The roads were blocked. Well, they weren’t exactly blocked, though there were fluro-jacked stewards lining the streets, making sure vehicles stayed in their lanes. A road race was taking place, as those wise enough to look after their health by lacing up their trainers and pushing themselves physically streamed past.
From the windows of The Fox, a train of bobbing heads weaved its way along the undulating, rural roads in this quiet corner near the Staffordshire and Shropshire border. Runners dressed in bright vests got into a rhythm as they pushed their way back into nearby Newport, in search of a personal best. And shortly after their exertions, a number made their way to The Fox, where celebratory gin‘n’tonics were downed.
The menu, in this reviewer’s case, is the principle attraction. Featuring dishes that people like to eat, rather than food that seeks to impress, it’s a collection of classics, comforting plates, and one or two elements that allow the chef to shine. Mostly though, it’s recognisable stuff that people love – soup, prawns, curry, cottage pie, char-grilled fish, steaks and burgers, or towering salads – that the chefs serve with aplomb.
I started, however, with a small plate of halloumi fries, served with a tomato relish. They were delicious. Delivered in quick time – check on, chef, here they come – they were simple but delicious. The halloumi had plenty of rough edges for a flour-based batter to fill and the colour was a deep, caramel-gold, like a wedding band in summer. The tomato relish was fine, though nothing to write home about, and the small, simple plate was polished off before another 50 runners had jogged past.
The desserts looked great – key lime pie, with vanilla cream, and raspberry sauce; or a toasted waffle with Black Forest fruits, cherry ice cream, and chocolate sauce – but having demolished the halloumi fries and left the cleanest of plates where once there lay a crispy beef salad, I thought better of it. Perhaps it was the runners, guilt-tripping me into calling it quits before adding a triple chocolate brownie to the order.
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