Shropshire Magazine

The Fox in Much Wenlock

Nathan Rous enjoys a visit to a Much Wenlock restaurant where huge strides have been made since it was taken over last year. Pictures: Mike Hayward

Much Wenlock is like an espresso, giving visitors a short but intense burst of history and curiosity which arouses the senses and clears the head. Yet even by Much Wenlock’s standards the giant panda-shaped paper lanterns which have swung outside this venue for the last few years were perhaps a curiosity too far.

Since the Chinese restaurant closed in September 2006 a new broom has swept clean and The Fox has been revealed in all its traditional glory.

Indeed, in some ways it is something of a homecoming for both The Fox and its owners, John and Hannah Davison, given that Hannah was brought up in the town and the restaurant has been serving heartwarming local cuisine since the 1600s. It took the couple six months to get The Fox ready for its public and it has been receiving rave reviews ever since the curtain was finally lifted last March. Hannah admits it has been a slow process.

But in my mind they have worked nothing short of a miracle since they first arrived. True, the male toilets need something of an overhaul, but there isn’t much else which needs their attention to detail. The menu is deliciously uncomplicated. No excessive themes or flavours, just perfectly balanced concoctions, whether it is for the lunchtime trade or evening diners. Joined by great friends, dinner a deux was doubled, and while the girls took the comfy chairs to discuss recent shopping trips, Stephen and I chewed over the day’s political twists and turns at the bar.

Who am I trying to kid? We were too busy going through the wine list to even talk to each other. Granted, the wine list is not particularly extensive but you have to remember that this acorn is only just beginning to stretch upwards. Like a person who uses words carefully, the wine list is succinct but to the point.

We eventually plumped for a marvellous Rupert & Rothschild Classique 2004 which would bring out the best in our wintry selection. Among the starters I like to feel that my pheasant and smoked bacon pâté steeped in brandy and served with a citrus salad was the star turn.

Although my palate demanded a little more steeping, the smoked bacon elevated the dish to unforeseen heights. Such was the stature of the ingredients that, in truth, the citrus salad was an innocent bystander for I wanted to revel in this earthy terrine without the need to cleanse.

Melon with mango sorbet, on the other hand, is the perfect entrée for my wife who is regularly afflicted with the appetite of a sparrow. It was refreshingly clean: the sort of effect you would get from brushing your teeth with melon toothpaste. The sorbet was wonderfully thick and sticky, not the customary ball of ice which other restaurants have grown used to serving.

Tournedos of Shropshire beef with wild mushroom and red wine jus

Stephen’s roast pigeon breast had him flapping with excitement, much like the bird before it met its end no doubt. Each slice a deep crimson in the centre and a caramel brown on the edge, John had given our feathered friend a fitting tribute. The mustard and parsley mash, finished with a mushroom jus, rounded each mouthful with an equal dose of pick-me-up and warmth. Four clean plates made their way back to the kitchen and more were to follow. Yet within the opening 10 minutes it was plain that the service was everything it should be. Attentive but not claustrophobic, informed but never over-bearing. At just 19, our waitress had the presence of someone twice her years. Just as I thought to ask for more brioche for my pâté she was by my side asking if I would like more. And instead of drumming her pen against her pad while we paid more attention to the conversation than the menu, she only appeared when she knew we were ready.

John and Hannah have plainly invested in their staff for nor did the barman flap when we asked for two drinks which were not available, instead suggesting fine alternatives. Stephen and Amanda may have been a trifle torn on their choice of main course but the words of wisdom from our waitress ensured the arrival of a fillet steak and its rib-eye cousin met with a chorus of approval. If you are of yuletide disposition imagine ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ in ooohs and aaahs.

While not perhaps the most adventurous dishes for a chef to prepare they are a real barometer of how the kitchen operates for the customer. Each came with Botham-esque handcut chips, a blistered half of tomato and a gloriously spiky green peppercorn sauce.

My medallions of venison sang their own chorus accompanied by a choir of seasonal mushrooms and a potato rosti. Elegantly cooked, the venison was so tender you could probably push it through a sieve with the back of a spoon. The mushrooms looked like they had fainted in the majesty of their more important roommate but still possessed that buttery, foresty flavour that provided flickering flashbacks of woodland walks and climbing trees with grazed knees.

Tracey’s steamed sea bass fillets with creamed leeks, potato puree and saffron sauce was arguably the only bubble-burster. A slightly anaemic number despite the flurry of paprika on the rim of the serving dish, at the very least her offering needed a few more strands of saffron to increase the hue. The fillets also proved surprisingly bony, leaving her to wince her way through both food and conversation.

Greedily, we salivated over the dessert menu as if it were the first meal we had eaten in a week. Two instantly saw promise in the pear and almond frangipane with homemade custard, another was seduced by the warm apple tart with a caramel and toffee ice-cream and I plucked the passion fruit crème brulée with oat biscuits from the line-up.

The silence which descended over our table meant that it was barely a matter of moments before we made it 12 clean plates out of 12. In that time crusts had crumbled, sugar toppings had cracked and custard had oozed. Dessert swinging, the custom of swapping dishes with fellow guests, was not even suggested given the gusto with which we tucked in. Indeed, the only trace of our meal left at the table was the look of almost guilty satisfaction on our faces.

It will not be long before John and Hannah Davison are in great demand. The couple have flown their nest in Malvern to take up this challenge; Malvern’s loss is Shropshire’s gain.

On our departure, two fellow diners told me how the Davisons had put them up when their home was flooded out – even asking for their opinion on new dishes and flavours.

It shows that Much Wenlock not only has its restaurant back, it has the right people looking after it. And there’s not a panda in sight.

• The Fox, 46 High Street, Much Wenlock TF13 6AD. Telephone 01952 727292. www.the-fox-inn.co.uk