Jonathans, Oldbury

Taking a wrong turn can sometimes have devastating consequences.

For example, in the 2003 horror film Wrong Turn, a group of six young people turn down an uncharted country road and find themselves in the middle of a trap laid by cannibals.

On the other hand, when I took a wrong turn on the way to Jonathans in Oldbury, I almost ended up in a drive-through McDonalds. A close shave indeed.

For such a stylish, opulent and highly-regarded venue, the car parking really does let it down. To the front there are a few spaces which appear to be shared with neighbouring shops and fast-food outlets. The "official" car park, at the rear, is a bit of a ramshackle, dimly-lit affair, accessed by a hard-to-spot narrow, sloping access road.

It's a shame, because Jonathans really does deserve better. The hotel and restaurant has built up a superb reputation over the last 30 years for its good food and opulent surroundings, and it is hard to think of anywhere else in the Sandwell area with such an attractive interior.

We were greeted by a polite young man on the doorstep, who took us through the stunning reception area. With its black and white diagonal-checked floor tiles, huge chandelier and spectacular mirror, its quirky style reminds me slightly of the apartment Steed shared with Tara King in The Avengers.

The lounge bar, too, is immaculately furnished, in a classy mix of the traditional and the modern. The bookcases filled with antiquarian reading material, the dark floral wallpaper and matching picture frames give the restful ambience of an upmarket gentlemen's club, while the minimalist black bucket seats and gleaming coffee tables make sure there is also a contemporary feel. It certainly feels very exclusive.

Perhaps a little too exclusive. On the Friday night that we visited, the place was nearly empty. A small party of ladies in their 40s sat around another table in the lounge, and I think there was another group at the far end of the room, but that was it. It would be an exaggeration to say there were more staff than customers, but it seemed a close-run thing.

If the lounge has the ambience of a gentlemen's club, the dining area makes you feel you are in the best seats at the opera. The restaurant is divided into several small alcoves, all on different levels, and we were taken to an elegant balcony, with just three tables, overlooking the lounge. A large white-and-blue porcelain vase is displayed in an alcove, while an impressive collection of cheese dishes adorn illuminated glass shelves on the far wall. The tables are immaculately laid, with pristine white cloths and elaborately-folded napkins, and are surrounded by smart high-backed chairs. It is hard to see how it could be much more stylishly presented.

The small rooms certainly provide privacy, and this coupled the attentive service almost make you feel like an Edwardian aristocrat, perhaps the Marquis of Stockbridge out of Upstairs, Downstairs: The balcony becomes your dining parlour, the staff become your own personal domestic team.

But while there is a lot to be said for personal attention, the lack of other customers also felt slightly eerie. The other two tables on our balcony were unoccupied throughout the evening, and while the voices of other customers could be heard in the distance, it was hardly a buzzing atmosphere. Perhaps it would have been better to seat people closer together?

The ambience was also slightly marred by the sound from the television mounted immediately below us in the lounge. It seemed so out of keeping with the regency-striped wallpaper, and the huge chandelier, and let's be honest, there's something about Fern Britton that's not really conducive to eating out.

The menu offered a good choice, with even the starters sounding something a little special. Then again, with prices of up to £7.20, they cost as much as the mains at some of the places we review in this column.

Regular readers will know I am something of a beef-eater, and I was tempted to try the beef-fillet starter, which sounded delightful served on a bed of horseradish cream. But while my tastebuds told me to go for it, my head told me it would be too much, both in terms of cost and the impact on my appetite.

And anyway, with a choice of three Hereford beef steaks on the menu, there was no shortage of ways to satisfy my craving. While I did toy with the idea of the roasted rack of lamb in a herb crust, the lure of the cow meat was to strong to resist, and we both decided to go for the 8oz fillet.

It was hard to find fault. The food was not fussy, or over-presented like in some restaurants, but had a simple elegance, with the quality of the gorgeous-looking Hereford beef and the crisp golden chips more than able to speak for themselves. It tasted as good as it looked, and there was plenty of it, too. While my dining partner found it was more than she could manage, I was quite happy to help out, but with hindsight I should probably have refrained.

Sadly, we both failed to complete our desserts. My vanilla ice cream was pleasant and creamy, being soft to the scoop, although I was a little disappointed with the limited choice available -ÊI would loved to have tried a butterscotch, coffee or mint flavour, rather than being restricted to the usual vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavours.

My companion found her fresh chocolate mousse, accompanied by home-made shortbread biscuits enjoyable enough too, but like me, she was too full to manage much of them. Good food, attentive service, and attractive surroundings then, but it certainly comes at a price. The total bill came to a pretty painful £77.92, and while we did go for the most expensive main course on the menu, we did not have a starter and restricted ourselves to a single glass of wine each. The hand-made chocolates that came with the coffee were a nice touch, but I still think £2.90 for each cup is far too much. The price also included a 10 per cent service charge, something I really dislike: I would gladly have left a tip for good service.

A good place for special occasions then, but in these times of economic gloom, I wonder how many people will be willing to spend this much money.

Which probably explains why the McDonald's car park was much busier.

Jonathans

16-24 Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury S68 0LH

Phone: 0121 429 3757

Starters

Crown of melon served with Parma ham £4.95

Home-cured beef fillet sliced upon a horseradish cream £6.90

Asparagus spears char grilled and served with poached egg and parmasan shavings £6.80

Chicken liver, mushroom and sherry pate with herb toast and Cumberland sauce £5.70

Main coursess

Grilled fillet of sea bass with braised fennel, new potatoes accompanied with a dill dressing £14.20

Roast duck breast in an elderflower sauce served with a selection of seasonal fresh vegetables and mini-roasted potatoes £16

Roasted rack of lamb in a herb crust with scallion mash and seasonal fresh vegetables £16.50

Desserts

Summer pudding in raspberry sauce with ouzels of fresh double cream £6.20

Thin layers of filo pastry filled with clotted cream, fresh berries and with a warm chocolate sauce £6.90

Selection of English cheeses served with grapes, celery and cheese biscuits £7.50

Open apple tart with traditional egg custard £5.50