Tin Tins, Donnington, Telford

Reviewer's rating: *** JAMES SHAW and his wife Claire enjoy an early evening trip to a Telford restaurant

There are few better places to eat out, without fuss, than a restaurant such as Tin Tins in Telford.

For a family of three with very little time to spare, it is a great way to spend a few hours before bedtime looms.

Of course, more serious diners would baulk at the prospect of an "all you can eat" menu, but Claire and I were keen to sample the joys of early evening dining.

And we weren't alone.

We wandered through the doors just after the 5pm opening time and expected to find a deserted restaurant.

But as the minutes ticked by, more and more people filled the previously empty tables.

Clearly, it is a popular destination for people who want to eat out just a little bit earlier than normal.

Of course, we were aware of our duties to rate the service, the experience and above all, the food.

The service was impeccable – perhaps the staff could have been a little busier, but we were certainly not complaining.

Efficiency is always key when it comes to service and there were very few faults.

But what of the food – that key element upon which every meal review must stand or fall?

We both opted for the "eat as much as you wish" menu and were certainly not disappointed.

There is always the assumption that these sort of menus will suffer from the "pile 'em high" method as chefs look to supply as much food as possible, but with few concerns about quality.

Not here.

To begin my meal, I went for three of the best – prawn toast, spring rolls and seaweed.

Claire, meanwhile, chose one of her favourites from previous visits – chicken and sweetcorn soup.

My prawn toast had more of a tang than the usual takeaway offerings, while the crispy spring rolls were fantastic.

They were full of juicy vegetable pieces, all of which were enveloped by a really crispy coating.

It was much the same case with the seaweed, which continues to be one of my absolute, utter favourites.

Of course, it was sweet yet sour, and could be sprinkled on pretty much any part of my meal.

On the other side of the table, Claire's chicken and sweetcorn soup had a few surprises.

It was a little spicier than she had expected, which was a very welcome surprise, and there were plenty of chunky pieces of meat.

Indeed, the flavour of the chicken dominated the entire dish, although not to its detriment.

The temptation with having free access to "as much as you wish" is that filling up with particular favourites is so very easy.

And I must admit that I went for the sweet and sour chicken almost straight away.

I didn't expect huge balls of chicken in ugly-looking batter, which is where I have gone wrong on other occasions.

My plate arrived loaded with handsome strips of battered chicken, along with a delicious sweet and sour sauce.

The meat was tender and encased in a crispy batter that soaked up all the sauce I could throw at it.

The size of the portion was just enough to make sure I went home with a satisfied grin on my face.

Claire's main course, meanwhile, was a huge surprise. My wife, bless her, is not a big fan of anything that isn't straightforward and cooked in the most simple way.

So deep-fried chicken in lemon sauce was something of departure from her usual fare.

Thankfully, however, she was delighted with her choice.

The lemon sauce managed to remain mild while also offering a brief sweet taste that did well to combat the sour chicken taste,

But that isn't to say that the flavour of the chicken needed to be suppressed in any way.

Like the other dishes we sampled throughout our meal, the meat really was tender and plentiful.

As it was, the lemon sauce gave the meat a delicious tang that refused to go way.

So how should I rate an experience that had very few faults and gave me little to complain about?

I have given Tin Tins, perhaps to some people's surprise, just three stars – but with an added proviso.

The food is fantastic, but I just don't think it can match the highest level in terms of dining.

That certainly didn't bother me, Claire or Louis – and the price tag of

just over £30 was testament to that satisfaction.

MENU SAMPLE

STARTERS

Mussels in black bean sauce (£6.80)

Cantonese chicken wings (£4.50)

MAIN COURSES

Slices of chicken in mango sauce (£7)

Grilled pork chops Cantonese style (£7.50)

ATMOSPHERE

Quiet at first, but a steady stream of customers ensured a healthy buzz within half and hour of opening

SERVICE

Impeccable and couldn't be faulted, although it would be interesting to see how staff cope with a full house

DISABLED FACILITIES

Disabled toilets are on the ground floor

Contact

Tin Tins, Wellington Road, Donnington, Telford. Tel: 01952 608688