"I must say, I 'm posting this review reluctantly: I don 't want The Bell to get too busy, because I will definitely be back. The food is excellent, in a whole different league to regular pub fayre. If it wasn 't so plentiful, robust, and unfussy, I 'd say it was a gastronomic experience but that kinda language is for places with fancy hipster staff and too many coffee choices. The Bell appears as a regular country locals pub, but it disguises the master (Andre at work behind the scenes. His unfussy style of cooking, with superb local ingredients, really sets this place apart from well pretty much any other country pub I 've been to for AGES... and I 've been to a LOT. I had Scallops to start one of my favourite seafoods and so easy to get wrong. I 'm regularly disappointed in the little rubbery defrosted nuggets usually served: However, these were excellent! Fresh, soft, delicate, and cooked to perfection. My partner went for the duck to start, which was fantastic: Delicately smoked, and very tasty and served with a salad featuring local Cob Nuts. For main, she chose the Bream, sourced from Brixton via the epic Birmingham fish market. The quality showed, and it was a cracking bit of fish. I had the Mousakka: Again, something that many places don 't get quite right (even the Greeks! in my murky past, I worked for a Greek Cypriot Chef who was an absolute master at good solid Greek home cooking but he has ruined my experience of Greek food ever since (especially in the UK by raising the bar to a very high standard. Happily, The Bell has met with my pretentious love of Greek cuisine and produced the best Mousakka I 've had since Mike 's. The staff (especially Jane are wonderfully welcoming, and the single cask ale very well kept. There 's a fabulous cask cider as well! Decor is very much old school country locals pub, so there 's not much room for that Michelin star anyway. Who needs one of those when everything is just spot on. Yep, will definitely be back! If the quality of ingredients is consistent, it 's got to be steak next time..."
