When our in-laws came for a long, lazy weekend, we decided to take them out for an informal dinner.

Lynn and Keith are as popular in our house as Mr and Mrs Claus on Christmas Day, so we wanted to find a venue guaranteed to impress.

Though they hail from this part of the world, they re-located to tranquil Suffolk some years ago. I’d not seen them since they gave my wife away on our wedding day. And, like my wife, Wendy, and stepdaughter, Dinah, I was looking forward to their visit as the highlight of spring.

We thought back to the many enjoyable dinners that we have enjoyed in county restaurants and pubs in recent years. We didn’t want anything too formal or fussy. Similarly, we didn’t want to take them too far off the beaten track. So we booked a table for five at The Armoury, on the banks of the River Severn, on a bustling Saturday night.

The Armoury is the perfect venue for casual dining. It’s a two-time winner of the Shropshire Dining Pub of the Year, features in the Good Pub Guide and has also appeared in other guides, including the AA Pub Guide, the Good Beer Guide and the Which Pub Guide. It’s in our top three pubs in the county.

The Armoury is vibrant, city-style pub that could easily be in Bristol, London, Edinburgh or Birmingham. It’s an impressive warehouse-style space, illuminated with lovely windows looking out over the river, with a good bar and massive bookcases. The clientele is relaxed and friendly with plenty of young drinkers out to impress, as well as older couples and families. There’s a lovely atmosphere throughout.

When Lynn and Keith arrived, we were waiting for them. Both took delight in the surrounds, with Keith particularly impressed by the wide selection of real ales. After a welcome drink, we repaired to our table and perused the menu. The Armoury specialises in gastro pub food. The menu features classic British dishes, spicy Asian-inspired cuisine, a few Mediterranean classics and staples like steak and chips.

I opted for the free range pork and chorizo sausage meat balls with linguini and fresh parmesan. It was a treat. The meatballs were well seasoned and the linguini had just enough bite.

My wife opted for the mussels with cream, white wine and herb sauce. She purred her approval. Teenager Dinah enjoyed beefburger with mozzarella, tomato and onion salsa and handcut chips. It was a triumph. The burger was made from good cuts of meat and the salsa was warm and inviting. The chips were perfect. They were huge, crisp-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside golden wedges that billowed clouds of steam when broken.

Lynn enjoyed a slow-cooked roast shoulder of lamb, served cassoulet-style. Keith had the outstanding dish of the evening. His grilled sea bass fillets with fennel, new potatoes and garlic saffron mayonnaise was a treat and his plate was returned to the kitchen entirely clean. It was restaurant food at pub prices.

We enjoyed a lengthy pause before desserts. Lynn and Keith opted for the exceptionally tempting sweet pancakes, maple syrup, blackcurrant compote and vanilla ice-cream. They pronounced themselves impressed.

The teenager opted for milk chocolate and hazelnut tart with home-made whisky and orange ice cream. She described it as being ‘fantastic, especially the ice-cream’.

My wife’s raspberry trifle was the only disappointment of the evening because it had too little fruit. However, when we pointed this out to our waitress, she apologised profusely and deducted it from our bill. There were no such problems with my sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and vanilla ice-cream. It was a treat and I finished the lot.

Our bill came to about £100, with mains about £10, desserts about £5 and a few drinks each. It was excellent value. But, most importantly, the in-laws had enjoyed a thoroughly good evening in relaxed and convivial surrounds. We’d been anxious to chose a venue that they’d enjoy. And, judging by the smiles on their faces, we think they did.

By Andy Richardson

The Armoury, Victoria Avenue, ShrewsburyTelephone: 01743 340525

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Leek and potato soup (£4.25)

Wild garlic mushrooms on toast (£5.25)

Main courses

Mussels with cream, white wine and herb sauce (£10.95)

Ham, free range egg and chips (£8.95)

Desserts

Banana split (£4.95)

Raspberry and sherry trifle (£4.95)

ATMOSPHERE

Bustling and vibrant. A real strength.

SERVICE

Studenty. Waiters are reasonably rushed and a tad chaotic. But it’s all good fun.

DISABLED FACILITIES

There is a toilet for the disabled

SMOKING POLICY

One smoking area and one non-smoking