The Studio, Church Stretton

ANDY RICHARDSON tries the food at what he describes as one of the county's top restaurants.

Reviewer's rating: ****

ANDY RICHARDSON tries the food at what he thinks is one of the county's top restaurants.

The Studio, Church Stretton

Pity the poor restaurateurs. They're the first into a recession and the last out of it. Who can afford a plate of steak when they're worried about losing their job?

And who orders a house vintage when the order they worked so hard to secure is in danger of falling through. Dining is one of the first luxuries to go during an economic downturn.

Besides, January is always the cruellest month. Regulars who were overfed and overindulged during the Christmas and New Year holiday need to pay off their credit bills. There's little spare change for dinners so soon after the festive break.

Many local eateries close, but those that tough it out offer great value dining to discerning guests. The Studio, at High Street, in Church Stretton, is one of the county's best restaurants. It offered us warm respite against the harsh cold when my wife and I ventured there on a Friday evening for dinner a deux.

We've eaten at The Studio once before and, on that occasion, enjoyed a delightful supper. It's nudged its way into the county's top ten restaurants, in this critic's opinion, by serving simple, well-balanced English food and offering charming, friendly service.

The restaurant is in a former artist's studio with a small bar area, where diners can relax with drinks before beginning their meal. Plates commemorating its continued presence in the AA Guide with one rosette adorn the walls. On the bar are leaflets about local producers who supply The Studio's fresh-as-you-like-it food.

The dining room is spacious and homely, with brightly-coloured contemporary art adorning the walls. It's run by popular husband and wife team Tony and Sheila Martland, who change their menu to reflect the seasons.

During our visit, Sheila again proved to be a skilled maitre d. She epitomised bonhomie and was quick to find common ground, starting conversation about other good restaurants, favoured market towns and the essence of fine food. She brought a plate of olives and anchovy twists to our table while we considered the evening's menu.

It featured a good selection of local produce, from pheasant to steak, with a number of fish options, including scallops, and three specials, including line-caught halibut. I opted for a duck starter, featuring a confit leg on a bed of salad with orange and cashew nuts. The duck was nicely tender with a crisp underside. The sharp, citrus cut through its savoury flavour while the cashews and salad offered contrast and texture.

The flavours of supporting ingredients were drowned out by a too-heavy dressing, but it was a pleasant starter.

My wife chose the grilled goat's cheese with crispy pancetta, pine nut salad and a cranberry and shallot relish. It was similarly impressive. The gooey cheese had a chalky, mild flavour that combined well with the sharp, acid relish.

After a short pause, we resumed with our main courses. My signature dish of pan-fried Goosnargh duck breast with salsify and a port wine sauce was a treat. It was served very pink and had been excellently seasoned. Full marks were awarded, though the sauce could have been further reduced.

My wife chose the steak with a herby butter and potato accompaniment, which was cooked to her liking. The dishes came with a serving of green beans, buttered carrots and dauphinoise-style potato. The food was good, rather than remarkable, and we were utterly satisfied with it.

Tony Maitland has achieved that most desirable of all cheffing qualities – consistency.

His food always lives up to the billing on the menu. There are no glitches, no unexpected modifications and no disappointments.

He doesn't shoot for the stars like some of Ludlow's more highly-rated restaurants. Nor are there any of the pretentious swishes or swirls of this or that. He sticks to what he does best, which is serving high quality local food with skill and precision. Little wonder he's also won praise from the Michelin and Good Food guides.

For dessert, my wife chose the passion fruit creme brulee. It was the best dish of the evening. The brulee was unctuous and creamy, the passion fruit was a great addition and the crispy, perfectly caramelised topping was brittle and broke beneath her spoon. An accompanying homemade ice-cream was eight-out-of-ten good. She was delighted.

I went for the bread and butter pudding with brandy, apricot and a homemade ice-cream.

Again, it was an excellently executed dish. The pudding was light and fluffy, it had almost souffled. The topping was crunchy from the toasted sugar topping while the brandy and ice-cream gave the dish perfect balance.

The Studio is a restaurant that comes highly recommended.

It's the sort of neighbourhood restaurant that every self-respecting town would like to have. The prices are remarkably good value, with our three course dinner, with drinks, coming in at less than £70 – a snip in the present climate and much better value than dinners elsewhere.

Sheila's service is a treat. She's friendly and warm, like a favoured aunt, while being attentive through dinner, with discreet inquiries as to the quality of the dinners.

On several occasions, we overheard her talking to Tony in the kitchen, spelling out exactly how a particular diner would like their food prepared. "He wants it medium, medium, not medium rare or medium well done," she said, enabling Tony to hit the spot.

Tony's cooking, meanwhile, was very accomplished. His impressive skills should ensure that The Studio will continue to thrive for many years, despite the chilly economic climate.

MENU SAMPLE

Two courses cost £24, three courses cost £26.50

Starters

Home cured salmon with a honey, mustard and dill dressing

Main courses

Pan-fried fillets of sea bass with mussels, prawns and a white wine beurre blanc

Desserts

Vanilla creme brulee with Clun wynberry ice cream

ATMOSPHERE

Delightful. It's cosy and intimate but informal.

SERVICE

A highpoint. Service is discreet and attentive.