The Woodbridge, Coalport

Reviewer's rating: *** James Shaw enjoys himself - a lot - at the Woodbridge.

I have never previously thought of the Woodbridge in Jackfield as a real foodie pub.

Indeed, that very tag would have probably put me off, had it been applied beforehand.

On this occasion, Claire and I just wanted something simple - and that is exactly what we got, but with a very welcome twist.

Perhaps the fact that the Woodbridge hasn't previously featured on our radar was part of our joy, or it could have even been its location.

Tucked away from the bright lights of Ironbridge, it doesn't get a lot of passing trade and isn't terribly easy to get to.

But whoever makes the journey is in for a real treat.

Anyway, back to our meal - to begin, I went for the duck liver pate, while Claire had winter vegetable soup.

My pate was just the beginning of a truly fantastic meal. It was deliciously smooth, but also had plenty of tiny chunks that added to the simple, but great meaty flavour.

If I could highlight one fault - and this really is scraping the barrel - it was the fact that the toast was a little bit untidy.

See? Told you it was a very, very minor fault.

That was the sort of night we had, with virtually nothing to complain about or even grumble at. And no, they haven't paid me to write that bit.

It had a slightly spicy flavour and was very smooth, although at the same time, rather filling. There was no need to nit-pick.

As with many of our meals out, we took the time after the starters to survey our surroundings.

The Woodbridge feels most welcoming, with an relaxed atmosphere that I imagine would be hard to replicate.

Of course, there is the typical drinking area, but diners are given equal billing with their very own restaurant area.

The specified dining area was closed during our visit, but we nevertheless found a comfortable table.

And to our main courses.

I had decided to try the winter casserole, while Claire had the 8oz rump steak. We were both concerned that neither would be enough to satisfy appetites that had been developing since lunchtime.

In the event, we needn't have worried. My casserole was absolutely huge and needless to say, I got nowhere near to finishing it.

The chef had been watching my progress with interest and simply said "you shouldn't have had the starter" when he cleared away my plate.

It contained really thick pieces of chicken and beef, along with great chunks of vegetables in a delicious sauce.

It was a real man's meal and unfortunately, I just wasn't man enough to finish my bit. Across the table Claire sensed my growing feeling of despair as she tackled her rump steak.

We later learned that the steaks served by the Woodbridge are hung by a local butcher for much longer than normal.

And Claire certainly noticed the difference. Unlike the steaks served at many pubs across Telford, this had a much deeper, meatier taste.

It was also bigger and juicier than Claire expected, meaning the side offerings of chips and vegetables were cast aside.

They simply could not compete with their meaty cousin on the other side of the plate.

A note should also be made of the price we paid. At around £30 for a drink each and two superb courses, the whole evening was fantastic value.

No need for gimmicks here - the quality of the meal really spoke for itself.

And there wasn't a foodie in sight.

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Spicy chicken wings (£4.75); Prawn cocktail (£4.95); Main courses; Home-made chilli (£7.50); Fillet of salmon (£9.95)

Desserts

Strawberry cheesecake (£3.75); Apple and cinnamon crumble (£3.75)

ATMOSPHERE

Warm and inviting, with very few disturbances from the staff.

SERVICE

Efficient enough, although the quality of the food meant we took little very notice.

DISABLED FACILITIES

There is access for wheelchairs.

ADDRESS

The Woodbridge Inn, Coalport, Ironbridge TF8 7JF

Tel: 01952 882054