Sebastian's, Oswestry

Star rating: ***** There is something rather perverse in recommending one of your favourite restaurants to thousands of other people, writes Neil Thomas.

Say great things about it and they might all want to dine there. Gush and they'll rush, as it were.

The result may well be that where you once had no trouble booking a table, you might suddenly find yourself at the end of a three-month waiting list.

It is a risky business telling those who hunger for new dining experiences of somewhere top-notch in their county. It is just as hazardous reminding those already in the know that a restaurant they might not have visited for years is still there and brilliant.

You see, I appreciate you are a discerning readership who love your food and know a fair bit about it. This is the age of the celebrity chef, blanket coverage on screen and in print. TV shows and books by Jamie, Gordon, Rick, Hugh, Nigella et al abound and we are, as a result, probably the most knowledgeable generation ever on food, its provenance, cooking, serving and health implications.

In short, there's no pulling the wool over your eyes.

So it is with a certain trepidation that I refer you to Sebastian's. It's only fair to say that my wife Vanessa and I have dined there quite a few times down the years and found it consistently superb.

Owner-chef Mark Sebastian Fisher honed his art in Switzerland and France and is one of the most skilled chefs in the county. Wife Michelle, so elegant front of house, is the welcoming face of Sebastians, overseeing flawless service.

The couple are a winning team and its clientele benefits. We've long thought it one of the best eating out experiences in Shropshire and Mid Wales, its take on French food and wonderful service proving a compelling combination.

In other words, I didn't exactly approach it with an open mind. Our latest visit, though, re-inforced my feelings.

Set in Willow Street's stretch of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, its frontage is not especially eye-catching save for the rather limp French tricolour. But inside it is all oak-panelling and flattering candlelight, the perfect place for a gentleman to impress a lady or, as Vanessa pointed out, re-impress one. A great special occasion venue.

After refreshing pre-dinner gin and tonics on easy chairs in the small lounge area, we were shown to our table and presented with cappucino of haricot beans and truffle oil. If you have to eat foam, it might as well be the best and this delighted the palate.

My ravioli of chicken and goat's cheese with asparagus bouillon provided a pleasing contrast of flavours and textures, with tender poultry and the creamiest of cheese.

Vanessa described her starter of crispy belly pork with clams and butternut squash puree as scrumptious.

She equally enjoyed her main course, a very tender, rare fillet of beef served with a peppery watercress puree and a rich Madeira sauce.

My roast loin of lamb was beautifully tender, lovely shades of brown and pink meat oozing flavour while the roasted sweetbreads melted on the tongue. It came with potato rosti and a delicious tomato and herb sauce that offered plenty of flavour without overpowering the lamb.

The fresh iced sorbet was a splendid palate refresher before the important business of dessert.

My chocolate brownie with lavender ice cream offered rich pleasures on a plate, the crunchy outside of the cake broken to allow a warm dark chocolate 'yoke' to spill out. The lavender flavour was subtle and refreshing. A perfect pudding.

Vanessa enjoyed a plateful of classic French cheeses, with a generous accompaniment of grape chutney, celery, home-made bread and warm Welsh rarebit. This was not only a great final course but would have made a lovely light lunch by itself.

We washed it all down with a bottle of Sancerre rouge, a delightfully fruity Pinot Noir which complemented the food wonderfully.

The coffee is just about the best around and with homemade truffles and petit fours was, as ever, an enjoyable finale. Three courses cost £35 per person and the overall bill of just above £116 might sound steep to some. It represents, however, great value for money.

Having possibly whetted your appetite for the food we ate, I hardly dare mention that the menu changes weekly and that we visited rather more than a week ago.

Having never had a bad meal there, though, I can heartily recommend Sebastians on any night of any month in any year. As they say in sporting circles, form is temporary, class is permanent.

ADDRESS

Sebastian's, 45 Willow Street, Oswestry

Tel: 01691 655444

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Mushrooms in garlic, cream and Roquefort cheese; Crispy belly pork with clams and butternut squash puree

Main courses

Monkfish tail with courgettes and mustard and tarragon sauce; Beef with fondant potato, watercress puree and Madeira sauce

Desserts

Grapefruit and orange terrine with Earl Grey sorbet; Cream with strawberry and balsamic compote and strawberry coulis

ATMOSPHERE

A sense of occasion

SERVICE

First rate

DISABLED FACILITIES

Compact rooms could be a problem