Delicious food & drink beneath the hills of Church Stretton (The Ragleth Inn (Little Stretton))

Member Name: nixtee

Product:	The Ragleth Inn (Little Stretton)
Date:	27/05/09 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Delicious food, good service, plenty to choose from, helpful staff

Disadvantages: None.

The Ragleth Inn can be found in the beautiful Shropshire village of Little Stretton. The small village is quarter of a mile off the A49 and 2 miles south of Church Stretton. The area is ideal walking country with The Ragleth Inn being nestled beneath the Long Mynd and Cardingmill Valley being a short distance away.

The current owners (I can't remember their names) of The Ragleth Inn took over in the Summer of 2005 and decided the pub needed renovating. I hadn't been in there before the renovation, but I can safely say that they did a wonderful job, exposing the old beams and such.

Walking in through the front door you find yourself at the bar with the option to go into the bar (or lounge) at the right (which has a flatscreen TV should you wish to watch TV while having a drink) or to go into the bar at the left. We tend to sit in the left-hand side of the bar and this also leads into a dining room (though food is served in the bar too).

The pub serves all the usual drinks as well as a very good pint of Real Ale (my Dad's favourite type of drink). I tend to be driving, so stick with something like a J2O.

At lunchtimes The Ragleth Inn has a bar snack menu available as well as a specials board. The bar snack menu contains starters such as Breaded Brie Wedges with Cranberry Sauce, Homemade Soup of the Day, Chef's Pate served with Granary Toast and Chutney, as well as mains such as 8oz Sirlion Steak, Homemade Steak & Ale Pie, Warm Chicken & Bacon Salad, Jacket Poatoes and a range of fillings, along with a selection of baguettes such as Hot Beef, Bacon & Brie, Cheese & Pickle, Steak & Stilton. Snacks such as Chips, Nachos and Garlic Bread are also available. The bar snack menu also has a children's selection, should you be there with the family... Yes, children are welcome.

The specials board changes regularly, but on my last visit contained meals such as Chicken with Stir Fry Vegetables, Cod stuffed with Crab and Prawns, Honey Roasted Duck with Orange and Redcurrant Sauce... There was plenty to choose from, so there's something for everyone.

The evening menu has the same starters as the bar snack menu, along with a range of steaks and gammon, a selection of fish meals (such as Battered Cod, Supreme of Salmon with Mushroom & Pink Peppercorn Sauce and a Fish of the Day), other main courses (such as Half Crispy Duck with Black Cherry Sauce, Lamb Cutlets on a bed of Minted Mash, Chicken Supreme with Port & Blue Cheese Sauce) and Vegetarian Options (such as Roasted Vegetable Lasagne, Nut Roast with Madeira Sauce and Tagliatelle in a Creamy Green Pesto Sauce with Herb Bread).

Traditional Sunday Roasts are also available (you've guessed it...) on a Sunday.

I think you'll agree that the food on the menus sounds delicious! It tastes it too... The last time I was there was a Saturday lunchtime, so I went for a starter of Brie Wedges & Cranberry Sauce (my favourite... even if I'm not supposed to eat cheese!), followed by a Hot Beef Baguette. (I'm not supposed to eat bread either, but we've all got to be naughty from time to time!). Once we'd ordered, it didn't take too long for our food to arrive. Both the starter and the baguette arrived with a delicious salad, so I'd had my fill of salad by the time I'd finished. However, the food was lovely. The baguette was warm (just how I like it) and the beef was tender and perfect. What I will say is, the baguettes usually arrive buttered, so if you don't want butter make sure you mention this when ordering.

The staff are friendly and very helpful. Dad asked for the bacon in his Bacon & Brie Baguette to be well done (as in a bit crispy) and it was done to perfection, so they certainly take note of how you like your food. If you require a special diet, just phone up before-hand and they'll do their best to cater for you. Nothing is too much trouble.

On a nice sunny day you may wish to sit out and eat/drink in The Ragleth Inn's garden. It can seat up to 70 on benches and they also have a couple of trampolines to keep the youngsters entertained.Well behaved dogs are welcome too (though not to play on the trampolines!).

The Ragleth Inn is also currently home to the Shropshire Vintage Motorcycle Club). They meet there on the last Wednesday of each month at 8pm. Each club night is different and new members are welcome.

So, if you're in the area, I'd recommend stopping by The Ragleth Inn for a drink (or two) and some delcious food. Everyone I know who's been to The Ragleth Inn for food has been impressed and I've not heard a bad word about it.

The Ragleth Inn, Ludlow Road, Little Stretton, Shropshire, SY6 6RB. Tel: 01694 722711.

Summary: A decent meal in beautiful surroundings.