Fox, Chetwynd Aston

It now has a bustling bar area at the front where customers can grab a table and eat in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. But the back opens up into a large, vaulted, airy restaurant for a more formal dining experience.

As it is invariably busy, the restaurant runs a system whereby a number of the tables can be pre-booked but some are always available on the night, provided you arrive fairly early or are prepared for a bit of a wait.

When we visited, there was a roaring open fire and a comforting selection of real ales on offer, and friendly staff greeted us on our arrival as we left behind the dark, dank, autumnal evening outside.

I cast aside the admittedly tempting wine list in favour of the seasonal beers which - with wonderful names like Howling Ale and Piddle Through The Leaves - could not be resisted.

Settling down in an alcove next to the fire, we scanned the impressive and regularly updated menu.

I began the meal with sauted wild mushrooms served in a filo basket which was fairly pricey at £5.45. The starter was nice but a tad more bland than I had hoped for and a little top heavy on the traditional button variety.

But the main dish I selected - venison steak with dauphinoise potatoes and roasted vegetables priced at £13.50 - met up to all expectations.

Complementing the dish were the deliciously creamy potatoes and perfectly cooked root vegetables.

My dining companion, who bypassed the starters in the interests of keeping room for a dessert, chose the pan-fried 10oz rump steak with garlic butter, sauteed mushrooms and "proper" chips which cost £15.50.

The steak melted in the mouth and the large, chunky, home-made chips looked fantastic. My friend told me it was great and ate it up in record time, scraping the plate clean.

There was a tantalising choice of puddings but, hot on the heels of Halloween, I just had to plump for the baked pumpkin and pecan cheesecake with maple syrup, costing £4.95. The unusual-sounding creation got full marks. It was completely delicious - not too sweet, not too heavy, but filling and flavoursome.

My friend sampled the delights of warm chocolate brownie served with chocolate fudge sauce and vanilla ice-cream at £4.95.

It was inevitably heavenly and disappeared rapidly, long before I had finished savouring the pumpkin cheesecake experience.

The only regret was not having enough room for the fabulous sounding cheese board which included Shropshire blue, Wrekin white and Burland green brie to name but a few. Service was exceptionally prompt and the staff were attentive, friendly and happy to talk about the different dishes on offer.

The Fox isn't cheap option but for gorgeous, imaginative food and a good atmosphere which makes for a lovely night out, it is hard to beat. I would definitely recommend the venue for those who like to tuck into a hearty meal.

ADDRESS

The Fox, Pave Lane, Chetwynd Aston

Telephone: 01952 815940