I discovered a pocket of sheer delight in a West Midlands town derided as 'a dump' on Tripadvisor

So there’s a fun fair, the aptly named Treasure Island, that offers old skool rides to the side of the Severn.

There are more pubs, chip ships, corner shops, and takeaways than in the rest of the region combined.

There’s an unkind review on TripAdvisor that sums up the ungenerous and unflattering perception of the riverside town. It is this: Stourport-on-Severn – What a dump!

Ranked at one out of five and with 82 thumbs-up ‘thank you’ votes, it lists the town’s many perceived faults. Stourport is run down, parking is over-priced, the gents loos are a disgrace, and the boats-for-hire costs a small fortune.

The fair has too many rides crammed into a small space, turning it into a money-making dump. Mind you, he does eulogise the many fish and chip shops. He is not alone.

Google has so many articles that bemoan Stourport, it’s a wonder the townsfolk haven’t shut up shop and located to somewhere else like, oh, I don’t know, Bewdley.

A lady, from Shropshire, whose review is more recent, offers a similar opinion of the town’s Treasure Island, an attraction that ranks 10th out of 13 in the list of things to do in the town.

And I’m not sure there really are 13 things to do, in such a small space. She offers this: run down and shabby. Thanks, brevity is everything.

And yet. And yet.

For all of the brickbats there are diamonds in the rough. BMK Stourport – that’s Big Mouth’s Kitchen – is one of them.

It’s a joy – offering burgers, wings, fries, and cocktails, it’s run by a tiny, tiny team who are passionate about what they do.

You kind of think they might have sat in a local pub, one night, talking about their dream: “I want to run a burger bar.” And so they did.

It’s cool and on-point. The food is great. The interior is funky and has been styled at little expense but with bags of character.

The service is exceptional and there’s plenty of attitude that sets it apart from the norm. BMK is offering decent quality food where plenty of TLC has gone into every little detail.

I called in for a quick bite to eat on a Saturday lunchtime.

There were three of us in the place – the chef, the restaurant manager, and this mystery shopper. And despite the lack of trade, it totally nailed it.

Here’s the thing. A really, really good, Michelin-ranked Shropshire restaurant owner once told me this: “Even if you’re doing something simple, like fish and chips, you have to make sure you make it the best fish and chips your guests have ever eaten.

Memorable food at BMK Stourport

“If you do that, they’ll come back for more.”

BMK doesn’t do fish and chips. And, truth be told, the burger and fries weren’t the best I’ve eaten this year – the burger accolade would go to an airport somewhere between London and Japan, while the best-fries award would go to a really posh hotel in Tokyo.

But both were memorable. Both made me want to go back for more. And the two guys running the place showed so much enthusiasm and commitment for their trade that their passion rubbed off.

The interior was fun. Signs with a little profanity, music with edge, leather seats and cool lighting, it was rock’n’roll, the sort of place that’s enjoyable for a hang-out.

Service was exceptional. The restaurant manager might easily have been non-plussed: a one-man walk-in at a time when there were no other guests.

Yet he was bonhomie personified. “Afternoon, dude.” I half expected him to grow a chest-length beard on the spot.

The menu comprised smash burgers – those are the ones that are a ball of ground beef that’s smashed on a hot griddle, rather than pre-formed. The idea is that it caramelises far better, as the heat sears a greater surface area.

Offering added nuggets of flavour, smash burgers are a thing.

BMK’s range featured brioche buns with a variety of smashed pattys, cheddar, pickles, burger sauce, tommy k, mustard, crispy onions, and other whistles and bells. I opted for Bigmouth’s OG – and it was a feast.

A buttery, light brioche bun was filled with one XL smashed patty, British cheddar, tommy k, deliciously crisp and sweet-salty bacon, mustard, lettuce, pickles, and pieces of crispy onion.

A winning combination of textures – from soft to crunch and all points in between – as well as flavours, it was a winner.

The acidulated pickles and the umami cheddar, the sweet-piquant ketchup and the warming mustard, the beefy patty and the creamy cheese; all co-mingled beneath a golden bun to offer out-sized flavour.

A side of salted fries were good. Crunchy, well-fried, and lightly seasoned, they added the necessary ballast to a supremely good burger.

The restaurant manager looked at me as though I were an alien when I asked for sparkling water – lager and cocktails were, I think, the answers he was expecting.

Desire to please at BMK Stourport

Nonetheless, he found a tonic water, added ice and a slice, and served it in a cut glass tumbler with a cardboard straw.

It was indicative of the desire to please, to make customers happy, to – as my Michelin-ranked mate says – do the best you can at whatever it is you’re doing.

Stourport has an unenviable rep.

But there are pockets of sheer delight and BMK is one of them.

Run by guys who are living their own dream, and who are determined to take guests on something of a journey, it ticks all the right boxes in offering authentically good food and the finest of vibes.

Sample menu at BMK Stourport

Burgers

Smash and Dash £6

Bigmouths OG £8

Triple H £9

Wings

Peri Peri wings £5.50

BBQ wings £5.50

Miso horny wings £5.50

Fries

Bacon is good for me £6

Royal cheese £6.50

Piggle smalls £6.50