Food review: The Fox, Chetwynd Aston

It's won more awards than you can shake a stick at. Though why anyone would want to shake a stick at an award beats me.

The Fox, at Chetwynd Aston, is located near to the Staffordshire and Shropshire border and is the epitome of a great, country pub. Busy staff, a half decent chef, a delightfully atmospheric dining area and bar and one of the county's best pub menus have helped it sweep the board at a number of pub-bistro awards ceremonies for the past nine or 10 years.

The venue oozes history. It was originally called the Fox and Duck and was created by Joules in the 1920s. Some of the original features remain, including an attractive wooden fireplace in the front bar.

The venue was sold off during the 1980s and extended by its new owner, the delightfully-named Arthur Foxcroft. It changed hands once more in 2001 when its new owners Derek and Sandra Longstaff decided to make a fresh start and rename it the Three Fishes.

Sly old foxes have a way of returning, however, and when it was bought by Brunning and Price in January 2004 it was renamed The Fox. Since then, it's been extremely successful. Its winning blend of great real ales coupled with homely, flavoursome food have helped it earn recognition from the Good Pub Guide, AA Pub Guide, Good Beer Guide, Michelin Guide for Pubs and others.

It's from the same stable as another local favourite, The Armoury, in Shrewsbury, which provides good food and drink in a truly impressive space on the banks of the River Severn. When the drinking Gods were creating good country dining pubs, The Fox and The Armoury were among their finest masterworks.

I've eaten at The Fox regularly and it seldom disappoints. Some days are better than others, of course, and my starter during a Friday afternoon lunch was underwhelming. A pear and ricotta tortellini with Shropshire Blue, roast pears and hazelnuts was a little flabby and poorly executed.

The flavour combinations were spot on: pears, blue cheese and hazelnuts are bezzie mates who collectively provide a taste of autumn and offer complimentary textures. But a garnish of pea shoots couldn't disguise obvious shortcomings. The pasta was thick and a little claggy while the filling had become a little watery, as though the pockets of pasta had been inexpertly sealed and water had seeped in. The flavours were fine but it lacked finesse. Good ideas require improved technical skill to become great dishes.

My main was much, much better. A satay chicken salad was served in Chinese leaves with pineapple, spring onion, roasted peanuts and an impressive sauce that had been infused with just the right amount of chilli.

The chicken had been cooked precisely and with skill. The outside was caramelised and crispy, the inside moist and tender. It had been well seasoned and was packed with flavour. The satay sauce was delicious. The chilli left my lips tingling, as though they'd been kissed by Kate Moss after an all-night party. The roasted peanuts were bronzed, so that their natural oils had got their act together and brought their full flavour to the fore. And an assemblage of noodles and leaves added a little lightness and balance to an impressive plate of food. It was filling without being heavy, flavoursome without being rich.

And therein lies the beauty of The Fox. It serves food to suit every mood and occasion. On previous visits, I've gone for robust mains, moist pornburgers with fries or flavourbomb mains like crispy beef salad with sweet chilli dressing and cashews. Its menu caters for the kids, offering tiny portions of pasta, mini fish and chips and ham, egg and chips.

And there's a decent mix of sides, sandwiches and sweets for those who want to add, who are in a rush or who want to round things off with a cheeky brûlée or hot waffle with banana ice cream.

Though my starter wasn't particularly appealing, the scores were more than evened-up by a delightful satay and I've eaten at The Fox enough times not to be put off.

Of course, there's always room for improvement. Service was a little slow to begin with – blame the Friday lunchtime rush – and I waited too long for my starter. While the staff were friendly and welcoming, the wait for both drinks and food was unnecessarily long.

And therein lies the problem with venues that focus on high volumes. Most of the time, service and food are tickety boo. But on occasion, standards slip. Recent Tripadvisor reports are generally praiseworth but, as RestaurantLover19 says, things can be hit and miss.

Set against the competition, however, The Fox generally comes out on top. The dining room is spacious, impressively designed and has great ambience. Its welcoming for kids and dogs as much as for diners – a youngish golden retriever and a child under five were among those enjoying the hospitality when I visited. The retriever was good value for money, nuzzling unexpectedly against an unassuming waitress's leg as she took an order and got the fright of her life.

That family atmosphere makes for a welcoming venue: there's nothing remotely formal about The Fox, it's all things to all people. You're as likely to find local businessmen as you are farmhands, in any given services there's as much chance of finding guys drinking real ale at the bar as there is of rubbing shoulders with gourmands who are chowing down on mushroom and tarragon arancini with saffron aïoli and pickled wild mushrooms.

Located near to Lilleshall and the sporting centre of excellence, The Fox is a decent drive for most visitors. It's warm staff, fair prices and impressive menu, however, mean its almost always worth the effort.

By Andy Richardson