The Cuckoo Oak, Madeley

Reviewer's rating *** James Shaw has mixed fortunes with his good-value meals.

There are some pubs that I really, really want to review and, indeed, review well.

Not many of them are top-class eateries or gastro-pubs - rather, they're the kind of places where people can feel completely at home and relax.

Quite often, customers are on speaking terms with staff and they treat the place as somewhere to stop off for tea.

That is very much the case at the Cuckoo Oak in Telford, which has been a part of Tweedale for as long as I can remember.

It has changed hands a number of times over the years, but has remained a hugely popular destination.

But is that reputation justified?

Like I said at the beginning, I desperately wanted to give the Cuckoo Oak a good review, bearing in mind the warm welcome we received.

But it wasn't all that way.

The menu, as with any chain pub, caters for a certain customer template, with the usual options of steak, gammon and a fair smattering of burgers.

To begin, I went for the mixed grill, while Claire chose the one meal that genuinely interested me - cow pie.

It didn't have horns coming out of the top (remember Desperate Dan?) but it looked nice enough nontheless.Ê

Anyway, my main course, the mixed grill, was not the meaty treat I had been looking forward to.

There was plenty of meat, of course, and all the favourites were there, but they seemed to have been cooked at different times.

The chips, albeit a minor part of the meal, were virtually cold and sat limply on the side of the plate, having very little to contribute.

The steak was nice enough and was of a good size, but in its vicinity was a large sausage that, like the chips, was virtually cold.

Once more, the piece of gammon did enough to get a thumbs-up, although it didn't really make up for that cold sausage.

On the other side of the table it was a different story - despite the best efforts of young Louis to disrupt proceedings.

Having heroically given him his tea just moments earlier, Claire was hugely enthusiastic about her cow pie.

As I said earlier, there were no horns or anything like that - just great chunky pastry and huge, juicy pieces of meat inside.

In terms of quality, it was the opposite end of the scale to my mixed grill - a warming, enjoyable main course.

Once the main courses were out of the way, it was time to take stock of our surroundings. The Cuckoo Oak - also known as the Hungry Horse - is not designed for intimate meals, but that can be something of an advantage.

The layout lends itself to a mixed dining experience, with staff easily able to identify regular customers and those with children who need a bit of extra attention,

We were spotted straight away and Louis was handed a balloon and activity pack within minutes. But back to the food.

Our meal so far had been a rather mixed affair, so it rested on the desserts menu to tip the balance either way.

To finish the evening, I went for the chocolate brownies, while Claire opted straight for the Chicago cheesecake.

My brownies were indeed a fine way to end my meal. Having been disappointed by the mixed grill, this was a lovely surprise - three chunky pieces of chocolate brownie with lashings of vanilla ice-cream.

Claire was having all the luck with her meal. Following on from a delicious main course, she once again struck gold with the Chicago cheesecake.

Some might say it is hard to go wrong with desserts, but nevertheless, Claire's cheesecake was superb.

Someone in the kitchen had clearly made a big effort in ensuring our desserts were a highlight of the meal.

The final bill, including drinks was well under £30 - and bearing in mind that warm welcome, our meal was real value for money.

Contact

The Cuckoo Oak, Tweedale, Madeley, TF7 4JD. Tel: 01952 587324

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Prawn cocktail (£2.99)

Onion pole (£3.99)

Main courses

Chicken skewer sizzler (£7.69)

Chicken breast and bacon salad (£4.99)

Desserts

Treacle pudding (£2.49)

Giant cookie cup (£4.49)

ATMOSPHERE

Lively, warm and friendly, with easy banter between customers.

SERVICE

Depends on which member staff you encounter, but on the whole, polite and efficient.

DISABLED FACILITIES

There is access for wheelchairs.