The Old Swan, Netherton

Quiche on the menu. In Netherton. What is the world coming to? And not just any old quiche, either. Mediterranean quiche. With sun-blushed tomatoes, fresh olives and feta cheese.

Do they think they're in Islington or something? They'll be serving skinny lattes, next.

This week's Insider comes from The Old Swan, known throughout the Black Country as Ma Pardoe's, on the recommendation of popular comedian Alan "Aynuk" Smith. Can't imagine him eating quiche, though.

The 148-year-old pub, in a small industrial village about a mile out of Dudley town centre, takes its nickname from former matriarch Dorothy Pardoe, who was landlady for more than half a century. Today it is run by Tim Newey, who can usually be seen in full morning dress, who restored it to its former glory eight years ago.

While its lovingly restored Victorian frontage is the view on all the postcards, the chances are you will miss this if you visit by car. On the night we visited, the small car park at the rear was packed solid, so we had to leave the car a short distance up the road.

An ivy-covered brick archway leads into a small beer garden, decorated with colourful hanging baskets, and a small foyer containing an upright piano takes you to the lounge.

If Aynuk's recommendation is not enough, check out the array of awards on show in the corridor - more certificates than a doctor's waiting room - and in 2005 it was listed as one of Britain's top 16 pubs by the Campaign for Real Ale. The lounge was buzzing when we arrived - with a large antique mirror complimenting the many pieces of period artwork on display. The large organ in the rear of the lounge gives a clue to the owner's love of music.

Two flights of stairs take you the Granary Loft restaurant, a short walk that takes you back into the world of genteel Victorian society. At one end of the room is an immaculate cast iron fireplace, a dark wood dado rail separating the brown textured finish of the lower walls from the soft pink floral wallpaper above. Napkins are arranged in an elaborate fan shape on the tables, which are each laid with an impressive set of intricately laid cutlery. Sepia pictures of local scenes adorn the walls, while a young gentleman in a black tie stands at the head of the room to check everybody's needs are being attended to. It is hard not to wonder if this is how the well-heeled members of 19th Century society, the foundry owners, the chain shop magnates, would have spent their evenings.

Of course, it would be a crime not to sample any of the delightful home-brewed ales. My tipple of choice was Old Swan Original, a wonderful light mild, while my dining partner opted for a glass of rose wine, followed by some very reasonably priced chenin blanc.

Quiche aside, the menu is surprisingly varied, with some interesting choices as well as the more traditional offerings you would expect. For example, as well as the conventional beef dishes, there is the Texan rump steak topped with chilli and mozzarella, or a chicken dhansak sauteed with onions, peppers and lentils, cooked in curry with pineapples, and finished with coconuts.

I played it safe though, and went for a a delightful shoulder of lamb, cooked in home-brewed Entire ale and mint, and served in an ale and mint gravy. My companion went for the asparagus and cheese lattice, which was served in puff pastry, which was also very good.

The already large mains were accompanied by sizeable bowls of vegetables, baby roasts, chips and mashed potato, all of the highest quality, and eventually I had to concede defeat and leave some food on my plate.

My inquiry about what the cheesecake of the day resulted in a very loud Peter Kay impression coming from the direction of the kitchen (Cheese? Cake? Cake of cheese?), much to the amusement of everybody in the room. Turned out it was lemon, and very nice it was, too, accompanied by a nice dollop of ice cream, while my companion went for a steamed sponge with walnut sauce, which she said was very nice but slightly sickly.

If you do pay a visit, make sure you check out all the different rooms, each having their own unique character. If the upstairs restaurant typifies the genteel side of Victorian life, the more modest rooms at the back are probably something like the sort of place where the ordinary folk might have hung out.

Most spectacular of all, though, is the front bar, which has its own separate door leading out onto the street: It is like a licensed museum, with a glittering array of bottles lining the wrought iron shelves, painted in a vivid signal red, cast iron tables, and an antique weighing machine in the corner. Most striking of all, though, is the huge enamel mural of a swan on the ceiling.

Pardoe's takes great pride in the fact that its food is all home-made, right down to the ice cream, and the staff really do go the extra mile to make every meal special. But it is not a place to visit if you are in a hurry, though; you have to wait for each meal to be cooked, and it is really the sort of place where you have to make a night of it, soaking up the atmosphere, and savouring the superb range of food and drink on offer.

We spent well over three hours there, relaxing in the back room after the meal, where, over a pint or two of ale, people were discussing the burning issues of the day, such as the trend towards people block-paving their gardens.

The total bill came to just £38.95, which included drinks, as well as a coffee, less than you would pay for the mass-produced food of many pub chains, which don't come close to the warm and personal atmosphere you get at Pardoe's.

Whisper it quietly, but I think it's the bee's knees. Not sure about quiche, though.

The Old Swan

89 Halesowen Road, Netherton, Dudley DY2 9PY

Phone: 01384 253075

Starters - Chicken liver parfait £3.95

Chef's home-made soup of the day £2.80

Black pudding, bacon and wild mushrooms £3.90

Mains - 8oz griddled sirloin of prime Scottish beef with fresh sauteed mushrooms £13.50

8oz griddled rump steak £11.50

Surf and turf - 8oz sirloin with deep fried scampi £14.50

Chicken with wild mushrooms and stilton £8.45

Chicken dijoinaise - chicken breast pieces sauteed with onions and mushrooms in white wine with parmeson cheese £9.95

Mediterranean quiche - home-made quiche of sun blushed tomatoes, mixed olives, spinach, feta cheese and fresh basil £8.25

Selection of home-made sauces £1.80

Desserts - Home-made ice creams £2.25

Bakewell tart - sweet pastry case filled with cherry compote served with home-made ice cream £3.50