthy, rich, warming and nourishing, the soup had been skillfully made and was marvellously flavoursome. Providing an encouraging and impressive start to the evening, it was a hug in a bowl.

My halloumi fries with a small salad and a tomato salsa were equally good. The halloumi had been dusted in a light flour before being fried to a golden crisp. They were delicious.

The salsa was reasonable, a fresher, sharper version with more pronounced flavour might have been better. The small salad, with a grain mustard vinaigrette, was a nice addition.

Our mains were reasonable-to-good. My partner’s fish and chips were a delight. A small pot of petit pois added colour and sweetness to the golden crunch of the battered fish.

The protein had been skilfully cooked, so that the fish flaked apart under the gentlest of pressure, while the fries were crisp and had been well cooked.

I ordered a platter of three sliders – or, mini burgers – that featured a pulled pork number, with melted cheese; a chicken variant, with Moroccan spice and mint; and a classic beef burger, with more of the salsa.

The platter was okay and the chef had clearly put plenty of thought into his or her creation.

The beef burger was great – cooked through, with plenty of flavoursome scorch marks, though the salsa was a bit of a disappointment, slightly bland and underseasoned.

The chicken was a little overcooked, though the balance of flavours was good and that element had been a pleasant idea.

The pork burger was also decent, with a generous helping of smoked cheese melted over the top into an indulgent mass of orangey-yellow flavour.

The bread, however, wasn’t great. Dry, dense, and poorly aerated, it was the one element of the evening that didn’t pass muster – which brings me back to the earlier point regarding a menu that’s perhaps a little-too-complex.

Doing fewer things well, rather than trying to please all the people all the time (you never can) may be a sensible revision to make.

Service was pleasing throughout. A pleasant, helpful and engaged young waitress was efficient, courteous and polite throughout the evening, making our visit an enjoyable, welcoming occasion.

And so we left with full bellies, having enjoyed the experience, and noting the very small number of tweaks – in my opinion – required to turn a thoroughly good experience into a stellar one.

The Dickin Arms team clearly work well together. Good owners who’ve created a great interior are supported by a hard-working front-of-house team, who serve as good ambassadors.

There’s further support from hard-working chefs who execute some dishes with aplomb and who work hard to satisfy their guests.

In an age where pubs are up against it and face a catalogue of challenges, The Dickin Arms deserves support and does almost everything to a high standard. It’s a delightful venue and deserves a trip out.

The Dickin Arms, Loppington, Shrewsbury

http://www.thedickinarms.co.uk/