The Swan, Ironbridge

takes his family on a return trip to a well-known pub and finds it all tickety-boo.

The last time I reviewed The Swan in Ironbridge, I was a little bit disappointed. The food was unimpressive and I didn't come away with any sort of desire to return.

How times change. Since that previous visit, our family has expanded, with Louis now an eager participant in meals, while poor Luca is stuck with baby milk.

It clearly enjoys a roaring trade from a younger (and thinner) clientele than ourselves, so we had a few worries about feeling unwelcome.

Bearing in mind we are now a lively — and often loud — family, there is always the fear that we might not fit a pub's requirements in terms of customers. There was no need to worry.

The general layout has changed little from the last time we visited, but it just seemed, well, better.

Sometimes, it is hard to put a finger on why a pub has improved, or even declined in quality. The Swan just felt better, warmer even.

To begin our meal, I had the sticky barbecue ribs, while Claire chose spicy bean soup. Louis, meanwhile, went for the chicken nuggets.

My starter certainly delivered everything it promised. Although the coating was nice enough, it was just a little bit too sticky for my liking. I had a cracking time stripping off all the meat, but ended up looking like a two-year-old struggling with a happy meal.

Even our eldest son rolled his eyes when he saw daddy's eating habits.

Claire, on the other side of the table, was a model of serenity. Her spicy bean soup certainly demanded a glass of water as an accompaniment, but she ploughed on regardless.

This was a real achievement for Claire, who usually baulks at the prospect of a mild chicken korma.

The fact that she finished every last drop of a relatively spicy dish speaks volumes for its quality.

I must say, at this point, that the prices are still a little bit high, with the majority of starters costing over five pounds.

Even though customers pay for quality, you get the feeling that a visit to The Swan is more of a rare treat that a regular trip for tea. And at £15.50, my main course definitely strayed into the expensive category - but it was worth it.

I ordered chicken breast with cranberries and camembert, and wrapped in bacon. It turned out to be an absolute classic combination. The chicken itself was cooked to perfection, while the cranberries, cheese and bacon simply hung around in the background.

I don't mean they were absent at all. Rather, they just supported the flavour of the chicken instead of dominating the entire dish. It was the same with the accompanying green beans — goodness me, they were very tasty and crunchy.

On the other side of the table, Claire was handing out similar compliments about her gammon steak. She has tried gammon countless times before and on some occasions, it has been fatty and rather chewy with not much flavour.

Not this time.

As with most of our other four-star reviews, the gammon was a real champion.

It had very little fat on it and seemed to ooze flavour. It was certainly the best Claire has tasted in a very long time.

As we finished our meals, we took a few moments to glance at our surroundings.

Our initial opinions were right — many of the customers slotted right into the young and trendy category.

But it was a delight to find that we were welcomed as much as anyone else.

The staff couldn't have been more helpful and even though our final bill came to a slightly pricey £42.40, we will certainly be saving up for a return visit.

ADDRESS

The Swan, 21 The Wharfage, Ironbridge TF8 7NH

Tel: 01952 433108

Website: www.theswanironbridge.co.uk

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Olives and crusty bread - £2.95; Fish cakes and sweet chilli jam - £5.95

MAINS

Fish pie with parmesan mash - £9.95; Spicy beef stir fry - £7.95

DESSERTS

Caramel and apple pie - £3.95; Chocolate fudge cake - £3.95

A daytime 'lite bites' menu is also available

SERVICE

Very efficient and could not be faulted, although it would be interesting to see the service tested during a busy Friday evening

ATMOSPHERE

Very calm and friendly. The staff were more than happy to discuss the dishes on offer

DISABLED FACILITIES

Wheelchair access is available via a door on the lower floor