The Tilley Raven, Tilley, Wem

Reviewer's rating ****

The Tilley Raven has a lot going for it,

. It is situated in a gorgeous village which epitomises Shropshire country life.

It's had a major makeover which must have cost a banker's bonus. And the chef knows his onions . . . and his pastry and his black pudding.

We drove out there on a balmy summer evening and found the Raven to be a pearl in an idyllic sea of colour. Rural charm at its best . . . but back to the food on your plate.

To sum up at the start, rather than at the end, we were impressed and can only agree with the reader who contacted us to urge we visit the Raven; it's certainly worth recommending.

The only area of uncertainty is whether the Raven is a pub or a restaurant. I think it would be accurate to say it combines the best of both.

It has bare, wooden tables and hard, upholstery-free chairs. It has polished, partly bare floorboards and the potted plants are plastic. Locals call in for a drink and a chat - so it's a pub.

But the menu is vast, imaginative, tempting and a bit pricey - so it's a restaurant. But the food is absolutely gorgeous - so it's a very good restaurant.

The counter-intuitive idea of opening such a stunningly desirable establishment almost hidden away behind the cow parsley, miles from any meaningful centre of population (apart from Wem) makes it all the more surprising. Set your sat-navs for SY4 5HE and seek it out.

Thirty miles may seem a long way to drive for a meal but the Oakwell black pudding in a cider batter means it is worth doing just for that course alone. Oakwell claims to be the premier supplier of black pudding - it certainly pleased my palate. It came with an apple sauce and a really fresh, crispy, carefully presented salad.

Libby chose the soup - cauliflower and Cheddar with a baked roll (£3.20). To say it was thick soup would be understating the porridge-like consistency but, oh my, did it have flavour. I did not realise just how tasty a bit of cauli and cheese, perfectly cooked and seasoned, could be. Two good reasons for burning a couple of gallons of fuel to find Tilley.

The choice of main ranks as the most extensive I have seen. There was beef steak in ten different guises, then pork, lamb, duck, chicken, cod and salmon, chillis and four vegetarian options. Wow.

What to choose? I know that our average reader is a bit conservative in the taste department with steak high on the list of favourites. So I modestly picked the five-ounce sirloin served with onions, mushrooms and grilled tomato. The charge was £9.75 but I took the optional extra of a peppercorn sauce (£1.95). But it was all well worth it. Tender steak, proper chunky chips, vinegar in a vinegar jug (not a plastic sachet), my only regret is these days I can't manage more than a five-ounce sirloin, time was when I could manage half a back end.

Libby during this time was drooling over her steak, port and Stilton pie with "proper" shortcrust pastry. "I hate fighting through puff pastry, too dry and tasteless" - she says. She gave it seven out of ten, which for experienced cook Libby is quite a compliment. The side dish of veg, carrot slices, broccoli, peas and a bit of swede passed muster.

Lots of desserts to tempt, priced from £1.30 for one scoop of Tatton ice-cream and sorbets. I was replete but Libby asked for a modest taste of the mandarin sorbet. Perfect, she said, for rounding off the meal.

Then a coffee for her (£1.50) and an espresso for me (£1.25). Total cost, with drinks, was £43, plus my petrol money.

If you want to take your kids, there is a choice of six meals, from £3.20. A "small appetite menu" is offered alongside the extensive daytime menu with weekly specials adding even more choice.

Real ales including Old Wharf, Drawwell and Woodland are available as well as Black Rat cider.

Try it before the snow covers up the countryside.

And my wife liked the frame prints.

ADDRESS

The Tilley Raven, Tilley Village, Wem

Tel: 01939 234419

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Brie wedges deep fried with raspberry coulis (£4.20); Duck pate with apricot chutney and melba toast (£4.70)

Main courses

Honey roast duck with orange caramel sauce and glazed peaches (£11.50); Fillet of cod in homemade beer batter, chips and homemade mushy peas (£9.75)

Desserts

Bread and butter pudding (£4.20);Eton mess (£4.50)

ATMOSPHERE

Relaxed and convivial

SERVICE

Excellent, two waitresses coped well on a very busy night

DISABLED FACILITIES

Full facilities for the disabled