Mr Underhills, Dinham Weir, Ludlow

Reviewer's Rating ***** It's a pretty good way to celebrate a 30th anniversary . . . On January 12, Mr Underhills learned that it had been voted the best restaurant in the UK, writes Andy Richardson.

Yes, that's right, the best.

To avoid any confusion, the publishers of Harden's Guide 2010 even published a list of runners-up. It read like a list of restaurant Oscars. In at two was the awesome Gidleigh Park, in Devon; the triple Michelin-starred Waterside Inn, at Berkshire was next; Marcus Wareing at The Berkley, in London was fourth while Raymond Blanc's temple to gastronomy, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, in Oxfordshire, was fifth.

Northcote, Lucknam Park and other notables featured in the list. It was a seminal moment; as significant for Ludlow as the day, 10 years earlier, when the town had launched itself as the gourmet capital of rural Britain by winning three Michelin stars and a bib gourmand.

Proprietors Chris and Judy Bradley took it in their stride. Instead of champagne corks popping, the audible response was a pledge to work harder, not rest on laurels, make improvements and aim even higher. So did they remain true to their word?

The answer, following a recent visit, is a resounding yes.

I've eaten at Mr Underhills over the past 10 years and the dinner we ate in April was, by some distance, the best. The flavours were harmonious, the service reliable and sophisticated and the dining room aspirational.

I spend much of my time meeting knowledgeable producers, cooks and others involved in the industry. When people ask me where to eat in Shrewsbury or some other town, I give them the same answer: Mr Underhills.

But that's not in Shrewsbury, they say. Then drive . . . It is so far ahead of the competition you have to wonder whether they'll ever catch up.

It seems the restaurant has a band of dedicated locals but – importantly for Ludlow's economy – has even more visitors from around the UK. The dining room, every night, is filled with a food-savvy cognoscenti enthralled by the talents of the Bradleys.

After a refreshing glass of champagne on the restaurant terrace, overlooking Dinham Weir, we took to the dining room. Mr Underhills serves a set nine-course tasting menu, with portions sized so that you are full by the final course.

We began with a trio of olives; marinated, gougeres and flatbreads. The gougeres – mini cheese popovers filled with sweet and savoury olive–were majestic. The following cone of marinated smoked salmon, served in aLilliputian's ice-cream shaped vessel made from crisp, wafer-thin pastry, was heavenly.

Next up was an almond veloute with grapes and Pedro Ximenez. Ximenez is an intensely sweet, dark dessert wine that exudes chocolate flavour. Pairing it with rich, creamy almond was a master stroke. Chris Bradley's signature starter, duck liver custard, was served in a new form. The 2010 version features duck liver custard in a shot glass-sized receptacle with sweet carrot cream beneath and lemongrass glaze above. It was light and refreshing.

The fish course featured a pave of brill with crunchy vegetables and swishes of two sauces; coconut with lime and coriander with ginger. The zesty acidity was the perfect match to the wonderful fish. The meat course, however, was the highlight. Two slices of slow roasted fillet of Marches beef were served with a parsley and shallot jus, braised beef pie, bed of creamed spinach and roast carrots.

It's one thing to have good ingredients, it's quite another to be able to elevate them to such an exalted level. Chefs without Chris's innate talent would have been unable to extract such flavour from the dish.

The frozen Yorkshire rhubarb sponge with a soft, mellow custard ice cream was exquisite. A plate of fruity petit fours, including a sensational strawberry and vanilla cream jelly, was stunning.

For dessert, my wife opted for the chocolate fondant with coconut ice cream and hummed her approval. I opted for the technically brilliant, wonderfully inventive 'savoury dessert', an Oakly Park rarebit with mustard ice cream, apple butter and anchovy sauce. The combination of hot and cold flavours, textures and tastes surpassed my high expectation.

Mr Underhills improves every year. That's why it's the UK's favourite.

At £52.50 for a nine-course banquet, for my money, it's also the best value. Not yet eaten there? Phone now, it won't disappoint. Just be prepared to wait a month or three to get a table . . . that's how popular it's become.

ADDRESS

Mr Underhills, Dinham Weir, Ludlow, SY8 1EH

www.mrunderhills. co.uk

Tel: 01584 874431

£52.50 SET MENU

Marinated olives with chorizo and herb flatbreads; Cone of marinated salmon; Spicy spring tomato soup with sweet butternut foam; Bridgnorth asparagus with soft egg sauce and herb crumb; Pave of halibut on crunchy greens with lemon grass and ginger broth; Roasted rack and slow cooked shoulder of Mill Farm lamb with garden sorrel and mint; Garagette strawberry sponge with black pepper ice cream; Lemon tart with orange and mascarpone ice cream; Coffee and petit fours

ATMOSPHERE

Heavenly, there's a real sense of occasion

SERVICE

The best in the region – if not the UK

DISABLED FACILITIES

The restaurant is on a single level, staff assist