The Navigation Inn, Fibbersley, Willenhall

It's not very often you go into a pub as a complete stranger and almost everybody stops and says hello,

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It's also not very often you go into a pub, hang your coat on a peg in the corner and then forget about it for the evening.

That's what you get at The Navigation Inn, in Willenhall, a good friendly, traditional local pub. The smart white building sits on the busy Fibbersley road amid nice houses on the Willenhall-Wednesfield border.

Inside, the pub is divided into two main areas – the lounge where tables are set up for dining and the bar which boasts a pool table and a rather funky neon juke box.

If you were asked to draw a traditional pub scene, it would probably end up looking something like the lounge room at the Navigation Inn.

Heavy patterned red carpets, dark wooden tables and chairs, thick red curtains and lots of wood panelling, it all feels comfortingly warm and secure.

A few copies of the Express & Star are even dotted around for punters to catch up on all the day's news.

A neatly stocked but small bar stands in the middle of the room, behind which you can see straight through in to the neighbouring bar.

In the large bay window of the pub, a group of three women were sitting having a chat over a bottle of dry white wine. They were later joined by a regular who hung up his coat and nodded hello to everyone.

Near to them a group of four – which seemed to be two sets of married couples – was having a chinwag over a meal. Obviously regulars, the group barely glanced at the menus before heading to the bar to order.

Next to the bar, a group of five men and one woman were discussing the day's FA cup clash between Wolves and Birmingham, while on a bar stool close to one corner, a man was reading the paper while supping on a glass of whiskey.

For such a small pub, the menu is surprisingly varied. Written on a pair of blackboards on the back wall of the pub, it offers dinners and lunches and even claims to freshly make the curry of your choice for £6.99. There were four starter options on offer – all fairly run-of-the-mill choices but all completely in-keeping with the pub's traditional feel. These included soup of the day, garlic mushrooms on toast, prawn cocktail and chicken goujons.

The prawn cocktail (£3.10) was served in an unusually large portion for a starter, alongside a refreshing salad garnish and a slice of thick-cut thickly-buttered bread. The chicken goujons (£3.30) were crispy and well cooked, although would have benefitted from a sauce on the side to accompany the salad garnish. Both were simple but satisfying dishes and good value given their size.

A decent selection of main courses was on offer, including many of the usual pub favourites. Quarter pounder burger, beef chilli con carne, steak and chips and fish and chips were all featured.

There was also the intriguingly named Navi challenge, which offers hungry punters a free T-shirt and discount voucher if they can complete a burger and two pounds of chips all for £14.99.

Despite the boast on the blackboard, the only curry on offer on the Saturday night in question was chicken tikka masala.

Served on a bed of white rice and alongside a naan bread it was nicely spiced and well cooked. The quarter pounder burger with cheese was good, solid, homemade pub grub. It may not win any Michelin awards but it certainly fills a big hole and gives your money's worth at £4.99.

It came accompanied by chunky handmade chips and another salad garnish.

Disappointingly, there didn't seem to be any dessert options and certainly none was offered to us directly.

But the size of the first two courses meant there wouldn't have been room for one anyway. Perhaps that's the plan?

Still, the warm glow as you bid everyone goodnight, pick your coat off its peg and head out into the night is satisfying enough.

ADDRESS

The Navigation Inn, 39 Fibbersley, Willenhall, WV13 3AW

Tel: 01902 605036