The Red Lion, Rugeley

The Red Lion has undergone a transformation with the arrival of new management,

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I vaguely remember pulling up outside this place a couple of years ago. And having briefly peered through the windows, looking at all the empty tables, I drove off and went somewhere else.

If my memory serves me right, it was not exactly what you would call a vibrant hub of the community.

I was therefore quite intrigued when reader Keith Hodgkiss got in touch over the summer to tell me how it had been transformed by its new management, and was now the perfect place for all the family.

"The Sunday lunches were great, with kids' ones as well, and bottled water was provided at no cost," he said.

"The Yorkshire puddings were very, very large, and the starters and puddings very good."

About time to see what's new, then.

While the new owners have tidied up the shabby appearance of the old pub, it has to be said that the car park could do with some attention. It is actually a decent sized plot, but the layout means that some of the spaces are quite difficult to access, unless you are in a very small car.

A set of steps lead up to the entrance, although there is a (rather tight) ramp for wheelchair users.

It is inside where the real transformation has taken place. The place was lively! Not heaving, not crowded or packed to the rafters, but there seemed to be a good cross-section of people in there, all having a good time.

The building is divided into two main sections: you walk through the bar room, nearest the car park, to get to the restaurant at the other side of the pub. There is a range of simple, good value snacks available in the bar, where some young men were playing pool, but the menu in the main restaurant is much more comprehensive and has some really imaginative choices on offer.

Thursday night is steak night, where you get a free sauce, and a free bottle of wine if a group of four partake in the offer. I was tempted to take advantage of this, but with so many interesting dishes on the menu it proved quite a hard decision.

Not that everything was available. The house speciality beef Wellington had sold out – "we've had a busy night" explained the waitress – and the salmon supreme in thick white-wine, prawn and mushroom sauce was also off the menu.

The lamb shoulder, slow-cooked and smothered in fresh mint, rosemary and redcurrant gravy sounded tempting, and I did toy with the idea of the 8oz sirloin at £11.95, but in the end the cracked pepper pork at £8.95 sounded too good to resist.

While it would have been nice to have had a guest ale on tap, there was at least a choice of two very decent beers on offer, in Marstons Smooth and Banks's mild, the latter winning my vote. There is also a pretty decent wine list, so finding something to drink should be easy enough.

The main dining room is furnished in a simple, traditional style. We sat at the window, separated from the bar by a wooden balustrade, while there are more tables on a raised area at the back of the room. From the outside it does not strike you as being a particularly historic pub, but a plaque inside explains how it was built in the 19th Century as a private house belonging to the Earl of Talbot, later becoming converted into a pub.

"Quality fresh food takes time to prepare", says the menu, bringing back memories of the unfortunate experience at another pub a few weeks ago. But while it did take a little while for the food to arrive, it was well worth the wait, and you can't really complain if the time is being used to make for a memorable experience.

And make no mistake, the food was excellent. The medallions of pork had been pan-fried with black pepper, and were deliciously soft and tender, but it was the mustard and whisky sauce which really made the meal special; thick, creamy and packed with a complex mix of different flavours, it really was a treat for the taste buds.

And then there were the chips. While the healthy option may have been the jacket potato or the mash, it would be a crime to miss out on these big, fat, homemade chips with a crispy golden coating. There was also a decent-sized bowl of fresh vegetables.

My dining companion was feeling adventurous and went for the Thai red chicken curry, and was pleasantly surprised, after wondering whether it would prove too hot.

The meals were quite filling, so we didn't want much for a sweet, the good-sized chocolate fudgecake being just the job for us to share. There is also an excellent choice of coffees.

The total bill came to £31, representing superb value indeed. It's not a posh, silver-service type of place, but the food is better than you get at many such establishments, while the two young waitresses who took our orders could hardly have done more to make us feel welcome.

There aren't that many places that provide top-notch, freshly-prepared home-cooked food at this price. A welcome addition to the West Midlands dining scene.

ADDRESS

The Red Lion, Main Road, Brereton, Rugeley WS15 1EB

Tel: 01889 582221

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Chicken liver and wild mushroom paté, toasted flutes and tomato chutney (£3.85); Creamed garlic mushroom pot (£3.25); Homemade fishcakes (£3.95)

MAINS

Beef Wellington with Madeira and mushroom sauce (£8.95); Smoked bacon and black pudding chicken (£7.95); Giant beer-battered cod with mushy peas (£7.95); Thai red vegetable curry (£6.95); Spinach stilton and mushroom lasagne (£6.95)

DESSERTS (all £3.50)

Spotted dick; Treacle sponge; Chocolate pudding