The Fox Inn, Stourton

Our undercover dining reviewer

finds tasty food and fabulous value at The Fox . . . once he got past all the Mercs.

I was feeling rather naked as I walked to the door of The Fox. Not literally, you understand; it was a mild night, so of course the temptation was there, but ultimately I decided this probably wasn't the time or place.

The reason I felt naked was the fact I seemed to be about the only customer who hadn't turned up in a Mercedes.

The mid-sized saloon close to the door, the lovely old coupe next to the outbuilding. The gleaming new silver limousine parked outside the conservatory; the family estate car parked next to the patio. It was almost impossible to move around the congested parking area at the front of The Fox, for all the different variants of the German cars.

Rolling up in a Ford does seem a bit like arriving at a black tie dinner in a sports jacket. There was one customer who didn't arrive by Mercedes, but he could surely be excused considering he had turned up in a Bentley. There was a Jaguar convertible too, and just in case this did not make enough of an impact outside the entrance, it bore the number plate DIG DOG. There was also the odd Range Rover.

Actually, not everybody who visits The Fox has a flash car, something that became evident as I ventured towards the larger car park at the back. But it seems that those who do like to park by the entrance where they will get noticed.

There is quite a large patio area at the front, which is almost like the pub's own picture-postcard village, with an old-style street lamp, a red telephone box, and a large tree whose leaves had turned a wonderful autumnal shade of yellow. As we ambled around the large dining room at the back of the pub, which I recall being used as a disco during the 1990s, it became apparent we had taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way.

It was busy, for sure, but every single table was lying empty. Crowds of immaculately-attired people were milling around the foyer, greeting each other like old friends and making polite conversation.

"Can I help you?" inquired one such lady, before breaking the news that we had, in fact, gatecrashed The Supper Club.

Having established that the door at the far end of the pub was not the way in, I tentatively pushed the unlit wooden door beneath a gabled canopy, and all was revealed. To the right is a lovely warm bar area, a real old-style country pub but with a modern twist, with a mixture of church-pew style seating and taller bar stools.

For those wanting a more casual dining experience, bar meals are available in the evening, but we decided to try the smart restaurant the other side of the door. The wood-panelled dining room manages to feel both elegant and homely at the same time; the pale colour of the wood and the elegant lighting giving a bright, airy feel.

The walls around the windows are painted in a warm, lemon colour, while a slogan above the wood-burning fireplace invites diners to "indulge" – not bad advice in a restaurant. The restaurant is a fairly small room, and was only around half full, slightly surprising for a Friday night, and certainly nowhere near as packed as the bar.

If you like your ale local, it is hard to fault, with both Wye Valley Butty Bach and Batham's Best Bitter on tap. Needless to say I sampled both, purely in the interests of research, I may add. For many living in and around the Black Country, Batham's familiar straw-coloured bitter with a mixture of sweet flavours and a nutty aftertaste needs no explanation. But as a big fan of Wye Valley's Hereford Pale Ale, I was keen to sample the Butty Bach and was mightily impressed by this sweet, golden ale with hints of malt and honey.

The menu is fairly small, but with a range of traditional classic dishes, and a vegetarian choice which changes daily, there should be something to suit most tastes.

I was considering the lamb shank, but was curious about what the pie of the day was, and after a brief chat with Charlotte the charming young waitress, I decided to try the cottage pie. It was a little while coming, but definitely worth the wait.

At some places the humble meat pie is often seen as the poor relation, an afterthought added at the end of the menu for those who can't find anything else they fancy. But this was a real, home-made gourmet pie, and if the other choices on the menu were half as tasty as this, they should be very good indeed.

The best bit came at the top, the gorgeous creamy potato covering the soft, succulent chunks of meat, while the bottom layer consisted of a bed of tasty and steaming hot vegetables. The gravy was just right, not too heavy but not thin or runny either. The pie was plentiful enough to be a meal in itself, but the it was accompanied by generous helpings of hand-cut chips and greens, and represented excellent value for £8.95.

My dining partner was more adventurous, opting for the Thai green curry, made of small chicken pieces in a curry paste, accompanied by fragrant rice and a popadom. It was an interesting choice and nicely done.

The main courses were more than ample, neither of us being able to complete them, but we decided to share a Bailey's cheesecake nevertheless – and very nice it was too.

Just as we were tucking into the dessert, we received a visit from a brown-haired gentleman, who I assumed to be landlord Stefan Caron. Stefan has been running The Fox for nearly 40 years, so it is clearly a labour of love for him.

The total bill came to £29.50, which seems remarkably good for excellent home-cooked food in such stylish surroundings. Perhaps that's why they can all afford flash cars.

ADDRESS

The Fox Inn, Bridgnorth Road, Stourton, near Stourbridge DY7 5BL

Phone: 01384 872614

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

King prawns £6.95; Tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad £4.95; Chicken kebab £5.95

MAIN COURSES

8oz ribeye steak with choice of sauces £12.95; Beer battered fish and chips £9.95; Vegetarian pasta dish of the day £9.50; Breast of chicken on mushroom risotto £10.95; Whole lemon sole £12.95

DESSERTS

Vanilla pannacotta £4; Cheese board £4; Blackcurrant cheesecake £4; Ice cream £4