Star rating: *****
Many restaurants take years to perfect their dishes, hone their style and cement their reputation.

But within weeks of opening, Mad Jack’s restaurant in Shrewsbury has already staked its claim as one of the best eateries in the county town. That may seem an ambitious claim to make, especially given the high quality of the town’s numerous restaurants, but the new establishment has already made a significant impact on diners.

My partner Tom and I headed to the restaurant after a hectic day at work when we fancied treating ourselves to a night out.

We had noticed the transformation going on inside the former Jesters restaurant and had been keen to check it out as soon as the new venue, run by Danny and Ann DiTella who also own the Mytton and Mermaid Hotel at Atcham, opened.

On the Thursday evening we visited, we were pleased to find it filled with people enjoying champagne cocktails and nibbles in the bar area.

The restaurant is bigger than the frontage suggests, with a number of tastefully decorated rooms. The contemporary style is given an historic twist with artwork featuring the local 18th-Century squire Jack Mytton, who squandered his fortune and ended up in jail following a life of riotous behaviour, and gives his name to the restaurant.

An added bonus is a courtyard area, which promises to be a perfect place to relax with a chilled bottle of wine in summer.

We were greeted by the first of the friendly members of staff we were to encounter during our visit, who offered us a drink and a menu. The carefully thought out menu features a tantalising list of dishes which, wherever possible, use local ingredients and suppliers.

After much consideration, I opted for the oak-smoked salmon, with Martini and lemonade jelly, green olive tapenade and lime creme fraiche (£6.95) to start. Having never had Martini jelly with salmon before I was intrigued about how this would work, but the beautifully presented plate was matched by the equally delicious taste.

The salmon was simply wonderful, with a perfect smoky, fresh taste, and the olive tapenade was also a delight. In an attempt to find any fault at all with the entire meal, I would say that I could take or leave the jelly, but in all honesty, there was nothing wrong with it.

Tom chose fresh linguini with hand-picked crab, chilli and lemon and shavings of pecorino (£6.25) and I just managed to grab a taste before he devoured the whole lot. It was delicious and light, and the flavours of the crab and rocket were not overwhelmed by the pasta. The presentation was excellent and was declared a really fresh starter.

For my main course, I considered the ricotta and parsley gnocchi with roasted-tomato sauce (£11.95) but plumped for the fillet of oak- smoked haddock with crushed potatoes, spring onions and greens, poached hen’s egg, Hollandaise and char-grilled vine tomatoes (£13.95).

I asked for the dish without the egg and this request was met without argument. The haddock was simply divine. From the first taste I was delighted by the flavour combinations, with the fish perfectly matching the wonderfully fresh tomatoes, and the tasty Hollandaise adding a further dimension to the dish.

There was just the right amount of crushed potatoes to complement the sublime haddock, which was deliciously smoky.

Tom, who always opts for meat when we dine out as I am not a fan, selected the char-grilled Gloucester Old Spot pork chop (£12.95). The succulent meat was complemented extremely well with tomatoes and a pear and sage potato cake.

It was a generously sized portion which, on first glance, Tom thought would be too big but he declared it nicely filling after he scraped his plate clean.

We were comfortably full at the end of our mains, but in the interests of the review, we felt it our duty to sample a dessert. We opted to share a baked lemon cheesecake with blueberry ice cream (£5.50) which was, again, scrumptious. The ice cream was tasty and unusual, and a terrific accompaniment to the cheesecake.

The biscuit base was pleasantly crumbly and the cake was light and refreshing. Despite claiming to be too full, we devoured the lot and proclaimed it a perfect way to finish a very satisfying meal.

We accompanied our dinner with a bottle of Italian Altana Di Vico Pinot Grigio 2006 (£14.95), which was fresh and went particularly well with my fish dishes. The wine list is extensive, with a number of half bottles and wines by glass available. We also had a bottle of mineral water, but I was pleased to see other tables were supplied with iced tap water when asked.

The service throughout was top notch, from the person who saw us to our table and took the time to talk to us about the history of the building – despite the restaurant being fully booked – to the waitress who brought an extra spoon for my jelly starter.

It is the finer touches that can make a meal truly memorable, and the staff at Mad Jack’s were welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable about the dishes, offering advice to other diners who requested help with their decision making.

As well as the dinner menu, there is also lunch served between midday and 2.30pm and a mouthwatering tapas-style nibbles menu served from midday until 10pm. The chefs plan to change the menu seasonally, which gives me a perfect excuse for a return visit in the not too distant future.

Having said that, I’m sure the lure of the nibbles and champagne (which is available by the glass as well as in cocktails) will draw me back before then.

The restaurant is an exciting and welcome addition to Shrewsbury’s food scene, which I have no doubt will prove a massive hit.

I don’t give five stars lightly, but I simply could not find fault with the food, service or atmosphere at Mad Jack’s.

ADDRESS
Mad Jack’s, St Mary’s Street, Shrewsbury.
Tel: 01743 358870

MENU SAMPLE
Starters
Asparagus and goat’s cheese terrine with mache lettuce and dill-aged balsamic and green herb oil (£6.25); Pan-fried calves’ liver with pea puree, red wine jus and pancetta (£6.25).

Main courses
Breast of corn-fed chicken with wild mushroom and mascarpone risotto, char-grilled asparagus and rocket (£13.95); Pan-roasted rack of Shropshire spring lamb with confit of lamb potato cake, pea puree, tomato compote and asparagus (£17.95).

Sides
Dressed salad (£2.95).

Desserts
Warm chocolate pudding with pistachio and white chocolate ice cream (£5.50).

ATMOSPHERE
Buzzing but refined.

SERVICE
Friendly, professional and informative.

DISABLED FACILITIES
The restaurant is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, but there is no disabled toilet at present.

SMOKING POLICY
No smoking inside. Smoking allowed in small area of courtyard .

By Vickie Woodward