"DINING OUT"
A little imagination goes a long way
LIVING MAGAZINE
Review by Jim Walsh
May, 2008

Consistency allied with imagination ­that's the real recipe for success at the Hundred House at Norton, on the Bridgnorth to Telford road.

This landmark pub cum eaterie attracts customers from near and far: and once you've sampled the fare it's not hard to see why.

It's a bar: a brasseri e: a restaurant, a hotel and also a venue for wedding receptions, conferences and the like. And it's a joy to behold - a far cry from when the Phillips family took it on 21 years ago when it was closed and derelict

Head chef Stuart Phillips, who was also 21 at the time, recalls: “I t had fallen on hard times and was a big investment for us.”

He' went away to train as a chef in France and London, and then at the Chester Grosvenor - all Michelin~starred restaurants - coming back 'home' in 1992 during, and because of, the recession.

Everyone was struggling. It followed on from the late 80s when we were really busy, with a big business trade, and then it went into complete reverse. All the business trade disappeared: but we have gradually rebuilt it.

“A nd that changed the nature of the business. Business dining had been the mainstay of our lunchtime trade, and we still do well , but we now serve a much broader market,” he said. Stuart uses classical methods both French and English, adding modem ideas and ingredients.

And today's customers are only too willing to try these more imaginative dishes~, because of the f eeling of trust that has been built up over the years.

“We were awarded two AA Rosettes in 1995 and have had them ever since, which proves we can offer real consistency. And we are imaginative - if you add something to a dish then you should be able to taste it. People trust what we do, so we can be inventive in terms of what we offer on the menu, and they are normally very pleasantly surprised," he said.

For Stuart it's all about quality, no matter what price the dish. with the steak and kidney pie the meat of which is properly browned , ingredients include herbs, beer and onions - but not garlic.

Sunday lunch can also come with a bit of a twist, with braised leeks and cabbage with bacon and cream and car rot and swede mash

while the casserole of pheasant is cooked with roasted peppers, black olives- and -red wine.

“The meat is crucial so we use Keith Alderson from Bridgnorth, who rears his own beef. He hangs it for 28 days~ a week longer than normal, so It has a really good flavlour. I have tried other sirloins and they are nowhere near as good; ” he said.

People expect consistency! and while he admits that they make mistakes occasionally, they are immediately rectified"

Stuart has his favourite dishes.; scallops amongst them. We always have scallops on the menu and the same dish will be on for six to nine months. Currently we are serving them with cauliflower puree and local black: pudding.

"The best thing about cooking is cooking things properly. I love braised dishes where you are taking a cheaper cut of meat and mixing it with other ingredients to get a great result.

''It's about taking classic recipes and adding to them without losing the ethos of the dish. We add our own individual touch to. it.

Our herb garden is a big bonus. One of my favourite dishes is sorrel celery and chicken soup, and we take what is effectively a bale of sorrel - all the flavours we use are very upfront" he added.

But It’s not all about food! the Hundred House is about service and ambience.

The food is no good on its own. I think we get a mixed crowd which makes the job more interesting - there is no-one we cannot cook for and if someone makes a request beforehand, it is never a problem.

“On various days of the week, because of the number of international companies: particularly in Telford , we cater for Japanese, French, Germans and Americans, and as a chef that's good because you can put a wide variety of things on the menu People are a lot more adventurous nowadays."