Review: The Bellstone, Shrewsbury

How do you like your zebra? On TV, sound-tracked by a David Attenborough commentary? Up close and personal, on a savannah safari. Or, like me, do you like it neat, flame-grilled and thrown on the barbecue?

You'll forgive the seemingly oblique questions at the start of this week's restaurant review. There is, however, a method in my madness. Zebra is an integral part of the experience at the revamped Bellstone in Shrewsbury. And so are glitterball men wearing pointed hats. And so are cages with fat padlocks. And we're only just getting started.

When the new owners of The Bellstone re-opened one of Shrewsbury's best loved pub-restaurants, they could have taken the easy route. A lick of paint here, a new sofa there. It would have been more than enough to satisfy most people in the town.

Instead, they opted for Operation No Expense Spared. Vast velveteen chairs were built and fashioned with Swarovski-esque diamante buttons. A glitterball man – or, at least, I thought it was a man – was stationed near to the front door, guarding a padlocked wine cellar and seemingly welcoming guests to the show. Inspiration from Renaissance art was channelled through modern technology, with vast TV screens relaying infographics against a backdrop of centuries-old paintings.

And just when you thought they couldn't get any crazier, the designers bought a zebra. The African equid stands, statuesque, in the far corner of the restaurant. Neeigghhhhh. The result makes The Bellstone a marmite restaurant. There will be those who love every last jazzy, meretricious touch and there will be those that don't.

For me, the effect was boudoir-ish. In places, the restaurant felt almost too ostentatious. There were times when I wondered why they didn't just go the whole hog and change the name from The Bellstone to The Blingstone. Or, better still, The Blingstone's. Yabba Dabba Do.

Whether I'm a fan of The Bellstone's new look is, however, immaterial. And that's the rub. The point of the new design is to give the venue a wow factor. There are audible sounds of 'gosh' as people walk through the door and gaze upon the newly-madeover venue. The Bellstone 2013 is full-on, all-guns-blazing, loud-and-proud flamboyance. It's a swaggering, swanky, spectacle. Is it too brazen and raffish; too gaudy and too glittering? Who's to say. One thing, however is certain. The Bellstone has more pizzazz than anywhere else in Shrewsbury.

While the interior decoration will divide opinion – and, my bet is that most people will like it – the use of space is supremely intelligent. The venue's new owners have thoughtfully considered how best to cater to everyone. There are areas for tea and coffee, which are served throughout the day. There are two lunch menus, a snazzy bar with cocktails and a fine-dining restaurant towards the rear of the venue. The venue is soon to complete a further element, with a boutique hotel providing rooms for a discerning clientele. In short, there's something for everyone.

My principal interest was in the food and service – rather than the zebra – and on those counts The Bellstone scored impressive marks. Head chef Stefan Davis is, by all accounts, talented, organised and a thoroughly decent man – a rarity in an age of growling, high-maintenance cooks. Davis gets on his with team, as well as providing high quality food for diners.

I booked a last-minute table, ending a 12-hour day with dinner. I'd scanned The Bellstone's web pages before arriving, plotting my way through three courses. There was plenty of choice on the pan-cultural menu. Starters featured a mix of local produce and global fare: a beetroot and apple soup with Cheshire cheese and focaccia rubbed shoulders with tiger prawn pil pil, Asian toast and rocket. I went for potted pork, with crackling, apple jam and onion bread. It was pretty good, without dazzling the senses.

The pork was soft, unctuous and meltingly tender. It was topped with fat, which I didn't enjoy – butter would have been preferable – and there appeared to be whole peppercorns within, which seemed odd. The apple jam, however, was a treat and provided sharp-sweet contrast to the rich meat. The bread was also highly competent and the strands of pork crackling were demolished in no time. It was a seven out of 10 dish.

There was ample choice on the main menu. Poached hake with parsley mash, pickled cockles, petit pois and parma ham read like a savvy combination while I came within a whisker of ordering the corn-fed chicken with dauphinoise, black pudding, a parsnip and sage fritter and redcurrant jus. However, the duck breast with a black pudding hash cake, duck samosa, spinach and Cointreau jus was too good to ignore. When the plate arrived, I was thrilled with my choice.

Davis demonstrated silky skills by serving a sumptuous piece of duck, which was invitingly pink and had been well-rested. The black pudding hash cake looked odd – a muddy, black mush – but had exceptional earthy richness. I'd have happily eaten another. The taste was electrifying. The jus was wonderful, the spinach had enough Popeye strength to stand toe-to-toe with the other robust flavours and the samosa added welcome crunch. Davis sent out a small jar of teriyaki dipping sauce to go with the samosa, which was thoughtful, though the dish would have been fine without it. It was a nine out of 10 plate of food.

For dessert, I opted for the plum frangipane tart with crème anglais and damson sorbet. Davis's skills were again given top billing. The sorbet was sharp, though small crystals of ice had formed within. The crème anglais was stunning: sweet, creamy and dreamlike. The tart knocked my socks off. It featured the best non-Michelin pastry that I've eaten in months, the frangipane was deliciously buttery and nutty while the plum had a welcome piquancy.

My waiter for the evening had been Caspar Macindoe, a well-known figure on Shrewsbury's dining scene. The formerly dreadlocked man is an exceptional addition to The Bellstone's front of house team. He combines politeness and deference with acerbic wit, giving the venue a distinctive personality. He made the obligatory checks to ensure I was enjoying my food, but neither pandered nor patronised. He found the perfect balance between providing good service and ensuing sufficient space in which this guest could enjoy his food. I imagine the rest of the Bellstone team will follow his lead. Macindoe is one of the county's best and, working in tandem with Davis, forms half of a formidable partnership.

I hadn't expected to enjoy my evening at The Bellstone as much as I did. I found the zebras, glitterball men and diamante sofa buttons obtrusively bright and showy. Parts of the interior were lurid. While that may be a matter of personal taste, two aspects about which there can be no debate were these: the food and the service.

Davis's cooking was sublime. There were minor flaws, though those were evened out by touches of sublime skill. His pastry, the jus with the main course, the supremely tender duck and the black pudding hash were all exceptional. Macindoe's service was great fun. He made me feel relaxed and comfortable. His jokes and devilish wit brought a smile to my face.

This place strikes a clever balance between style and substance, and is certainly worth visiting.