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.