Exchange Brasserie, Cleobury Mortimer

is happy with readers' recommendation as she visits The Exchange Brasserie in Cleobury Mortimer.

Let me say a big thank you to two readers who recommended we visit The Exchange Brasserie in Cleobury Mortimer.

They urged us to get along there because of the good value and the excellent service from a young team mainly aged between 16 and 22 and with a 'grandaddy' of 27 as head chef.

I ventured over the Clee Hill from my home in the Corvedale in the superb autumn sunshine last Sunday and what a delightful experience was had.

Just a few days earlier I had dined with friends at one of the area's more expensive establishments and while it was in the main enjoyable, it did not match up to the Exchange for service and welcome.

Our fine dining experience was disappointing at the start with no welcome, no meet and greet and having to ask for someone to take our coats and get us a drink. Enough of that and back to the review.

Meet and greet were excellent and service throughout the meal was spot on. I don't think I have to detail exactly why.

The Exchange is so-called because it was once the town's Labour Exchange and was opened last September by 19-year-old Rob Smith and 27-year-old Leigh Everett who both used to work nearby at the Crown in Hopton Wafers. They then worked elsewhere and once the High Street building became available decided to branch out for themselves. A brave decision in these economically stretched times and a move I hope will be highly successful for what is obviously a talented team.

Rob is front of house and his skill is more usually found in someone with many more years of experience, while Leigh is head chef. Our waitress for the lunch was young and well trained – Rob and Leigh believe in good training and it shows.

The brasserie is contemporary in design, light and spacious with plenty of space between the tables - I hate being packed in so tight you can hear every breath, let alone every word of the people alongside you.

And now to the food. Sunday lunch is served between noon and 4pm (an excellent decision as many people prefer to eat later on the Sabbath) with one course £9.95, two for £12.95 and three for £15.95.

I had breaded goats cheese served with beetroot and apple salad and chicory jam while Neil had warmed pitta bread with hummus and tzatziki dips.

The coating on the cheese was light and the cheese not too strong. Beetroot is one of my favourite vegetables and it was perfect with the cheese. The dips were moist and delicious with fulsome pitta bread.

I had the roast leg of English lamb which was studded with garlic and rosemary and served with colcannon, minted gravy and roast potatoes. Utterly delicious, with the roasties nice and crispy on the outside and floury inside. There was also a dish of mixed vegetables, which we shared, and was one of the best I have had in a long time.

Neil had roast chicken breast which was wrapped in parma ham and also served with colcannon and roast potatoes. Now Neil is a man who does not really enjoy vegetables but he cleared his plate and really tucked into the dish of mixed vegetables – result!

I had a selection of local and national cheese with biscuits, which has a £2 supplement. The cheese was all in excellent condition, not too warm or cold, but there was just too much of it. Halve the portion, it will still be a healthy size and you needn't make that charge.

I knew it would be dark chocolate torte across the table when I spotted it on the menu.

A favourite if there is no creme brulee. It came with vanilla mascarpone and chocolate sauce and was a big hit, although Neil had to give in and leave a little on his plate.

I am Mrs waste-not-want-not at the moment and took the remaining cheese and half a packet of biscuits home for later and also two slices of lamb which I couldn't manage and which my dog had as a treat.

That all adds up to a lovely Sunday.

And it won't be long before we go back to try out the brasserie menu.

ADDRESS

Exchange Brasserie, 15a High Street, Cleobury Mortimer DY14 8DG

Tel: 01299 270029

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Cream of root vegetable soup with crispy cabbage

Salt and pepper squid, soy sauce, chilli and parsley

MAINS

Roast sirloin of British beef with Yorkshire pudding, shallots, bacon, Dijon gravy and roast potatoes

Baked Hake loin, Dijoncrust, sweet red ratatouille, parsley new potatoes

DESSERTS

Vanilla panacotta, pistachio shortbread

Sticky date nad walnut pudding, toffee sauce