Some in the Midlands

After a grim journey round the M25 – one hour for one junction – we arrive at a regular haunt, the Bell at Clent after the kitchen has closed.  We are directed instead to the nearby Talbot in Belbroughton.  This has a little less character, but does have the virtue of serving food all day.

We are directed to the bar area, rather than the laid up restaurant,  although there are some people in that area already. We take a seat and B orders some wine from the bar.  Then we choose from the menu on the table – lots of dishes marked “NEW” – and I go to the bar to order. There’s no-one around, so our mood is not much improved.  Eventually someone appears and our order placed.

Five minutes later, the chap returns – we’d ordered from an old menu, and they were not doing the Thai fish cakes I wanted any more.  The new menu is identical apart from the fishcakes and the fact that the dishes are not “NEW” any more.  So I order the grilled prawns starter instead, while B has the duck confit salad.  The prawn dish is just three prawns (good size though, so fair enough), while B’s duck leg could have been a main course if served with lentils say.  Both are good, so we start to relax at last.  £49 is perhaps a bit steep though.

 

On the journey south a few days later, we stop at the Shrewsbury Arms in Albrighton, conveniently located near where the A41 meets the M54.  This is a large place, again with separate bar and restaurant areas, though the menu is the same. The restaurant part in particular is splendidly decorated as in an old manor house. It’s quite busy but we get served quickly. B has a starter portion of garlic prawns (a better size) while I choose the Italian “BMT” flatbread with parma ham and salami.  The topping is very nice but the bread really quite thick, so I leave that.  £43 including one bottle of Viognier.

 

We’re staying with D&B2,  and go out to dinner nearby at the Lyttleton Arms near Stourbridge.  This is in the same chain as the Derby Arms in Epsom that I’ve reviewed before, and the menu is virtually identical.  The friendly Ozzie waitress takes our order: chilli squid from the specials menu for me, scallops with pork belly for B and garlic pizzette to start for D&B2.  The squid is good, and B2 raves over it when he has a taste.

Mains are seabass fillets for me (good and moist but firm), linguine with prawns and chorizo for B; duck leg salad for D (better than the Derby Arms) and roast salmon for B2, which he also enjoys. D even has an ice cream and cookie.  £157 for four including two bottles of SB is pretty good, though it felt a little uninteresting.