Shropshire Magazine

The pub is a village institution of many years standing.

Neil Thomas discovers the sort of restaurant that he’d rather remained a scret for those in the know . . . Pictures: Russell Davies

What motivates you to try a new restaurant?  In the case of this column it’s imperative, I suppose, given that you can’t very well review the same place month after month without failing to irritate even the most casual reader.

But how do you make your choice? The majority of us tend to be conservative in outlook, sticking to the tried and tested. We find somewhere good and return again and again. But then, how did we discover the old favourite in the first place?

There is always an element of risk in visiting somewhere new, as there is in any other branch of the entertainment and hospitality industry. When you go to a Premier League football match you don’t know whether it will be a 4–4 thriller or a drab goalless draw. Buy tickets for cricket and it might end up 400 for 7, or rain all day. You can’t be certain you’ll enjoy the play, movie or new book you’ve bought. Whatever the outcome, you’ll have paid your money up front, though. In many eateries – fast-food restaurants, chain pubs and cafés – consumers also pay before they consume.

Restaurants are almost unique in allowing you to enjoy the fruits of their labours before asking you for payment. They wait on you hand and foot, lavishing food and wine upon you. And at the end of it all they run the risk that one awkward blighter – usually some braying bore with a gin-soaked palate rendered further useless by a 60-a-day nicotine habit – will refuse to pay on the grounds that the soup was too lightly seasoned and the crème brulée not sweet enough. And often the manager will smile through gritted teeth and reach a compromise totally undeserved by the boorish customer. 

Occasionally you do receive poor service or a meal that is somehow lacking, but most places are happy to deal with polite complaints and if things are too bad, simply don’t go back.

But how can you minimise the risk of a bad experience when trying somewhere new? You can dabble with websites, be guided by stars and rosettes or simply take pot luck. My bet is that most people are swayed, though, by word-of-mouth recommendations, particularly from those whose judgement they trust.

Two separate couples, quite independently of one another, both urged my wife Vanessa and I to visit The Herbert Arms at Chirbury. It wasn’t the ‘you ought to try’ type of recommendation, either. In both cases it was ‘you simply must go to . . .’

This proved easier said than done. Word had clearly got around and the restaurant was fully booked on the two occasions I tried to get in on a Friday or Saturday.

When we finally managed to secure a table we weren’t disappointed. The Herbert Arms more than lived up to our friends’ hype. 

It was superb.

Stephane Borie has worked with some of the world’s greatest chefs.

Although the pub has been the village local for many years, the restaurant only opened last year and is a stunning addition to the small but select group of fine-dining establishments on offer in Shropshire and across its borders.

The food is simply terrific. Don’t take my word for it, visit yourself.

Relaxing

We ended up dining on a Sunday lunchtime, when the full evening menu is available, and enjoyed a thoroughly relaxing and stimulating afternoon, joined, for once on these excursions, by our six-year-old son Sam.

He loved the fresh home-baked bread, still warm, and a junior helping of pumpkin soup, while his main course of chicken was wonderfully tender. He was looked after royally and had a great time.

Vintage cheddar cheese souffle with roasted beetroot.

My vintage cheddar cheese soufflé was simply sensational – light, melt-in-the-mouth, richly flavoured and perfectly complemented by the roasted beetroot.

Vanessa gave top marks to her warm salad of ham hock with poached egg and grain mustard dressing. And she was equally enthusiastic about her main course of beef fillet, with a garlic fondant potato and wild mushrooms in a red wine jus. The meat was prepared exactly as she asked, rare and juicy, flavour fully retained.

My duck also arrived exactly as ordered, medium to well done, and was also rich in flavour. The crushed potato, Agen prune and tarragon sauce provided a perfect contrast of texture and taste.

Sam and I shared a delicious dessert of sticky toffee pudding with local ice-cream and there was some great freshly brewed coffee with homemade chocolates and almond shortbread to round off the meal for Vanessa and I.

That old favourite standby of a chilly winter’s afternoon, a bottle of Tanners Claret, was the perfect accompaniment to the meal.

A bill of just over £90 for the three of us, which also included pre-luncheon drinks in the bar, represented terrific value for money.

A roaring log fire, a full bar and busy restaurant ensured a warm and convivial atmosphere, while the Georgian building itself exudes plenty of period charm. I imagine dining in the evening by candlelight must be an enriching experience – and I intend to find out soon.

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Credentials

That The Herbert Arms should offer such excellence should come as no surprise when you consider the credentials of the team behind it.

French-born chef Stephane Borie has worked in some of the world’s finest kitchens, including Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons with Raymond Blanc, and the Waterside Inn, at Bray, one of just three triple-star Michelin restaurants in the UK. 

He arrived as a commis and left seven years later as senior sous chef. It was there he met his long-term partner Sarah Francis, who was also working there under the watchful eye of Michel Roux and his son
Alain.

When the couple’s daughter was born in 2007 Stephane needed more flexible working hours so took a private chef’s position cooking for Sir Anthony and Lady Bamford at their estate in Gloucestershire. Sarah, an accomplished dessert chef, also worked at the Daylesford Organic farm shop developing products for its patisserie section.

The couple, though, were always keen to run their own business and the opportunity arose with The Herbert Arms. 

It is something of a homecoming for Sarah, who hails from the Oswestry area. And making The Herbert Arms a real family affair is her sister Kathryn, who provides considerable charm front of house. The seamless service – efficient, friendly yet unobtrusive – was a credit to her.

If recommendations are what persuade you to try somewhere new, I heartily recommend you try The Herbert Arms. It is a five-star experience.

•  The Herbert Arms, Chirbury, Montgomery, Powys SY15 6BG. Telephone 01938 561216. www.herbertarmschirbury.co.uk

The restaurant opened in 2009.