Reviews

THE REVIEW...

The Coach House Norbury

The idyllic village of Norbury is tucked away in the undulating south Shropshire hills. At it’s centre is the Coach House, opposite a charming church and an ancient yew tree. This unique country inn has been providing travellers with hospitality for over 300 years. The ancient buildings interiors now have modern touches but thankfully retains its rustic charm. Having heard excellent things about this restaurant, my wife and I were eagerly looking forward to an evening of sampling some award winning food for ourselves.

We were made to feel very welcome by the affable restaurant manager Ben. He showed us to our table for the evening, talked us knowledgably through the menus and took our drinks order. We enjoyed our drinks whilst we tried to make a decision between some impressive dishes. Apparently the menu is updated once a month to make the most of the best available local produce which I think is a great idea and something more restaurants should consider doing.

To start Ashleigh ordered the beef tartare, chilli, ginger sesame, coriander and garlic and I opted for the beetroot terrine, white pepper, shallot and nasturtium. Before the starters arrived we were given a hummus and heritage carrot canapé, an amuse bouche of tempura courgette and finally house baked sourdough bread & butter. This mouth watering start to the evening offered an insight into the incredible attention to detail evident in the kitchen.

Our starters arrived quickly and the presentation was impeccable. Ashleigh was very impressed; her dish worked perfectly and was bursting with flavour. The local beef fillet was of the very highest quality. My heritage beetroot terrine was simply brilliant, with an interesting burst of sweetness which was complimented well by the other elements of the dish. The chef seems to have perfected the art of balance, ensuring each ingredient does not over power the others - a terrific starter.

I decided to opt for the BBQ lamb rump for the main course with pickled courgette, aubergine, garlic and a lamb sauce. Ashleigh had Beef Fillet, with triple cooked chips, little wood batch carrot and beef sauce. They were nothing short of epic – the beef fillet was really juicy and tender, and the triple cooked chips were immense. The lamb was astounding; flavoursome, with a beautiful crispy outer edging which made this one of my all-time favourites. The other ingredients complimented the dish well and left one with a comfortably satisfied glow.

Chocolate is always a winner for us and the 70% chocolate delice instantly grabbed Ashleigh’s attention – with cherry and almond it was right up her street. I opted for the summer berry tart; a crème patisserie with cassis steeped red currant. They were glorious. The tart was rich, luxurious and intense, with the robust flavour of the redcurrants – it was sublime. The chocolate delice was everything Ashleigh had imagined and more; indulgent and rich. It was a perfect way to bring the evening to a close.

Overall we had a fabulous experience at the Coach House Norbury. Head chef Harry Bullock may only be 22 years old but cooks with incredible skill & sophistication. His complex flavours are deftly balanced and his presentation is stunning. Its no wonder that he was awarded 2 AA rosettes on his first ever inspection and has maintained them since. He is definitely one to watch in the near future.

The owners Sean & Lexi Morris, along with their exceptional team have created a fantastic restaurant, which also boasts seven beautiful rooms for those visitors that would like to stay and make a night of it. We cannot recommend the Coach House highly enough.