The Sun, Halesowen - food review

Driving through the village of Romsley, having left the hustle and bustle of nearby towns, The Sun suddenly appears on the corner.

The pub looks nice enough from the front and a good place to stop on a sunny Sunday afternoon with a two-year-old in tow.

However, it was only when venturing round the back we realised the size and popularity of the venue.

The beer garden is huge and includes an outdoor play area – and as it was a nice day, it was packed to the rafters with families enjoying a drink and some food.

The Sun is prominently positioned in the heart of the village, near to the Clent and Wasaley Hills, just off junction four of the M5.

We had booked in advance, which came in very handy in the end, and had never actually set foot in the pub so were completely blown away but the sheer size of the outdoor area.

The Sun is a Marston's pub, so the menu and drinks is pretty much your standard chain fare – but for those who want to try something a bit different, it also caters for that too.

Having arrived an hour or so early for a pre-meal drink, my wife Kelly, daughter Annabelle, and I all ventured inside to our reserved table.

We overheard there was an hour wait on food so we were happy to have pre-booked online.

However, we were told that made no difference to the how long the food would be and simply meant we could have a table.

We were a little confused – and even more so when our food eventually came out after about 20 minutes – but we assumed they were just playing safe. Plus we were told we could come and go as we pleased until the food arrived, so there was no harm done.

Anyway, moving on to the food. After being seated, we were served immediately by a very friendly waiter who asked for our drinks order giving us time to have a look at the menu.

Being part of a chain, there was all the usual classic pub grub options, as well as a large choice of burgers and lighter options under 500 calories.

The starter menu also served up the usual fare but for the slightly more adventurous the smoked Applewood, Somerset Brie and gooseberry chutney tart – a cheese pastry tart with tangy gooseberry chutney, topped with smoky Applewood cheese, brie and soft gooseberries – jumped out.

Had we not been ordering three courses, it would have been a must, but in the end I opted for vegetable gyozas, crispy Japanese-style dumplings filled with oriental vegetables and served with a sweet chilli dip.

Annabelle had the fish and chip shop bites – described as a taste of the chip shop in bite-sized form, seasoned with salt and vinegar, with battered whiting and a huge cup of mushy peas – which we all shared, and Kelly went for the prawn cocktail.

The prawn cocktail was tasty, tangy and satisfying, and the portion size just right. Plus it was nice to have butter melted into warm brown bread served on the side, which was used to mop it all up with.

The mini chippy dish was really nice too, with the fish deep fried in a crispy batter, which still left the fish soft inside.

About five bite-sized pieces were served with a huge bowl of mushy peas, which was a nice accompaniment.

However, I wasn't too impressed with my starter. Perhaps I was expecting too much from a pub menu but there were not many vegetables inside the dumplings and the batter was very chewy and overpowering – I had to use a lot of the sweet chilli dip to get much flavour out of it.

All three combined, however, made for a very satisfying start.

It was then time to choose our mains and have a closer look at The Sun's specials board.

For something a bit different, the specials board must have had about 20 dishes to choose from – and as all meals are buy one, get the cheapest free, it was all very reasonably priced.

The pin wheel burger was grilled chorizo sausage, rolled into a wheel on a six-ounce burger with Monterey Jack and gherkin, with skin-on fries and coleslaw stood out, and another dish that jumped out was the Brazilian chunks of rump steak, skewered and glazed with Brazilian barbecue seasoning, served with skin-on fries, onion rings and corn on the cob.

Being a bit of a fish-lover, I eventually settled on the sea bass cassoulet – a medley of butter beans and lentils in a tomato sauce topped with mash, two sea bass fillets and rocket – and it was a great decision.

The fish, I would guess, was simply pan-fried and tasted very flavoursome. However, the show-stealer was the sauce. It was rich, smooth and just oozing all sorts of flavours – and when mixed in with the even smoother mash, it was a beautiful dish even without the fish.

Add to that the beans and lentil, it all combined to make it one of the best 'pub' dishes I have tried for a long time.

I can only imagine the other specials, which are changed on a daily basis, were equally as good.

There were also some stand-out dishes on the main menu too, in case any of the specials don't appeal to customers.

Kelly spotted the barbecue pulled-pork hash – roasted sweet potato hash with slow-cooked shredded pork, red peppers, onions and kale, in a sweet and smoky barbecue sauce, served with a mixed salad.

It was one of the meals from the 'under 500 calories' range, and it just showed how easy it can be to eat well and healthily, and still be full and very satisfied once finished, without breaking the bank.

The hash itself was nice and light, filled with a mixture of potato and onions.

It was also served with a fried egg, which was omitted from the menu, but the waiter helpfully pointed out was an optional extra, which was also a nice touch.

The barbecue flavours really worked well with the dish, which was simple and tasty – and a meal Kelly may even try to recreate at home.

Annabelle asked for pasta – as she usually does – and chose corn on the cob and boiled potatoes. Obviously the health-kick gene runs strong from her mother's side.

Either way, it was a nice-sized portion, with plenty of pasta sauce to mash all the spuds into – and she lapped it all up. There was plenty of choice too had she fancied something else.

Finally, it was time for pudding, and this was where another handy little extra at The Sun came into play.

If, like us, you're feeling a bit full – help is at hand because you can simply order your pud to go.

After careful consideration we decided to share the chocolate crownie, which came with cream rather than warm custard when ordered as a take-out.

Despite eating it a few days later, the chocolately loveliness of the dessert had not evaporated.

Chocolate base, with chocolate pieces, chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate sauce drizzled over the top, the brownie was everything an overindulgent pudding should be and was well worth the wait.

All in all, it was a lovely way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon – and if you and your family are passing by The Sun, I would recommend popping in, but maybe book in advance if you can and want a table.

By James Driver-Fisher