1 day Ago By [email protected] (Kirsty Bosley)
I'd taken the scenic route from Birmingham to the Wildmoor Oak, that recently refurbished gastropub just off the M5 island in Bromsgrove. As the sun set over the Bartley Green reservoir and past the Waseley Hills Country Park, I put my shades on, turned the radio way up and motored towards the dying daylight. I'd been hoping to visit the boozer for a while, ever since I heard that the menu had been overhauled by chef Peter Jackson , formerly of Carter's of Moseley.
Then last month, a wonderful trip to the gorgeous Highland cow farm on the other side of the roundabout ( read about that here ) had me longing for that countryside feeling it gives you when you're out of Rubery and edging into green Worcestershire. The pub is well signposted from the main road and we found a parking space easily enough. The spacious beer garden was bathed in an orange glow and we passed through the foliage archway, over the bridge spanning a babbling brook and into the dining room.
Read more: I went to free hidden farm everyone in Birmingham has driven past and there was a lot of 'fuss' Sign up for the Brum Food Club free weekly newsletter for updates on what's happening in the city's food and drink scene . The pub had a £500k refurbishment earlier this year and yet it has a cosy, lived-in feeling thanks to the William Morris fabric chairs, gallery walls and snuggly cushions. It's homely, exactly how I want a pub to feel.
Inside The Wildmoor Oak (Image: Kirsty Bosley) Service was homely too. Kathy, waiting our table, made us feel like we were guests in their house. They also helped with the menu, breaking my heart momentarily with the news that the Welsh rarebit isn't vegetarian (Worcestershire sauce, of course).
I instead suffered watching John eat it, the cheesy rarebit soaking in to a big slice of sourdough in a way that would have filled me with violent envy if my own starter hadn't been heavenly. A colourful jumble of heritage tomatoes joined torn bread soaked in a flavourful, vinegary dressing, topped with creamy blobs of burrella to add balance. The dish by itself seemed like proof of a clever, considerate kitchen, there's nothing I would have changed about the perfect panzanella.
If I'd have thought it would have gone down well, I would have offered forkfuls to everyone around us, I was that enthusiastic about it. It was a generous enough portion to do that, too. John's Aubrey Allen burger and chunky chips (Image: Kirsty Bosley) I wouldn't leave a single tomato behind and I was concerned I'd filled up ahead of our main courses.
Turns out, when food is this good, you'll find a way to fit it all in. I'd have asked John how his Aubrey Allen burger was as he bit into it, but I was too busy telling the aubergine parmigiana that I was in love with it. The Wildmoor Oak seems to cook everything to exactly the place it needs to be.
Another second would have turned the golden crunchy crust coating the aubergine bitter, a second less and it'd have been just fine. Instead, they'd made it excellent, the scored, tender flesh pre-salted and beautiful to bite. No explosions of burning hot water, a risk you take with fried aubergine.
The tomato sauce on which it all sat was bright and sweet and lovely. Add a bunch of melty mozzarella and I might have cried. Aubergine Parmigiana at The Wildmoor Oak (Image: Kirsty Bosley) Across the table, John's shiny brioche held up under his bite, the beef patty oozing juice but not grease.
The chips were gigantic, chunky pub chips, golden as they were, again, cooked to the exact point of perfection. The crunch, the steaming fluffiness..
. every single morsel in the pot was salted and wonderful. We didn't have space for the desserts and while I enjoyed reading the exciting wine list with all of its detail and description, I couldn't dive into that either.
In total, we paid £61.35 before a tip, and that included my elderflower presse and the mojito John had ordered while we were in that sunset holiday spirit. The Wildmoor Oak is everything I hoped it would be.
Every dish exceeded expectations, service was impeccable and I want 'moor, 'moor, 'moor!.
