The Three Horseshoes, Wheathill

Reviewer's rating **** Tracey O'Sullivan enjoys a midweek meal at a bustling pub in the heart of the community.

If ever there was a double act which marked the return of two greats then it has to be the Three Horseshoes at Wheathill and popular Shropshire landlady Janet Grant.

At a time when village pubs are struggling to avoid conversion to flats and a communal garden the people of South Shropshire should breathe a sigh of relief that these two particular names are back on the scene.

Both were almost lost to the county's delightful network of rural hostelries - the building to a devastating fire and the face behind the bar to a different pace of life.

Lucky for the customer then that Jan decided giving it all up was just not for her and the Wheathill landmark has had a facelift.

Fire ripped through the first floor of the village pub a year ago. It was a blow to the local community and to many tourists and visitors to the South Shropshire area who also considered it a local, albeit a temporary one for the duration of their stay.

But the fire did open a window of opportunity for change. It was to rise from the ashes last summer with Janet at the helm and it has not looked back since and is slowly forging itself very good reputation in terms of where to go to get a decent dinner and at a price suitable for these cost-cutting times.

In fact it is thriving, heaving most nights with customers eager to support and sustain its return, glad to have a village pub that does pub fayre well.

And its easy to see why people are thrilled to have two old friends back in the fold. Janet is no stranger to the village pub trade having occupied the position as landlady at the nearby Boyne Arms for many years.

She is also pleased to be back after finding life on the other side of the bar just didn't suit her. She has certainly recreated the warm welcome she firmly established at the Boyne Arms at the Three Horseshoes.

As a family we paid a visit on a weeknight - a chance to catch up and to try out this new eatery. It was impressive from the first step through the door. There was the customary greeting as we took seats in the bar - now with a new contemporary look and feel thanks to dark wood and bright fabrics setting the tone.

Menus were distributed while specials were explained, a daily specials board operates with emphasis on fresh fish and locally-sourced meat products, with staff having a good grasp of the offerings that night and well able to relay messages and requests to the kitchen.

They were a friendly bunch which is almost more important than other elements of service in a venue like this. Possibly in more formal settings service should be delivered efficiently and with minimum fuss.

But at a convivial watering hole like the Three Horseshoes you want to be able to laugh and joke with staff and to feel as if you know them rather than are just being served by them.

As it was a "school night" with early starts for everyone we decided to skip starters, as tempting as they were, to plump straight for the main courses.

My sister decided on the chef's pie of the day (£9.95), the chicken and ham variety, which I was also leaning towards until I spotted a chicken breast cooked in paprika and fresh coriander sauce (£11.95). Unusual but well worth a try.

The pie was just as good as a traditional pie should be. A thick golden crust with lashings of filling. Now this dish did just what it said on the tin, although it certainly didn't come from one. There was enough chicken and ham to feed an army although my sister said she felt it would have benefited from a few well-chosen greens added to the mix.

And then it would have been pie perfection. My last-minute change of plan, really to ensure we tried something different, most definitely paid off. Chicken can often be the poorer cousin to other meats when it comes to the chef's imaginative palette.

But as soon as the plate arrived I knew this was going to be a culinary adventure and it was. The presentation was good and the dish superb. A mix of flavours I wasn't totally sure would work did just that.

There is also a great choice from the grill and like all good village pubs should, all the restaurant's main courses are served with a choice of vegetables, salad, new potatoes or chips.

Tradition and good-old fashioned staples was the theme for the evening and it was no different by the time we reached the dessert stage of our meal.

The nostalgia was overflowing with cheesecake, fruit crumble and bread and butter pudding on the menu. I opted for the apple and cherry crumble while my sister went for the bread and butter pudding - both served with ice cream and followed by coffees.

The two choices proved as good as any served by those older female relatives, who I failed miserably to learn from as I grew up and now bitterly regret it. No wonder the Three Horsehoes proved right up my street - it's the kind of heartwarming culinary charm that I am not that great at creating.

It was my first visit to the Three Horsehoes but it certainly won't be my last. There is something about it which makes it feel like you have "come home".

It's now top of my list for family gatherings and certainly we'll be there in the near future to try out the Sunday lunch menu which boasts three courses for £13.95.

ADDRESS

The Three Horseshoes, Wheathill, near Bridgnorth WV16 6QT

Tel: 01584 823670

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Deep fried Camembert with Cranberries in Port (£4.95); Fresh mushrooms in a garlic & cream sauce served on toast (£4.95); Melon fan with damson sorbet (£4.95)

MAIN COURSES

Crisp Roast Belly Pork with a barbeque Sauce (£8.95); Roast half duckling with an orange and Grand Marnier sauce (£14.95); Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne £8.95

DESSERTS

Dessert board changes daily but includes such home-made choices as bread and butter pudding, Creme Brulee and cheesecake.

ATMOSPHERE

Buzzing for a weeknight with every table taken in the restaurant and a hub of chatter in the bar.

SERVICE

Very friendly and knowlegable

DISABLED FACILITIES

Very good outside but some interior steps to the restaurant.