 The Fittle 
Have A Bostin' Time at the Fittle!
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Recommendation added: 03/05/2007 20:10
By: dewberry (YSUK rating +647)dewberry has been thanked 0 times for this contribution
"The kids' had a teacher training day at school today so we decided to take advantage of the early summer heat wave and have a day out at Dudley Zoo, we had such a good time that we ended up extending the day by spending the evening in the nearby Bostin' Fittle pub restaurant. We chose this place from the other pubs in the immediate area because of it's excellent looking children's facilities which includes a kind of 'sub-building' made into a huge indoor kids' play area.
This was obviously the first place my two wanted to visit, from outside we could hear the sounds of excitable children so I popped in to have a look while Mark went into the pub itself to find a table and order our drinks. The play area is fantastic. Basically you pay £2.50 per hour, per child to have your little darlings kept amused so you can enjoy your 'adult time' together without having to listen to the whinges of 'can I have a bag of crisps?' and 'when can I have another drink?'. Well worth a fiver to enrol my two little madams into the play area!
It's fabulously stocked with all kinds of soft play stuff to keep a roomful of kids' entertained for the duration of their stay, in particular it's hard keeping my lively eight year old amused but she loved every minute she spent here and came out red faced and sweaty but beaming with laughter. There's a small well stocked 'bar' for the children to buy themselves something to munch on or a cooling drink; prices are reasonable and drinks and food are served on paper and plastic plates to minimise the risk of injury. The play area is very secure so you can feel safe in the knowledge that your child won't go wandering off un-noticed, although I have to say my children are 10 and 8 years old so they know not to go anywhere until I come through to pick them up - younger children would probably be best to be supervised while playing just in case they did decide to try and sod off on their own!
So fiver paid and children amused, off I went in search of Mark, Malibu and food. I was pleased to find that the Bostin' Fittle run a '2 meals for £10' long term promotion Monday - Friday as this makes eating out as a family that little bit more affordable, with the added bonus of the children being able to choose exactly what they want from the adult menu rather than having to rely on uninspiring kids' menus. We had a couple of drinks while waiting for them to finish their play session and then ordered.
I opted for Hickory Chicken which was a succulent, tender butterfly chicken breast smothered in a rich and spicy BBQ sauce and topped with melted cheese. The chicken was superbly cooked; I very rarely eat chicken in pubs as I feel you have to be very careful about making sure poultry is well cooked and pub food always seems too 'rushed' to have had time to cook properly. I didn't fancy anything stodgier than chicken today though as it's been so hot so thought I'd take a chance - after all if it was still pink in the middle I could easily send it back! I was so glad I went for this menu choice today though as it was wonderfully tasty and served with chips, garlic Ciabatta and salad made for a hearty and filling meal. The chips were free from oil and tasted fresh and home made, while the Ciabatta was wonderfully authentic with a distinct taste of only the best quality olive oil being used in its creation. Fabulous.
Mark and the kids' were all boring (ha!) and each went for the Cumberland Sausage and Mash meal. I wasn't expecting much from this menu choice as, as I always think, sausage and mash is a meal we have regularly at home so there seemed little point ordering it in the pub. Oh well, horses for courses I thought and proceeded to order it for them. Blimey, when it was delivered to our table I felt like I needed to eat my words as this is nothing like we eat at home. The bottom of the plate was literally covered in buttery, fluffy mashed potato and this was then topped with a massive curled Cumberland sausage and soaked in the thickest most onion-ey gravy I've ever seen in a pub! I sampled a couple of pieces of sausage and it was absolutely delicious; spicy and rich with the kind of meaty kick that only really comes from this type of sausage. The kids' commented that it was the best sausage they'd ever tasted and both of them ate everything on their plates - which is a minor miracle considering how picky my children are sometimes!
The dessert menu at the Bostin' Fittle is very good; I had Chocolate Fudge Cake which was served with a choice of ice cream or cream and it was delicious. Intensely chocolatey and rich with a fabulously sweet iced fudge filling which had me almost licking my fingers afterwards! The kids' had a bowl of ice cream each which was good quality vanilla and chocolate scoops topped with chocolate sauce and a wafer. All desserts, as with the meals, were well presented and served exactly to our requirements and special requests.
The bar is excellently stocked with all the major lagers, beers and ciders available on tap and also bottled. The top brand spirits are also all present and correct or you can order from the Bostin' Fittles extensive wine list which features wine costing from as little as £5 a bottle right up to the more exotic sounding bottles which can set you back up to £15. You can order your wine by the bottle or the glass, although a quick look at the menu confirmed that it's by far cheaper to have a bottle if you're dining with a group. Children and drivers are well catered for with a good selection of reasonably priced soft drinks available, as well as tea and coffee which you order at the bar with the rest of your drinks.
When we'd finished eating we decided to go and sit outside in the beer garden to make the most of the last hour or so of sun and also to allow the kids' to work off their dinners in the outdoor play area. The beer garden overlooks the play area so you can sit and have a drink while still keeping a close eye on the kids', although the area is well fenced and fairly secure the pub is located close to a main road so always watch them when they're playing here. Both the beer garden and play area (and the car park actually) are well maintained, kept free from litter and look really welcoming and bright.
The entire Bostin' Fittle is completely accessible to disabled visitors and also families with pushchairs, there is plenty of space between the tables and chairs meaning you'll be able to get around inside with no problems at all. There is also a disabled toilet and several designated disabled parking spaces situated near the entrance of the pub - if you use a wheelchair don't be embarrassed to ask a member of staff to move a chair out for you so you can sit comfortably at the table to enjoy your meal, all staff members in this pub are amazingly helpful and they honestly will do everything in their power to make your visit a good one.
We spent around three hours in the Bostin' Fittle and this visit cost us around £50, which included entry into the indoor play area, four meals, three desserts and plenty of drinks to keep us all hydrated in this evenings glorious weather. Considering what we spend during the average hour long visit to Pizza Hut I'd say this was brilliant value as we all came away with full bellies, having had a nice few hours and the children had been able to expend some energy in the two play areas.
I won't go into hugely detailed directions to get to the Bostin' Fittle as all you really need to do is get yourself in the Black Country (on the edge of Birmingham) and follow the signs to Dudley Zoo or the Black Country Museum. When you get here you'll be able to look across the road and you'll see the large Bostin' Fittle building on the opposite side of the road. Easy peasy. As a comparison I'd say to get to this pub from Birmingham City Centre will take you roughly 20 minutes in the car following the most direct route, which is directly through the Black Country.
Bostin' Fittle
Castle Gate Way
Tipton Road
Dudley
DY1 4TA
Tel - 01384 240856"
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