Reviewer’s rating *** The defining moment came before we’d sat down to eat, writes Andy Richardson. A youngish waiter at the Old Three Pigeons at Nesscliffe strode purposefully to a table adjacent to the one at which we were sitting.

He addressed a twenty-something diner and her paramour thus: “Okay, which one of you has ordered the ham hock?”

His manner was reminiscent of an over-enthusiastic student who was uncontrollably excited about the release of the new single from Speech Debelle.

The twenty-something diner replied in the affirmative. “It’s mine,” she said.

“Wicked . . .” came the effusive response. “You wait ’til you see it. It’s absolutely massive.”

That vignette encapsulates the dining experience at the Three Pigeons. It’s an unashamedly upbeat and enthusiastic pub where staff are cheery, portions are big-to-enormous and prices are great value.

Those looking to visit ought to do two things before they arrive. One, make sure they haven’t eaten for, ooh, at least three days. And, two, ditch any preconceptions that you’ll be in for a fine dining experience. You won’t. Honest to goodness locally-sourced food is the Three Pigeons’ raison d’etre.

My wife and I dropped into the Three Pigeons on our return home from a weekend away. We’d not eaten since breakfast and were ravenous when we pulled up outside at 7.30pm on a Sunday evening. The bar was already full of locals by then, with burly local workers sinking pints with relish and one elderly gent holding court at the bar. He had the appearance of a man who had stood in the same spot for generations and added to the warm and friendly ambience of the pub. As drinkers came and went, he engaged them all in conversation. The phrase ‘local character’ was designed for men such as him.

He stood, nobly, in a spot that he’d no doubt occupied for decades. I almost wanted him to take a quick walk to the car park, so that I could observe whether his years of drinking had left a shoe print on the carpet.

“You alright?” he said, amiably, as I approached the bar. He offered other customers a similar greeting.

The barmaid took our drinks order and then invited us to peruse the menu and specials board, which had been set up in a small room off the main bar. The choice was of staple pub dishes, with a few given an added twist. So lamb shanks, steaks and grilled pieces of fish were mixed with a Mexican-style chicken dish smothered with chilli con carne.

I opted for the lamb burger with chips and side salad. When the plate arrived, the chef had placed two generous lamb burgers on top of a roll and smothered them with cheese. They were delicious, if not a little indulgent. Home-cooked chips, new potatoes and vegetables completed the assemblage. My wife opted for the bangers and mash and enjoyed a huge platter of food with lashings of gravy.

Quite how we were expected to consume such gargantuan portions remains a mystery.

Certainly, this normally-ravenous reviewer would have simply been unable to digest the XXXL-sized portions of food on offer, had I selected starter, main and dessert.

As we cleared our plates, our bellies groaned for respite. We were pleased not to have ordered starters and had no space left for desserts. Across the room, the lady with the giant ham hock was looking sated by her dinner too.

Her boyfriend was leaning across, tearing strips of flesh from the bone as she emitted sighs of corpulent satisfaction.

The Old Three Pigeons is the sort of rural pub that used to be present in every town and village in Shropshire. It’s a venue where service comes with a smile and the food focuses on flavour rather than flair.

But one final tip, if you are planning to dine, make sure you don’t eat for days in advance. That’s the only way that you’ll stand even a sporting chance of managing to eat the outsized portions so generously served by the friendly staff.

ADDRESS
The Old Three Pigeons,
Nesscliffe, Shrewsbury.
Tel: 01743 741279

MENU SAMPLE
Starters
Smoked salmon and brie parcels (£6.95)

Main courses
Half a crispy glazed duck with a sweet black cherry and brandy sauce (£13.25)

Desserts
Chocolate and berry roulade with fresh cream or ice-cream (£4.25)

ATMOSPHERE
Warm and engaging. It’s a classically traditional Shropshire pub

SERVICE
Friendly but unrefined

DISABLED FACILITIES
No disabled facilities as the building dates back to 1404. However, staff are always willing to help