The Gospel Oak, Tipton

Our undercover reviewer

visits a Tipton pub which scores for choice and value.

Hats off to Tipton Town! Their FA Cup campaign might have ultimately come to an end in Carlisle last week, but the plucky run of the Black Country minnows captured the hearts of the nation.

When the supporters of League One Carlisle United stayed behind after last Saturday's cup tie to applaud their opponents, a group of part-timers playing for no reward other than a love of the game, it must surely have touched even the most hardened of cynics.

And the sight of hordes of Albion and Wolves singing in unison to cheer on the mighty Tiptonians is something we might not see again for a few years yet.

And where better to celebrate the heroics of John Hill's lads than the Gospel Oak, within a goal-kick of Town's home ground? I don't know whether the players of Tipton Town ever frequent the Gospel Oak, but if they do they wouldn't have far to walk – the pub is located directly opposite the Sports Academy car park.

The strange thing about this pub is the address. Strange, because it is No. 1 Gospel Oak Road, even though it is on the corner of Wednesbury Oak Road and Bilston Road – Gospel Oak Road is the other side of the junction. I can only assume that some road realignment scheme has come into play at some time.

The view from the road is smart, while gloriously colourful hanging baskets and the attractively landscaped lawns lift the appearance. The original pub is a gabled two-storey affair, probably dating from around the 1920s, with a couple of large single-storey extensions having been added at a later date.

There is ample car parking, and the building should be pretty wheelchair friendly, although the large patio area around the entrance means you can't take your car up to the door. I reckon there were around 50 people in the pub when we visited, but it is a large building and did not feel especially busy.

There was a broad mix of people; the smartly-dressed couple seated opposite the entrance, the elderly group in the raised area at the back; it did, however tend to gravitate more towards the young and casually dressed. It also seems to be quite popular among families with young children; most of these seemed to be located in the older part of the building, while the new extension is more of a dining room.

Like the outside, the interior is smart and tidy, although not especially characterful. Plain square tables and simple chairs in a matching, reddish-coloured wood are teamed up with a brightly patterned carpet. This, along with the pastel-coloured walls and brewery-issue menus, does give a slightly corporate feel, which I suppose is the intention.

On the other hand, the wood panelling and the heavy, tied-back curtains do add individuality, and the table lamps on the window ledges are a nice touch. Interestingly, the television screens showing live football were attracting little attention; maybe with real football just across the road, the idea of watching a bunch of pampered primadonnas on television just doesn't cut it.

The somewhat garish menu has a massive choice of food on offer, with no fewer than 25 different main courses, seven starters, 20 light snack options and nine desserts – as well as a range of special offers for the different nights of the week.

The pork shank in apple and cider sauce, the cottage pie and the steak and ale pie all sounded good. But given that Thursday night was grill night, it seemed rude not to take advantage of the special offer, with rump or pork steak, gammon, or cajun chicken all available with a drink included for just £5.75.

In the end I decided on the rump, opting to pay the extra pound to have a sauce with it. There was a choice of three steak sauces, and while I normally go for pepper, on this occasion I thought the "black velvet" sauce sounded much more interesting. I did wonder why the diane sauce was marked as a vegetarian option, though – surely that defeats the object a little?

The thing I liked about the "free drink" offer was that it did include the guest ales. How often do you read in the small print that it only applies to some nasty cheap lager or a glass of budget wine? Wychwood's Hobgoblin was my ale of choice, a full-bodied ruby coloured beer with an initial malty, nutty flavour, but a smooth aftertaste.

The food came in reasonable time and represented good value for money. The rump steak was quite tasty, but as you would expect it was a little chewier than a sirloin or fillet. For those wanting something a little more succulent the is a 1ooz ribeye is the pub's recommended speciality, but at £9.45 it kind of misses the point.

Unsurprisingly at this price, the chips were machine rather than hand cut, but they were crisp and enjoyable. The real surprise package was the "black velvet sauce", made with Guinness, champagne and British cream. It was this that really made the meal, having a surprisingly complex range of different flavours.

My dining companion went for the cheeseburger, which came with cheese, tomato, lettuce, barbecue sauce and chips.

For afters I fancied something a little decadent, so the Millionaire's Shortbread Ice Cream Cake sounded just the job. It was gorgeous, with a gloriously sweet chocolate and caramel topping, and an excellent shortbread base. If that was not enough, there was a scoop of caramel ice cream. Definitely naughty but nice.

It should have been excellent value, too, at just £2.65, but it was only when I checked the receipt later that I realised something had gone awry. The bill showed I had been charged not £2.65 for a single portion, but £5.25 for a sundae to share. Now that can mean one of two things: either I was given the wrong dessert – and I have to say it only seemed big enough for one person to me – or I was charged the wrong price. Perhaps they thought I was a millionaire.

My companion had a lemon bakewell tart, which was enjoyable and excellent value at £2.55. Even allowing for the confusion over the price of the dessert, the total bill was still a very reasonable £23.75, and you really can't say fairer than that.

It's not gourmet fare, it's not going to win any Michelin stars, but at this level you have to be realistic in your expectations. And we did have an enjoyable meal for a very reasonable price. Maybe not in the culinary Premier League, but it puts in a good honest performance and the fans will usually leave with smiles on their faces. Back of the net.

ADDRESS

The Gospel Oak, 1 Gospel Oak Road, Tipton, DY4 0BT

Phone: 0121 556 3491

Web: www.marstonstaverns.co.uk/Tipton/Gospel-Oak

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Smoky chicken wings £3.10; Prawn cocktail £3.10; Golden breaded mushrooms £3.10

MAIN COURSES

Fish and Chips £4.60; Steak and Marston's ale pie £6.25; Barbecue chicken and bacon melt £6.10; Seabass with crayfishand lemon sauce £6.90; Wexford cheddar and chutney tart £4.95; 8oz sirloin steak £7.60

DESSERTS

Chocolate pudding £2.80; Chocolate fudge cake £2.55; Rhubarb crumble £2.55; Red cherry waffle £2.65