The Swan, Wellington

I have always found The Swan in Wellington difficult to place in any particular bracket,

Many pubs are easy – some are simply awful "family eateries", while others are great examples of simple cooking.

But The Swan is neither.

It cannot be described as awful, although it does not quite reach the heights of the "gastropub" sector.

The clientele is difficult to place as well, with typical pub drinkers in one part of the bar and a wonderfully quiet restaurant elsewhere.

Some years ago I visited the Swan with a group of pals and we certainly fitted into the younger bracket.

This time, a few years later – and with a wider wasteline – I visited with Claire and The Little One. Typically, he was sleeping in fits and starts.

But we were not the only family-based group to pay a visit that night.

And, I am told, it is popular with older customers at other times of the week, when a carvery is served.

It should be remembered that the Swan is also a hotel, which seems to add to the unique mix of customers.

But we were there on a Friday night, when the crowd was considerably younger, especially in the lively bar area.

The eating area was remarkably quiet when we entered, with little to keep the staff busy.

Nevertheless, it was a joy to escape from the bustling street outside.

Claire and I both chose from the three-course menu for just £7.95 – great value, even in this day and age.

Bearing in mind the credit crunch now has an iron grip on our finances, we were keen to find an escape.

To begin, I decided to go for the chicken liver paté, while Claire was keen to try the vegetable soup.

My portion was certainly comparable to anything I have eaten at much more expensive pubs, both in size and taste.

The same could have been said of Claire's soup, which contained lots of delicious vegetable chunks.

Notably, the quality of food has remained broadly similar to visits I paid in years gone by.

That sparked the main theme of our meal – how could the owners afford to put on three such courses for a price of just under eight pounds?

The main courses did little to answer our questions.

I was presented with the typical pub favourite that is chilli and chips, while Claire plumped for the grilled chicken breast.

Although they were a little unspectacular, both dishes had their merits and didn't let us down.

My chilli avoided the familiar pitfalls of being overspiced and arrived with a healthy-sized accompaniment of chips.

Claire's chicken breast was well cooked throughout and left her more than satisfied by the end.

It was during the break in courses that we noticed the restaurant was starting to fill up rather rapidly.

The demands placed upon Claire and I by The Little One meant we had arrived much earlier than normal for dinner time.

Thankfully, we were welcomed with open arms and as the night wore on, staff became ever busier.

To finish the meal, I was happy to try the chocolate fudgecake, while Claire chose the Black Forest gateau.

My dessert was moist and just the right size to end the evening without filling me up too much.

That was very much the case for Claire, who was delighted with the conclusion to her meal.

But one burning question remained – how could staff keep costs down?

We couldn't find an answer – the only part of our evening that went unsatisfied.

An overall bill of around £20 for a good three-course meal for two people, with drinks, is a rare thing indeed these days.

The credit crunch is affecting us all and many people are struggling to afford a night out at all.

But perhaps, Claire and I have found somewhere that is trying to buck the trend.

ADDRESS

The Swan, Watling Street, Wellington

Tel: 01952 223781

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Pan-fried mushrooms (£3.50)

Black pudding in pepper sauce (£3.50)

Main courses

14oz rump steak (£11.95)

Beef stroganoff (£12.50)

Desserts

Rhubarb and apple fool (£2.25)

Profiteroles (£2.25)

ATMOSPHERE

Very quiet in the main eating area, although it seemed to liven up as the night wore on.

SERVICE

Started efficiently enough and continued in the same manner, despite the increase in business.

DISABLED FACILITIES

There is access for wheelchairs.