The Swan, Ironbridge

Reviewer's rating *** Some pubs will inevitably inspire high expectations, whether they are deserved or not, writes James Shaw. Indeed, this can place some eateries at a disadvantage, as they seek to fulfil an image they may not have have created.

Since its refurbishment some years ago, The Swan in Ironbridge has stood out from the normal "pub grub" crowd, along with its other neighbours along the Wharfage.

So is that reputation deserved?

It should, of course, be remembered that up to around ten years ago, The Swan was a very different place indeed.

During the mid-1990s, a dartboard adorned the walls and a pool table nestled in the corner, while local bands played on a regular basis.

Today, the dartboard and pool table are gone, although happily, the pub still hosts regular quiz and music nights.

The atmosphere, however, can sometimes disappear when huge changes are made to bring in new customers.

My wife Claire and I decided to put that theory to the test on a wet and very cold Friday afternoon, taking advantage as The Little One enjoyed his regular nap.

Immediately, we were struck by how quiet it was - not a surprise, I suppose, considering the time of day we visited.

And staff were clearly preparing for the regular Friday night rush.

The menu, whilst extensive, was not the cheapest I have come across, although quality does usually carry a higher price.

We were certainly spoiled for choice.

To begin my meal, I chose a main course of duck breast on a bed of crushed new potatoes, while Claire was happy enough with the Swan burger.

Not real swan, obviously - simply a home-made beefburger that promised a great deal.

But could it deliver?

We will see - meanwhile, my main course was a triumph. The duck breast was everything this particular bird should be, with very little fat in comparison to similar options.

A common fault with duck is an excessive amount of grease, but I was delighted to find delicious chunks of juicy meat.

It nestled on a bed of crushed new potatoes that were of perfect consistency, along with a lovely surprise below.

I hadn't noticed the black cherries until late in the meal, such was my concentration on the delicious duck meat.

But once they made an appearance, the black cherries added a lovely tang to the rest of my meal.

Claire, meanwhile, had mixed opinions about her main course.

The beefburger itself was yet another joy and had obviously been created with much care and attention.

There was plenty of meat for Claire to get her teeth into, as well as chunky pieces of onion that added extra flavour.

But it was here that we experienced a little bit of a low point.

At a shade under ten pounds, the beef burger was reasonable value, but was let down by a bun that appeared to have been bought from a supermarket.

Forgive me for being picky, but a quality burger deserves much more than mass-produced bread as an accompaniment.

The bun just looked wrong, and to be honest, was quite poor value when you consider the price tag.

It came with the typical serving of chips, as well as cheese and bacon.

And it was there that we decided to bring our meal to an end.

The food itself was not a problem and, apart from the burger bun, we found very few faults.

But the price tag was a different matter.

In these times of the credit crunch, we found the initial bill of £24 for two main courses and drinks to be a tad steep.

Indeed, the addition of desserts - both costing a minimum of around £5 - would have taken the bill a little higher than we wanted.

And perhaps it was the little things that let us down in the end. For example, we had to collect cutlery from a tray in the corner. Not usually a problem, but people paying a bit more would expect the cutlery to be laid out.

So why three stars? If I could, three-and-a-half would have been the rating - the food was nice enough, although a little pricey.

ADDRESS

The Swan, The Wharfage, Ironbridge

Tel: 01952 432306

MENU SAMPLE

Starters

Chicken liver pate (£4.95); Prawn cocktail (£4.95)

Main courses

Ribeye steak (£14.95); Traditional fish and chips (£10.95)

Desserts

Chocolate cheesecake (£5.50); Eaton mess (£5.50)

ATMOSPHERE

Very quiet when we visited, although that is to be expected on a wet afternoon in November.

SERVICE

Efficient enough, although there was little interaction with the staff on duty.

DISABLED FACILITIES

There is access for wheelchairs to the restaurant area.