The French Hen, Clent

These days it can be difficult to find somewhere to go for lunch that offers something affordable but different to the typical chain pub grub or stone-baked pizzas,

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This region is blessed with a variety of "proper" boozers selling real ale and top-notch restaurants specialising in cuisine from around the globe – but what if you just want a casual couple of hours with some home-cooked food?

In our search for an unfussy midweek lunch before we both faced long working weekends, my wife and I happened upon The French Hen on Bromsgrove Road in Clent.

Sitting on the outskirts of Stourbridge and Halesowen, the picturesque village of Clent can sometimes be overlooked but it provides a welcome retreat just minutes from the busy A456.

The French Hen, as the name suggests, is a French restaurant.

It has the look of a traditional 19th century pub from the outside – perhaps the kind of place where you would warm yourself by the fire after a long walk at the nearby Clent Hills.

This first impression is slightly misleading – and that is all part of The French Hen's charm. This is not just a restaurant. It is also a bar and a Bed and Breakast, which gives it a warm and welcoming atmosphere that the more intimidating "high-end" restaurants cannot match.

After parking up in the huge car park at the back, the B&B reception greets you at the front entrance.

To the left is the bar area, with stools and old-fashioned armchairs, while on the opposite side is the restaurant. The walls are filled with posters and paintings depicting all corners of French culture, while the tables are decorated with red, white and blue napkins.

Having originally intended to have a snack, our heads were soon turned by the lunch menu offering two courses for £10.99 or three courses for £12.99.

Always eager to grab a bargain, I set my sights on three servings – but I had not banked on the incredibly generous portion sizes.

My chorizo, black pudding and goat's cheese salad could have easily been a main course, but more importantly it was delicious – the spicy sausage and melted cheese full of flavour without being too rich.

And my wife's similarly hearty smoked salmon salad, while not scaling the same heights, was refreshing and well-presented.

Already sensing that three courses may be beyond me, I soldiered on and opted for the sirloin steak and French fries, which was perfectly cooked and very tender.

And I have never seen a bigger bowl of mussels than that served to my wife, whose face was a sight to behold when it was carried to the table by our friendly waitress.

There must have been at least 40 mussels in there, and the portion of chips that accompanied them could easily have fed two people. Although the garlic and cream sauce became a little overpowering after a while, for sheer value for money this would be hard to beat.

Although dessert options included lemon tart, hazelnut sponge and chocolate cake, my stomach was telling me to quit while I was ahead. A chocolate mocha coffee (£2.25) was a good compromise and finished off the meal nicely.

This lovely little restaurant is hardly going to open your mind to the obscure delights of French cuisine, but for a hearty, tasty meal with a Gallic flavour you could do much worse than stopping off at The French Hen.

During our 90-minute stay three groups of walkers had popped in for a snack or a quick pint, and it is not hard to see why. We will certainly be returning.

ADDRESS

The French Hen, Bromsgrove Road, Clent DY9 9PY

Tel: 01562 883040