Star rating: ** James Shaw is taken aback by changes which were hard to swallow

Albion Inn, St Georges

A few weeks ago, I wrote a review of a pub in Telford that made comparisons with Susan Boyle, that darkest of dark horses.

Appearances, I concluded, can be deceptive.

That theory can work the other way, as my wife Claire and I discovered at the Albion Inn in St Georges.

Perched at the top of the hill overlooking Oakengates and beyond, the Albion Inn enjoys an enviable location.

The Albion Inn, St Georges

Indeed, the adjacent beer garden is a definite advantage for drinkers looking to enjoy an after-work pint.

But for anybody wanting food, there is no real motivation to stay and enjoy the atmosphere.

Let me explain.

Although the menus were handed out almost as soon as we arrived, there was no real hurry to make us feel welcome.

Not that the staff were rude, of course, rather they were over-stretched and focused on drinkers in the bar.

And there was no real eating area – just an area of the pub that appeared clean and quiet.

The decor was, unfortunately, stuck in that gap between unspoiled and a little bit unloved, with furniture that was screaming out to be replaced.

The chairs and tables weren’t dirty or broken, rather they just looked tired and out of date.

Nevertheless, Claire and I were tired of searching for somewhere to eat and settled down for a few hours.

The menu was a bit of a surprise and featured plenty of pub grub favourites to satisfy most appetites.

I decided to go for the paté to start, while Claire selected the vegetable soup.

Unfortunately, we chose seats close to the kitchen doors.

Not only was it noisy, but the constant ‘ping’ of a microwave gave away some of the kitchen’s secrets.

This was entirely our fault for choosing the wrong place to sit, but it spoiled the illusion somewhat.

Anyway, back to my starter – I have said on many occasions that it is hard to go wrong with paté.

And so it proved once again as I enjoyed lashings of tasty paté with lots of toast and side salad.

There were plenty of lovely chunks, but somehow, the paté was not really memorable. Indeed, the same could be said of Claire’s soup – it was nice enough and had stacks of chunky vegetables pieces, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

And to be honest, there were so many chunks that it was more of a thick broth than a soup.

As I have already mentioned, The Albion is clearly a traditional local, with an active social scene.

There is a darts board and other games, and the regular drinkers are a happy enough bunch.

This an admirable aim, but for people wanting food, it is clear where the pub’s priorities lie.

For the main course, I wanted to try the lamb chops, while Claire plumped for the safety of gammon steak.

My lamb chops were lovely and came with a delicious sauce, but as ever, there was very little meat.

I suppose this is a danger when choosing chops, although the accompanying vegetables more than made up the difference.

Claire’s gammon steak was typically juicy and arrived with all the usual accompaniments of chips and vegetables.

But there was a little bit more fat that she expected, which rather tarnished an otherwise tasty main course.

Once again, there was nothing wrong with our main courses, although they did lack that little bit of magic.

So, a relatively enjoyable evening with food that was tasty enough, if a little uninspiring.

But why the two stars, you may ask.

While we enjoyed ourselves in a lively atmosphere, the final bill was a bit hard to swallow.

The price tag of £34 for a meal and a couple of drinks was, unfortunately, enough to tip the balance away from a three-star rating.

Guide

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Garlic prawns (£5.25)

Chinese spring rolls (£5.25)

Main courses

T-bone steak (£10.25)

Steak and ale pie (£7.95)

Desserts

Caramel apple pie (£3.25)

Sticky toffee pudding (£3.25)

ATMOSPHERE

Very lively in the drinking area, although the beer garden offers a peaceful respite.

SERVICE

Service was efficient enough and cannot really be faulted.

DISABLED FACILITIES

There are steps to the pub and no disabled toilets.

Contact

The Albion Inn, St Georges, Telford. Tel: 01952 614193