The Fox, Much Wenlock

Star rating: **** Rex M Key and wife Libby are impressed with their top-class three-course meal.

Down the years The Fox has had several guises but has now settled to become a confident and convivial dining establishment.

It has been run for a couple of years by John and Hannah Davison who offer a polished and professional service of a standard to satisfy the most discerning diners.

John has been in the catering industry for 35 years, having worked at The Savoy in London, so the food is, as you would expect, creatively combined and immaculately cooked.

Hannah has worked in photography for 10 years and her design and styling skills show through at The Fox.

We arrived in the large reception area some minutes later than planned following a protracted discussion about whose turn it was to drive home. I won, and got to drink the most.

We were greeted by Rebecca and almost immediately shown to our table. It was neatly laid with a bold, eye-catching table runner in brown and gold, matching the comfortable, upholstered chairs.

The laminated menus offered an excellent range of imaginatively selected delights, with seven starters ranging from roasted celeriac with Shropshire Blue cheese soup to pan-fried pigeon breast and a potato galette although this was not cheap at £6.95.

I selected the sweet melon with poached figs in a rum and cinnamon syrup (£5.50). I hadn't wanted anything too filling (as I'd planned a foray into the desserts) and the melon and figs fitted the bill. Poached figs may not be to everyone's taste although mine were only mildly flavoured; the melon and the syrup were delightful.

Libby's potted shrimps with a lemon and nutmeg butter came with some much-appreciated toasted pumpernickel bread (£5.50). She still found fault, however, as the shrimps were scattered around in the salad when she expected them to be in a little pot, or as a "tower". There's no pleasing some people.

She was however 100 per cent pleased with her main course of medium rare, pan-fried duck breast with a cumin crust and crushed new potatoes (£15.75). She had deliberated, her indecision was protracted and understandable – so many tempting choices: sea bass with a Pernod and fennel cream; chicken with a Thai lime and green chilli sauce; cannelloni stuffed with roasted vegetables – all sounding delicious.

I was equalled bowled over by my free-range loin of venison (£16.50). The Fox aims to source meat from Shropshire breeders and my venison, which was masterfully sauteed with juniper, and red wine with mushroom, was tender and excellently flavoured. The creamy mustard mash was perfect.

As I was not doing the driving I sampled the lion's share of the Vale Syrah (£12.95), one of the house red choices, without complaint.

That left just the desserts although "just" is the wrong word to apply to such a superb concoction, as the rich chocolate and Drambuie pave with Amaretti biscuits and served with whipped cream and almond flakes (£5.95). I'll volunteer to walk home next time just for the privilege of consuming such a sweet, calorie-laden treat.

Libby as ever took in her calories with cheeses (£6.25) and sensibly avoided any refined sugar.

A pleasant interlude followed as we basked in replete satisfaction over fresh coffee and mints only to come back to reality with the bill for £70.

The evening of our visit saw a mix of clientele, a family group, some twenty-somethings, some sedate older couples – but all were well-behaved (not quite the case on a previous visit). I suspect the CCTV cameras helped the management to identify the recalcitrant youngsters and resolve antisocial behaviour issues.

The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday for the a la carte menu and does traditional Sunday lunches featuring such favourites as Shropshire rare-breed pork with crackling and chunky apple sauce. In the winter this is served in front of a roaring open fire . . . adding nostalgia to comfort.

John and Hannah know their business, and as well as running a successful restaurant and offering bed and breakfast accommodation, their next venturesome development is to open The Fox as a wedding venue where the building can be hired for the night and the Davisons will just about do the rest for the special day.

I wish them good luck.

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Rich pheasant and herb paté, with citrus fruit salad and red onion jam (£5.95)

Green & red pepper and goat's cheese terrine with rocket salad and balsamic glaze (£5.95)

Main courses

Shropshire fillet of beef or sirloin with green peppercorn sauce and homemade chunky chips (£19.50)

Fillet of salmon baked with pine nut and herb crust on bed of sweet potato and tomato ragout (£14.75)

Desserts

Gooey ginger sponge with crystallised ginger, butterscotch sauce and vanilla bean custard (£5.95)

Fine cheeses with celery and grapes (£6.25)

ATMOSPHERE

Refined and convivial

SERVICE

Professional and friendly

Contact

The Fox, 46 High Street, Much Wenlock, TF13 6AD.

Telephone: 01952 727292.

www.the-fox-inn.co.uk