Star rating: * * * *

I’m in for a difficult time this week. Our esteemed supplements editor, a highly respected foodie, lists Old Downton Lodge among her favourite restaurants. That’s hardly surprising. She has great taste and the restaurant is, undoubtedly, among the top ten in Shropshire.

The last time it was reviewed on these pages, by the said editor, it gained a rare-as-hen’s-teeth five-out-of-five review. My task, therefore, is somewhat tricky. Should I decide, in 1,000 words time, that the restaurant is not worth full marks, I’d better make sure I’ve got some pretty convincing reasons for awarding it any less.

But first things first. Old Downton Lodge is among the prettiest and most idyllic of venues. It’s located off a single track, deep in the heart of south Shropshire, where scores of pheasants fill the road, making progress slow for car users.

The Lodge is built from local stone and has been tastefully converted from former barns and outbuildings. It’s a supremely delightful eaterie and its owners, Martyn and Jayne Emsen, have furnished it in splendid style.

A lounge into which guests are channelled is comfort itself. Huge sofas dot a large barn conversion, where wooden beams and rafters are visible. Quiet, lilting music fills the air.

The restaurant is equally pretty with a high ceiling and quaint rectangular windows. It’s no surprise that Old Downton Lodge is the location of choice for visiting stars who want to get away from it all.

The menu, also, is first class. Typically, it comprises four starters, four mains and four desserts and local produce is always featured strongly.

There are dishes for meat eaters, vegetarians and fans of fresh fish. The kitchen is run by Martyn, who has worked in kitchens all over the world.

He’s been running his own restaurants since 1992, when he set up an eaterie in north Yorkshire and met the future Mrs Emsen. So far so good.

We visited on a midweek evening and enjoyed drinks in the lounge while we perused the day’s menu. Of the four starters and four mains on offer, I’d happily have selected three from each. However, after some deliberation, I opted for the chicken, foie gras and oyster mushroom terrine, served with a toasted brioche and homemade chutney.

It was a mighty dish. The savoury terrine was intensely flavoured and a sticky reduction of balsamic vinegar, presented in swishes across the plate, added piquancy to the dish. It was a supreme triumph.

My wife started with the twice-baked cheese and chive souffle. She was glad that she did. A gargantuan, perfectly-inflated dish arrived, with a moat of intensely-flavoured cheese sauce all around. It was utterly delicious.

Our main courses, however, were good without being memorable. I selected the truffle and wild mushroom risotto. It had been cooked expertly, so the rice remained al dente, giving it a pleasantly nutty flavour.

The truffle and ample helping of mushrooms added depth and flavour, while slices of Parmesan gave texture and tang. But the dish was overwhelmed with butter, making it too rich and every-so-slightly greasy.

It’s a common over-indulgence at Old Downton Lodge and its sister restaurant, The Frog, at Leintwardine. On three of the four occasions that I’ve eaten at those venues, the kitchen has had too heavy a hand with butter.

Greater subtlety and a lighter touch is required. When I’d finished the rice, an oily slick remained on the plate.

My wife’s course had similar faults. While the ingredients were impressive and cooked with no little skill, there was no complex sauce to enhance flavours. Her dinner soon faded from the memory.

Our desserts were also good, without being exceptional. My wife’s chocolate fondant was too cakey and the expected molten chocolate failed to ooze from inside. My dessert was also pleasing without providing the requisite “wow”.

The service was good throughout. The maitre d had complete control of the dining room and was both efficient and discreet. He made regular inquiries about our levels of satisfaction and added to our enjoyment of the evening. We were also delighted with our bill.

Dinner comes in at around £35, with drinks on top. We spent £84 and enjoyed delightful food, served with consummate skill in awe-inspiring surrounds.

However, while we finished our drinks, the waitress returned to the dining room armed with knives and forks and bottles of tomato ketchup. She started laying the tables for breakfast, a curious practice that we’ve never previously encountered.

So, to the all important rating. I’ve only awarded a five-out-of-five review on two occasions. Both were to the same restaurant, the Michelin-starred Mr Underhills, at Ludlow.

It offers by far the best food and service in Shropshire and, indeed, in the West Midlands. Restaurants should only receive full marks if they are so good that you should make a special detour to reach them.

To my mind, there are three areas where Old Downton Lodge could improve. Butter is over-used. The less is more principle applies.

The kitchen should also devote more time to sauces. It uses herbs expertly, but swishes of enticing sauce would add so much, giving courses more body and character.

Finally, it should end its frankly ludicrous practice of laying the tables for breakfast before dinners have finished supper. Diners enjoying a cosy evening out do not really want to hear the clatter of Heinz bottles on adjacent tables.

Make no mistake, Old Downton Lodge is a class act. It’s comfortably in the upper echelon of Shropshire eateries and I’d heartily recommend a visit.

You’re assured of good food in pleasing surrounds at a price that doesn’t hurt your wallet. But for dinners to be elevated from good to memorable, it needs just a little fine-tuning.

And that, in the final analysis, is why I give it a highly commended four out of five.

By Andy Richardson

MENU SAMPLE:

Three courses (£32.50), Four courses (£35)

Starters: Loch Fyne mussels; Hereford cider and thyme cream; Truffled Pantsygawn goat’s cheese terrine, balsamic honey roast pears

Main courses: Roast rack of lamb, petit ratatouille, port wine jus; Pan-fried calve’s liver, braised red wine and thyme onions, pancetta crisp

Desserts: Apple and pear tart tatin, vanilla ice cream; Lemon almond polenta cake, poached summer fruit

ATMOSPHERE: Refined, peaceful and tranquil

SERVICE: The maitre d has good control of his dining room.

DISABLED FACILITIES: Converted farm buildings, so not the easiest of venues to get around.

SMOKING: No smoking

CONTACT: Old Downton Lodge, Downton on the Rock, Ludlow. Telephone 0845 8386334.