Old Rectifying House, The

Worcester seems to be increasingly blessed with its eating houses; perhaps it is a rub-off from not too far distant Ludlow, but there you are, the lord moves in mysterious ways, and here a former piece of the city's heritage has been caught up in the process. Quite who or what was rectified is not immediately clear, and matters even less; enough to note that more than passing decent food is served here daily from 12 noon onwards to 9.30pm.

Early arrivals who missed out on the best meal of the day can build their own brunch, starting with eggs Benedict, or an English breakfast of whatever proportions turns you on, ranging through all the regular items, followed by toast and the blessed Frank Cooper's thick cut marmalade.

A very sound lunch can be taken here, but it is to the evening that we turn our attention, perhaps to savour the deli plate to share, followed by ham hock and peas pudding with parsley butter sauce, honey roasted artichoke and parsnip risotto finished with toasted pine nuts or duck leg wontons with oriental salad and plum sauce.

A main course of pan fried black bream with saffron crushed potatoes, braised baby fennel and brown prawn butter vies for attention with Bromsberrow Farm reared pork belly, broad beans and bacon with dauphinoise potato and onion gravy, or a grilled Hereford sirloin steak supplied by Dave Waller Butchers of Ledbury, with Stilton or garlic herb butter.

Desserts are in a class of their own and can include elderflower cheesecake with a shortbread base ands rhubarb compote, or a classic rum baba steeped in sugar syrup with mascarpone.

A fine selection of beers embraces Red Stripe, Dunkerton's Black Fox and Beck's Vier, and that's before you even consider the draught cider from Suffolk. A carefully chosen wine list offers all the house wines by the glass, medium or large, and a well travelled list that is not long, but perfectly satisfying, though sadly with no English.

Click on their Website to find out more about their special nights, held when the spirit moves, with fish and seafood nights as well as some very exciting musical evenings.