Shropshire Star

Star rating: *** There’s something utterly decadant about foresaking the kitchen in the middle of the week and heading to a local pub for dinner.

It’s bliss to let someone else worry about the chopping and cutting, mixing and cooking, washing and wiping. Shropshire pub tariffs are usually a small price to pay for such midweek luxury.

My wife, daughter and I headed to the Four Crosses, at Bicton, on a midweek evening. It’s a pub that we’ve passed hundreds of times en route to local beauty spots.

We’d seen its dining room full of guests on many occasions so decided we’d find out for ourselves whether it was worth adding to our list of favourites.

We arrived ridiculously early, hungry for our evening meal, and were the first guests to arrive. It seemed we were a little too early, as we were seated in a conservatory-style restaurant that chilled us to the bone. A quick inspection of the nearest radiator revealed the central heating had been turned down low; a problem soon rectified and in no time we were far more comfortable and warm.

Bright and breezy are two adjectives that best sum up the decor. There were colourful splashes of paint and decorative features that gave the venue a sparky, young-at-heart feel. It didn’t convey the beauty of its countryside location, but it was inoffensive and clean.

We spent a little time perusing the menu, which was filled with pub staples. Steaks, chicken dishes and other fare were on offer. There was also a specials board, offering the chef’s own dishes of the day.

I opted for a special, a chicken breast wrapped in pancetta and parmesan. The spicy southern-style sweet potato chips were off, despite being advertised, but the chef offered to cook up something in a similar vein.

The food that arrived was passable, but not great. The parmesan was too thick and overpowering, the pancetta buried beneath the salty cheese and the chicken cooked for far too long. The “something similar” was a plate of new potatoes covered in what appeared to be a Schwarz Spices-style seasoning. Next time, I’ll be sure to ask what the something similar is before agreeing to order it.

My wife ordered the honey mustard chicken, which was fine. Again, the chicken had been cooked for too long, so it lost its natural succulence and was a touch dry and stringy.

My daughter opted for the sizzle chicken with chips. Her food arrived on two separate plates, one filled with gargantuan frites and the other with a viciously sizzling chicken breast topped with sauce. She professed herself reasonably pleased with the dish, though it wasn’t one that would last long in the memory.

The portions were all large and we were unable to finish everything on our plates. Our waitress, a young, studenty girl, returned to our table on several occasions to check that things were fine.

As the evening progressed, more locals arrived and by the time we’d finished the place was half full.

We perused the dessert menu but there was little to inspire. Bowls of ice cream or apple pie didn’t set our tastebuds alight, so we decided to settle the bill.

The Four Crosses was fine, in many ways. The service was polite and efficient, the decor clean and fresh, the menu offered usual pub food and the prices were reasonably low.

But it lacked anything to draw us back. The food was of ready-meal standard. It hadn’t been cooked with any great skill and, despite its affordability, we were underwhelmed.

No doubt the Four Crosses will continue to do a roaring trade. It’s a convivial joint that offers big plates of food, which is what plenty of locals enjoy. But it’s not somewhere we’ll be returning to.

ADDRESS
The Four Crosses, Bicton, Shrewsbury
01743 850258
www.fourcrosses.com

MENU SAMPLE
Starters
Black pudding in mushroom and bacon sauce (£4.95). Game paté (£3.95)

Main courses
Smoked haddock (£9.95) Sausage and mash (£7.95) Sizzling sirloin (£11.95)

Desserts
Home made bakewell tart (£3.95) Chocolate and ginger truffle torte (£3.95).

ATMOSPHERE
Uninspiring. Functional.

SERVICE
Casual. Friendly, but lacking in skill.

DISABLED FACILITIES
Disabled facilities, including toilet, available

By Andy Richardson