Our first goal for this month is Stourport where Bev and Dave have found a couple of restaurants they are keen to visit. We will no doubt eat out on the way there.
Moor Street Fryer
Moor St,
Brierley Hill
DY5 3TA
This was our first visit to a takeaway fish and chip shop in a very long time. We ordered 2 x Haddock (which was cooked to order) with 1 x medium chips. The server asked if we wanted mushy peas, curry sauce etc., joking, I said “Oh no we are southerners and only have wallies with our fish and chips, which we can’t get this far north” she laughed and after I had explained what a wally was insisted we take a free pot of curry sauce to dip our chips in and experience ” . . . what you sad people in the south are missing out on . . . “.
The huge portions of Haddock were cooked in a very light batter and so large that Sue, unable to eat it all, decided to keep a piece to make a fish sandwich for lunch the following day. The single medium portion of chips was so large that we could manage only half between us, even when dunked in the delicious curry sauce.
A very good meal for less than £18.00, even without wallies try getting that for that price in the south.
Kinver Tandoori
50 High St,
Kinver,
Stourbridge
DY7 6HE
From tho outside this restaurant looks wide but if you look at the photo above you will see two windows but what you will not see unless you put your nose to the glass and peer in is that there is a brick wall between the windows from the window almost to the back of the restaurant area effectively creating two separate restaurants. We were shown into the small side which at that time had two other tables were occupied, it was a cool quiet environment, within a very short time of our arrival every table was in use as were most of the chairs, soon becoming a hot and very noisy place.
Sue and I were pleased with our chosen dishes although, despite emphasising more than once that our onion bhaji order was to be served as a side to our mains and not as a starter, it was served as a starter, our waiter offered to take it away and bring it back with the mains but another waiter said the mains are “nearly here” so we said they could leave it. The mains came around 15 minutes later.
Bev and Dave, also said their mains were good but were far less impressed with their sides some of which were reported as poor.
After our mains we were sitting drinking the last of our beer (the restaurant is not licensed so you must bring your own with glasses corkscrew/bottle openers supplied) when the noise became to much bear any longer so we paid our bill and left. When leaving we passed through the other larger side of the restaurant where it was cool, far less noisy and had just one table occupied.
Bev and Dave rated the Kinver Tandoori as a 6 out of 10 while Sue and I rated it a 7. If we stop here on our way to the Shropshire Union Canal in a week or so we will not be back.
Paisley at 106
106 Minster Rd,
Stourport-on-Severn
DY13 8AB
We had been told by locals that Paisley at 106 was a good place to eat. The receptionist when I booked the table was very pleasant and helpful which was reassuring. On arrival we were greeted warmly and shown our table where we were handed menus, it was explained that there was a complimentary salad bar from which we could help ourselves as many times as we wanted to as much as we wanted. It was then we made a tactical error instead of immediately going to look at the salad offerings we waited till the waitress came back for our food orders and sat chatting tiller starters arrived. They were superb, Bev had hummus with pomegranate and feta served with pitta bread, she reported that all were very good but the portion size far too large. She left some of the hummus and half the bread. Dave and I opted for BBQ prawns with chorizo and chilli and lime butter, in my case without the butter as I don’t like chilli. It tasted like we were in the Med – fabulous.
After the mains arrived, BBQ Herefordshire Brisket of Beef – cooked for 7 hours & finished over coals for Bev, Sue and Dave, Whole BBQ Seabass w/grapefruit and fennel salad for me, we went to the salad bar and were stunned by the range, quality and quantity of goodies available, we had ordered side of sweet potatoes which although delicious was huge, more than enough for one as a main and we had ordered two, one for Bev and Dave, one for us, with items from the salad bar we just had to try there was much of the wonderful sweet potato dishes left at the end of the meal. We were far to full to try and of the delicious sounding desserts on offer.
This was a great dining experience we would happily repeat should we be in the area again.
Chataigne
12 Bridge Street,
Stourport-on-Severn,
DY13 8UX
This is a hard restaurant to describe it is small, very small, just five tables giving a maximum capacity of twenty covers. The menu has three starters, three mains, three sides and three desserts It has no licence to sell alcohol but provides glasses, bottle coolers cork screws etc., as required. The total staff consists of one man, he is the receptionist, the waiter and the chef. And what a chef!
I have embedded the menu below, between us we tried every food item on that menu except :-
Artisan bakers’ box balsamic vinegar, olive oil
Heirloom Courgette
Decadent Chocolate Truffles
Those items we did try were very good indeed, althoughI was a little disappointed that the prawns in my starter were supermarket style frozen items, that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it but considering the standard of all other items they should have been fresh.
