Latest Restaurant Review (No.12 Shifnal)
Number 12 is conveniently located in the heart of the bustling market town of Shifnal, just 3 miles east of Telford. The crisp whitewashed building fronts onto Church Street, behind there is a small car park and a pretty Mediterranean style patio area, no doubt providing a popular spot to enjoy a cocktail during the warmer months. Speaking of cocktails, at the rear of the venue is where you’ll find the trendy Number 12 cocktail lounge and bar, towards the front of the building is the restaurant.
Inside the restaurant the décor is rustic and cosy, with chandeliers, antique paintings and books creating a classy feel. There is a mixture of table sizes and dining areas making this the perfect venue for either a romantic meal for two or a larger gathering with friends or family.
We were welcomed on arrival by our waitress and offered the option of having a pre dinner drink at the bar or going directly to the table, we decided to go straight to the table with our drinks and took a look at the a la carte menu, which boasts a range of tempting courses including several meat, fish and vegetarian options.
For starter I opted for the Baked Camembert (£8.50) and my husband Aaron went for the soup of the day, which was Winter Vegetable Soup (£5.95). The camembert came artistically presented on a long rustic wooden platter, it was served with warm rosemary focaccia bread and red onion jam. The warm and gooey baked camembert was meltingly good, the rich, soft cheese was spiked with rosemary and garlic, which really added extra depth to the flavour of the cheese and complemented the rosemary focaccia perfectly. The red onion jam added a pleasant texture and sweetness, which worked very well in combination with the melted cheese and bread.
Aaron’s soup was smooth, thick and creamy. Served with fresh warm bread, this winter vegetable soup was warming and satisfying, just perfect for this cold weather.
For main course Aaron selected the pan-fried Salmon (£14.50) and I went for the Trio of Pork (£15.50). Again both dishes arrived beautifully presented and the portion sizes were perfect. Aaron commented that his salmon was cooked to perfection, with crispy pan fried skin and succulent flaky fish. The fondant potatoes were also delicious, the cylinders of potato were rich and creamy on the inside with a crispy outer shell. The attractive Romanesco broccoli and smooth butternut squash puree adding the fishing touch to this satisfying dish.
My trio of pork was utterly incredible, definitely one of the best pork dishes I have ever eaten. The meal comprised a mouth-watering trio of pork tenderloin, braised pork cheek bon bon and crispy pork belly, served with potato fondant, baby vegetables and a red wine jus. The tenderloin was moist and full of flavour, the bon bon had a crisp and crunchy coating while inside was the most incredibly soft and tasty braised meat. The pork belly was out of this world; the meat was fall apart tender while the skin was crisp and crunchy. The apple caramel puree was the ideal accompaniment to the pork along with the creamy fondant potatoes and sweet baby parsnips.
There were several enticing choices on the dessert menu, but I eventually decided on the Raspberry Panna Cotta (£6.25) and Aaron had the Chocolate, Fudge and Sea Salt Brownie (£6.25). The panna cotta was presented sprinkled with crumbled pistachios and a slice of pistachio shortbread. The panna cotta was rich and smooth, with the pistachios adding a lovely crunchy, nutty texture, the shortbread was delightfully short and not overly sweet which worked well with the raspberry flavour of the panna cotta.
Aaron’s brownie consisted of a generous slice of rich fudgy brownie, with a warm and gooey centre, it was served with a scoop ginger and caramel ice cream, which he said was fresh and cooling and worked very well with the richness of the brownie.
Having glimpsed Number 12’s fabulous cocktail menu earlier in the evening, I really couldn’t leave without trying at least one, so instead of concluding my meal with a coffee I ordered the espresso martini instead, well I certainly wasn’t disappointed as it looked amazing, it came served in an elegant long stemmed glass, garnished with whole coffee beans and it tasted every bit as good as it looked… rich and smooth with a lightly frothy texture.
I thoroughly enjoyed our first visit to Number 12, the food was impeccable and cocktails were fabulous, so if you are looking somewhere to go for a top quality meal along with a cheeky cocktail or two, I highly recommend that you pay Number 12 a visit, we will definitely be going back very soon!
Reviewed by Charlie & Aaron Scott
