The Woodcolliers Arms, Bewdley

Here's something you did not expect to read in a food column. This week The Insider goes undercover to spy on the Russians.

Now as regular readers are all too aware, the Express & Star's very own international man of mystery is not averse to a bit of James Bond-style intrigue, but this is the first time that I have gone undercover to see what the Ruskies are up to.

Now in the film From Russia With Love, James Bond and his accomplice Tatiana Romanova travel to Istanbul and Zagreb, before becoming embroiled in a series of battles and adventures as they head for Venice aboard the Orient Express.

My assignment, on the other hand, took me to Bewdley, passing through Stourbridge and Kidderminster along the way. Well, I suppose, you could get there on the Severn Valley Railway - at least you won't get garotted by Spectre agents at Hampton Loade.

Yep, the small Georgian town on the banks of River Severn is the setting for this spy story, or the Woodcolliers Arms to be precise. Set on the side of a steep hill at the junction of Welch Gate and Sandy Bank, it does not look particularly exotic from the outside. To the front there is a fairly attractive garden area, and the pretty hanging baskets add to its picturesque appearance.

Parking could be easier - the pub's marketing leaflet suggests leaving the car in Sandy Bank, but it is a fair walk up a pretty hefty gradient to find a suitable space. It is only a five-minute walk to the Dog Lane public car park, which is free at night, though, and parking in some bus lay-bys is allowed after 7pm.

The present pub dates back to 1780, but the foundations of the inn are said to date back much further than that.

It is only in recent years that licensee Roger Coleman decided to bring a touch of Glasnost to the Woodcolliers with a range of Russian dishes. Cordon Bleu chef Boris Rumba - now there's a name to conjure with - has built up quite a following among people eager to experience dishes such as his authentic beef stroganoff or his family recipe ghoulash, and the pub has also been listed in the Campaign for Real Ale's Good Pub Guide. If you are feeling a little less adventurous, more mainstream options are available.

The Woodcolliers has very much retained its traditional character, and is a real locals' pub, with licensee Roger spending much of his time nattering with regulars grouped around the small bar. Its Grade II listed status does impose certain restrictions, its owners warning that some aspects of the building's design can prove difficult for disabled customers, the steps and narrow doorways being particularly awkward for wheelchair-bound customers.

The public area has an L-shaped layout, with a tiny restaurant area to the left of the entrance, next to the kitchen.

Sitting at one of the four tables in the dining room, it really did feel like a journey back in time. It was not just the beams to the ceiling, the quarry tiles on the floor, or even the old black-and-white pictures of steam engines and railway memorabilia on the walls. There are plenty of other places where you can find those things, but there was a real atmosphere to this place, something that is hard to put your finger on, but you will understand if you have been there.

Perhaps it was the hushed tones of the conversations going on around us, maybe it was the candle lighting, the sound of sizzling from the open-plan kitchen separated from the diners only by Mr Rumba's plethora of certificates. It might even have been the huge portrait of Queen Victoria - shouldn't it be Czar Nicholas? - gazing down at us from above the cast iron grate.

But there was a definite feeling that this was a real "old" pub, as opposed to one that has been given a traditional look with a few corporate horse brasses.

It was certainly cosy, and the compact dimensions of the room proved a tight squeeze for people walking by.

The Woodcolliers' listing in the Good Pub Guide was well-deserved, with a variety of three real ales on offer, and my pint of Teme Valley's This (as opposed to the same brewery's That) made for a pleasant accompaniment to the meal.

As for the food, I decided you need to walk before you can run, and went for sirloin steak and chips, although it did come with spicy Siberian carrots - a 1,000-mile journey starts with one small step, as the Russians don't say.

The carrots were quite interesting, being shredded into small, curly pieces, and certainly having enough flavour to keep you warm during those cold Arctic winters. The steak itself was also quite spicy, having a dark, smokey flavour quite different to anything I had experienced before, and certainly did not require any sauce.

By contrast, my companion thought her cheese omelette lacked flavour, but we both agreed that the hand-cut chips were superb.

The desserts were also very good, with a generous serving of locally-produced ice cream proving good value at £2.95, although I think my companion probably got the better deal with an excellent chocolate truffle covered in a delightful caramel sauce.

The total bill came to £30.40, which seemed reasonable enough, and it certainly offers something a little different over the more mainstream pubs in the area. Just don't all Russia at once. Sorry.

DETAILS

The Woodcolliers Arms, 76 Welch Gate, Bewdley, DY12 2AU

Phone: 01299 400589

MENU SAMPLE

Mains

Beef stroganoff, with new potatoes and garlic mushrooms, vegetables and a crusty slice £8.95; Ghoulash - a family recipe with rice, sauteed mushrooms, shallots and vegetables £8.95; Whole-tail scampi; Six-rib rack of lamb (at weekeends or by prior order only) £12.95

Sweets

Cheese and biscuits £1.95; Joe Deluccis gelati sorbet, three scoops £2.95