This is most definitely a restaurant to which, if in the area, we would return.
The King and Castle
Station Dr,
Kidderminster
DY10 1QX
The bacon baps were OK although why put bacon in sweet brioche buns? The sausages were cooked but anaemic floppy things with little flavour again in a sweet brioche bun. The toast was OK but a traditional English breakfast accompaniment to toast is marmalade, which wasn’t stocked. The tea and coffee was undrinkable, the coffee I didn’t try but the tea bags were old and stale. The staff we believe were volunteers, trying their best but needing further training for what in not an easy job. What should have been a great start to what was an absolutely GREAT day was great disappointment. We would most certainly revisit the railway but not the The King and Castle
Tappeto Lounge
Riverside Walk,
Kidderminster
DY10 1BY
This is a somewhat downmarket cousin of the Cozy Club chain of restaurants. That having been said after I got over having to order via the app, the food was very good. Sue had Sri Lankan Smokey Prawn Curry, I had a Tapas Board, which comprised three tapas and a pint of Spanish beer. I can’t remember what Bev and Dave had but they said their meals were good and all for a very small amount of money.
For quick tasty meals the Tappeto Lounge has a lot going for it.
The Navigation Inn
Greensforge,
Kingswinford,
England,
A pleasant canal side pub with good beer. There was no waiting service food was ordered at the bar although it was not paid for until we left. Bev ordered fish and chips while Dave ordered faggots, mushy peas and chips. Both said their meals were good although we all thought mash goes much better with faggots than chips. Sue and I both ordered lamb shank with minted gravy, seasonal vegetables and chips, we should have realised that, although the dearest main dish on the menu, £13.95 was not going to get you a great lamb dish. Sue said hers was adequate I would say mine was edible – just as it had an unpleasant aftertaste to the meat which Sue though was overuse of stock cubes.
Round Oak Inn
100 Ounsdale Rd,
Wombourne,
Wolverhampton
WV5 8BU
The Round Oak is a pleasant pub with pleasant helpful staff. The menu had something for everyone, including our young visitor. My seabass fillets were very good although the risotto bed on which the seabass rested was rather soggy. Overall a good meal in pleasant surroundings. We would return if in the area.
The Mermaid Inn,
Bridgnorth Road,
Wolverhampton,
West Midlands,
WV6 8BN
The Mermaid was very close to where we had moored, around 100 metres, so a convenient place to go for dinner. It proved to be an excellent place to go.
For our mains Bev had Chicken Katsu, Dave Ribeye Steak, Sue Salmon Fish cakes and I had Hoisin Duck Pizza. The others all said their meals were excellent, my pizza was amongst the very best I have ever eaten. Bev paired her meal with a glass of Rioja while Dave and I washed ours down with some first rate Bass.
This was a very good meal which if in the area again we would happily repeat.
The Oddfellows
Bridgnorth Road,
Compton,
Wolverhampton,
West Midlands,
WV6 8AA
Just a couple of minutes walk from the canal makes this pub ideally placed. The exterior looks a little dull and uninspiring but the inside is warm and welcoming and the staff friendly and helpful.
For our mains Bev chose Chicken and Chorizo Flatbread, Dave Mixed Grill and Sue and I both had Lamb Rump andMini Lamb Pie. All were very good indeed as were the puddings (we didn’t have starters).
The cherry on the cake was that I had downloaded a voucher earlier that got us 40% discount on the mains, £32.20 discount,`around 23% discount from the full bill total.
This is a pub restaurant to which we would happily return.
The Anchor Inn
Brewood Road,
Cross Green,
WV10 7PW
We have eaten at this pub a couple of times as we have been up and down the Staffs and Worcs Canal in past years and been impressed each time so we were looking forward to our late 3.30pm Sunday lunch. When we arrived the place was heaving but a table was waiting for us and we were given menus. Dave and I ordered starters Dave a Prawn Cocktail and me a Scollop, Prawn and Crab Coquille, Dave said his Prawn Cocktail was good but my coquille was probably the best starter I have ever had it was just stunning. For mains we all had roasts Sue had roast beef, Bev had a trio of roast meats but they had run out of turkey so she had a duo, beef and pork while Dave and I had slow roasted belly pork and crackling, all roast dinners were served with honey roasted carrots and parsnips, peas, green beans, cabbage and Yorkshire puds.
Sadly Sue’s meal, although delicious, was cold, all other mains were both hot and delicious.
The service although rather slow with long waits between courses while the staff were courteous and eager to help.
We would happily return.