It’s been 78 weeks, 5 hours, 27 minutes and five seconds since James Lawrence set foot inside a restaurant, so he was understandably a wee bit peckish as he stepped into the Roe Deer in Wordsley.
To an extent, my exile was a self-enforced one. I had ample opportunity to dine out during the summer of 2020, but my nerve always failed me. This is, of course, one of the most pernicious things about the pandemic; the normalisation of prisoner syndrome, where we feel too nervous or guilty to start socialising freely again. But after more than 17 months, one of my friends said, “enough is enough.” His method of persuading me to return to the world of dining was most original and ingenious. He threatened to put my hand (or possibly another organ) in a food blender if I failed to comply.
So here we are at The Roe Deer in Wordsley. Run by the firm Brunning and Price
, The Roe Deer has settled into the most lavish of pub accommodations. Once a family home called Lawnswood House, this spectacular Georgian mansion was built for the Foley family in the 19th century. Guests are welcomed into a lovely expansive bar and reception area, with high ceilings and ornate casement windows that flood the room with natural light during daylight hours. We arrived about 8pm in September, so a sunset aperitif was unfortunately out of the question.
A drink, or five, was on the cards, however. We were shown to our table, housed in one of the main dining rooms at the back (there are several, including some on the upper floor) and promptly given a round of drinks. The room makes much of its lofty origins, with a few nods towards modernity. Soft background music, an abundance of warm chatter, and a complete lack of pretension set things off nicely. Some very tasty nibbles soon joined the party: crispy baby squid, garlic and chilli king prawns, and lamb kofta. Bite by bite – they were vanquished in a heartbeat. Another thing catches my eye: The Roe Deer’s keenly priced wine list is a refreshing change of pace from oligarch-friendly markups.
But I digress. We were here to eat rather than pick in the manner of a health-conscious exercise fanatic. The menu sits on just the right side of expansive, with enough options to keep everyone happy, without overloading the kitchen. There are no great surprises, no foams (don’t we all hate those!) and no experimental creativity. The Roe Deer is all about comfort food of the highest quality; deep-fried cod in beer batter; 10oz rib-eye steak; tandoori chicken burger. The restaurant also serves breakfast and offers a special menu on Sundays.
If one word sums up The Roe Deer, it’s comforting. Fun would be another fitting adjective. The sheer delight of smoked haddock and salmon fishcakes, the intensity of flavour and richness insisting that you order a second helping. The uncomplicated pleasure of perfectly cooked and seasoned rib-eye steak, accompanied by diet-averse chunky chips. And, of course, the satisfaction of being attended to by friendly staff, and a total lack of washing up. It was a feast that nourished body and soul – the antithesis of overwrought, fussy nightmares to which I’m allergic.
Actually, that’s not entirely true. Before Covid-19 became daily news, I occasionally enjoyed seeking out the avant-garde and iconoclastic faces of London’s restaurant scene. But it’s easy to forget that life’s greatest pleasures are often the most simple – the pandemic has brought that message home with a bang. As it turned out, The Roe Deer was the ideal antidote to my post-lockdown malaise. The frequent diner is back.
What: The Roe Deer
Where: Wordsley, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY7 5QJ
Web: brunningandprice.co.uk
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