The Swan, Blakedown

The young man slouched in the sofa beneath the window of The Swan,

.

At least I say "slouched" because I cannot think of a more appropriate term. According to the dictionary (Chambers Encyclopedic English, since you ask), the verb slouch means "to sit, stand, or walk with a tired or lazy drooping posture."

But there was nothing lazy about the way this lad was slouched. No, this was a very deliberate, cool slouch. I doubt if this young man did anything lazily.

About 19 or 20 years old, his highlighted hair had been brushed into a Jamie- Oliver like quiff, his casual attire having been anything but casually chosen. This dude – I think that's the word – clearly put a lot of effort into looking relaxed. If you haven't already gathered, it's a bit trendy this place.

The Swan was built around 1760, and is one of the few buildings to feature on the early maps of Blakedown, a small village between Kidderminster and Stourbridge. But while its period details have been retained, it received the full fashionable gastropub treatment after being taken over by Chris Lowe in 2008.

Outside, the changes have been subtle, but effective. Traditionalists will mourn the replacement of the old swinging pub sign with the more vogueish stencil signwriting and a clever logo featuring a letter S in the shape of a Swan. But the new cream and brown colour scheme really looks the part, a dramatic improvement on its slightly shabby appearance of a few years ago.

Unfortunately, its kerb-side appeal is marred somewhat by the road-side railings, but you can hardly blame the pub for that. There is a reasonably-sized car park – with some rather unwelcoming signs warning against unauthorised parking – and wheelchair access should not be a problem. Perhaps reflecting its new young, thrusting image, the Swan markets itself as the ideal meeting place for business breakfast meetings, making much play about its wireless internet access. I've never worked out how they manage to access the internet on the wireless.

The front lounge bar is very swish, offering a choice of comfy sofas and tall round tables, the candlesticks and vases on the window ledges providing a rustic touch. Most of the people in the bar seemed to be stylish young things in their 20s or 30s, and the atmosphere was not too different from what you would expect to see in some of the more hip bars in Birmingham.

The main dining area is a large conservatory at the side of the pub, but we opted to sit in a small room at the back. Not quite as overtly trendy as the bar, it is nevertheless a stylish place to be, although I could not quite work out whether the weathered look to the painted wood panelling was deliberately distressed, or whether it just needed a fresh lick of paint.

I liked the single, fresh flower in the glass vase, and the turquoise dried poppies (at least I think they were poppies) in a display in the corner added a nice quirky twist. The slightly cramped layout of the tables did mean I found myself in slightly closer proximity to the lady sitting behind me than conventional etiquette would consider appropriate.

The age profile in the dining room is, on average, slightly older than in the bar, although it still a fairly young sort of place, without too many faces much over 50.

A smiling, petite, dark-haired lady brought us four un-buttered bread rolls, but it took me a while to work out that the small glass dish at the end of the table was for pouring olive oil and balsamic vinegar in.

There is an excellent wine list, with no fewer than six different champagnes, ranging from £6.50-a-glass Louis Custine Brut NV, to the £105 bottles of vintage Dom Perignon. It therefore seemed appropriate that Amy Winehouse was playing in the background although, as the night wore on, I began to feel that the continuous jazz standards were a touch too loud.

It was pleasing to see that the ales had not been neglected, either. Regular readers will know I love Jennings' Cumberland Ale, but there was also a pale ale by Sadlers, one of my favourite local brewers based at the Windsor Castle Inn just up the road in Lye. In my excitement I forgot to ask which pale ale it was. "It's very light," said the young brunette waitress, and indeed it was, with quite a sharp, spicy flavour. An interesting drink, but not as good as Jack's Ale, my favourite Sadlers tipple.

The meals came in pretty good time, and the steak was very flavoursome for a fillet, and nicely cooked, if not as tender as some I have experienced. The peppercorn sauce was good, if not exceptional, and there was plenty of it – enough for two meals in fact. The chips were tasty and plentiful, although on a personal note I would have preferred carrots rather than the peas it was served with, and it is not cheap at £19.45 with the sauce.

My dining partner seemed more than satisfied with the beer battered cod, although she struggled to manage all the chips. Ever the gentleman, I felt duty-bound to step in and help.

For afters, I went for the sticky toffee pudding in caramel sauce, which was most enjoyable and rounded off the meal nicely, while my companion enjoyed the tiramisu. The total bill came to £50.65, a little on the pricey side given that we had just one drink each, but by no means extortionate.

If you appreciate good wines and ales, you're looking for somewhere a little chic, and you don't mind paying a little extra for the privilege, it's just the job. This Swan is no ugly duckling.

ADDRESS

The Swan, Birmingham Road, Blakedown, DY10 3JD

Phone: 01562 700229

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Smoked salmon with beetroot salad and horseradish dressing £5.75; Chicken liver parfait with red onion chutney and toast £5.75; Grilled goat's cheese en croute with redcurrant Jelly £5.25; Smoked bacon, black pudding and poached egg salad with honey and mustard dressing £5.25

MAIN COURSES

Rump of lamb with minted mash and provencal vegetables £14.25; Grilled fillet of cod with sauteed New potatoes and chorizo £13.95; Butternut squash stewed with spinach, feta, and black olives £11.95; Stir fried beef with noodles and oriental vegetables £14.50; "The Full Monty" 14oz rump steak with onion rings, peas, tomato, chips and mushrooms £11.95

DESSERTS

Tiramisu with fresh cream £4.95; Apple strudle with custard £4.95