The Venture In

2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence

Chef/owner Toby Fletcher first opened a restaurant in this quaint 15th-century building on Ombersley’s equally picturesque Main Road in 1998, and the venue is now back on song following various disruptions. Over the years, it has garnered firm local support, so expect regular full houses in the two conjoined dining rooms where ancient beams, mustard-hued walls and a tartan-style carpet create a suitably elegant setting. Readers note the ‘real community friendly feel’ of the restaurant, adding that ‘this is the best place to eat for very many miles around’. The set menu offers ample choice of classically influenced dishes characterised by rich sauces, robust flavours and classy touches such as home-smoked specialities and homemade beef-dripping butter (hard to resist). Additional specials are recited by the amenable staff at table. Our visit began well with a deft little assembly of smoked salmon topped with horseradish and cream cheese on a miniature cheese scone. Starters kept up the standard, from tender sweetbreads in an intense gravy with peas and grated potato to ‘seafood hors d’oeuvres’ consisting of refreshing gazpacho with prawns, feather-light monkfish tempura on punchy romesco sauce, and melt-in-the-mouth beetroot-cured gravadlax. Main courses can seem overly rich, but there was no doubting the wonderfully smoky flavours of the juicy duck breast with crisp potato gnocchi or the quality of succulent roast halibut (a special) accompanied by tomato beurre blanc and a pot of orzo pasta and wild garlic gratin. Vegetables are served separately, while puddings such as a moist honey, pistachio and lemon cake will please the sweet-toothed and ensure that no one leaves feeling hungry. A well-balanced wine list includes plenty of bottles under £40, plus various by-the-glass options.