Hearty English fare at the Four Oaks

By pkemp

THE FOUR OAKS, SUTTON COLDFIELD: The first thing that struck me when I walked in the Four Oaks was just how English it was.

The title itself is along typical lines of English thought – "it's in Four Oaks, so let's call it....the Four Oaks."

The pub – and I use that term loosely because everyone in the building was there to eat and drink rather than just drink – seems to be steeped in local history.

And it is certainly a delightful place to eat a meal – the wooden architecture creating an 'old-style' feel and immediately making you feel welcome and at home.

As did the staff, who were as polite and helpful as you could wish for during our meal, often checking everything was ok and making sure we were happy.

For a starter, I plumped for the antipasti platter of cured meats, olives, artichoke, cherry tomatoes, bread and oil.

It was a good choice because the dish was not too filling and it was also presented well on a quaint knife board – thumbs up.

My partner opted for a double baked cheese souffle, featuring Butler's Secret cheese with tangy tomato relish.

It was declared enjoyable, if a bit lighter than expected, but I had a quick taste and wished – even though my starter was good – I had chosen the souffle instead. It tasted great!

Continuing the English theme, the mains menu was packed with a number of traditional dishes that screamed 'Land of Hope and Glory'.

Beef and ale pie, sausages and mash, gammon, steaks and a number of other very English selections were on offer and looked very tempting.

But, opting for something a little different, my choice for a main course was lemon and garlic marinated chicken skewers with rice, roasted vegetables and a yoghurt and mint dressing.

It was adequate but left me feeling there was something missing, as the flavours did not go together as I had hoped.

This left me eating the dish as individual portions rather than as a whole and though they were nice enough, it did not quite float my boat.

My partner was more keen on her main course – lamb suet pudding with mash and seasonal vegetables – and indeed, the plate was empty by the time I was only halfway through mine!

She had opted for one of the more traditional dishes with the lamb and after sneaking a couple of mouthfuls, I was impressed too.

By this time I was stuffed but made enough room for dessert – a rich chocolate fudge cake with ice cream, which proved absolutely delightful.

The cake was melt-in-your-mouth heaven and ensured my palate ended the meal very much on a high.

My partner, meanwhile, also enjoyed her healthy portion of cheesecake with raspberry and clotted cream – the empty plates said it all.

Our bill, excluding drinks came to £32.70 – not bad for three courses each.

Overall, the Four Oaks might not be the place to go to if you are looking for nouvelle cuisine. Its dishes are simple and traditional but on the whole very enjoyable.

But if you're after some good old hearty English fare, then I would suggest you would find few places better.