The Queens Arms

When we moved into Oxton, a urban village just outside Birkenhead, almost ten years ago, there were four restaurants and two pubs here. The restaurants were The Bamboo, a thai come oriental, Villa Jazz, a double unit traditional restaurant doing lamb shank, ribs and steaks, a mad Italian and Beedles.

Beedles was run by a husband and wife, he ran front of house and she ran the kitchen. The property was owned by her mother, there was a row and she sold from under them. its a fish and chip shop now. Bamboo closed after the couple who ran that had a bust up, although the lady of the relationship has opened a new outlet in the same unit, Halligan's,  which will be reviewed in due course.

Villa Jazz closed amidst a cloud of urban myths, and nobody quite knows the ins and outs of it, but it is being redeveloped and should open during 2011 as a new bar and grill.

The mad Italian just had enough of turning people away when he did not fancy the cut of their jib. He shut at 9pm, which meant you were out at 9pm so it was a very eccentric operation. It is now a Michelin starred restaurant and we have a booking for April, when you can read our reviews here then.

The two pubs, the Shrewsbury Arms and the Oxton Bar and Grill (OBT for short) have stood the test of time and have been established in the area since the mid-1800's. Both do food, but it was a third pub which we chose to visit and review this week.

The Queens Arms sits on Storeton Road, between the Halfway House in Prenton, and Oxton village. It has been a pub since 1845 and has changed little in external appearance, although it has become a modern wood and chrome place inside.
The reason for the visit though was to test the increasing reputation it has for its bar food. The new owner was fortunate enough to employ the services of a chef from each of the Villa Jazz and Bamboo, so although the food is pretty standard pub grub, it is turned out to a high standard, cooked to order and does not have the microwave packaged appearance of the Hungry Horse or Country Fayre type catering.

Our steak pie and fish and chips were first rate, and as Thursday was curry night, the neighbouring tables which had selected those seemed very pleased with the result. We washed ours down with draft Courage Best, although there was an adequate wine list should we have been so inclined. Mains were priced at about £7 for 'pub grub' up to £12 for steaks and mixed grills, the curries were £8.

The place was pretty full and most people were eating, we shall definitely be going back. As for the waitresses, would they know the offside law? would they care? probably not. They were very helpful and pleasant, and just what you need from a serving wench. The only thing that bugs me, and it's a general criticism of busy pubs, is that the staff  keep saying 'who is next please?' instead of having the wherewithal to spot the punters as they get to the bar. A good skill to have and one which makes all the difference on the punters side of the bar.