The pub itself is a 17th century building, proclaiming to be “proud to be a proper pub”, although it also has accommodation. There is a simple open bar, moderately busy for a midweek lunchtime, so we find a seat near the back, with a less than attractive view over the back sheds. There is quite a selection of interesting dishes on the specials board – fish, black pudding – and the standard menu has some unusual options too. B is attracted by the antipasti selection with wild boar salami while I go for the pie special: steak and ale. The landlord later tells us that they don’t have any wild boar salami, but B goes ahead anyway. It is a very good antipasti plate, with three different meats and salamis, plus a range of salad. Some bread is served with it (though we’re not sure if this is extra – it is listed as such). My pie is very good to, lots of meat, hot, and with a classic short-crust pastry- a proper pie. With some wine and water, this comes to £37, pretty good value.
In Cardiff that evening, we recall a Thai restaurant we’d
been to in the Brewery Yard, and return there – to find that is was an Indian,
and had been when we’d visited before!
This is the Spice Quarter,
with attractive contemporary decoration,
in a dimly lit series of rooms upstairs in the modernised block. The menu has many unusual dishes, claiming to
be “Authentic Indian Cuisine” – a selection of different poppadoms is the first
sign of this. (We think we’ve ordered two portions, but in the end are charged
for 4 – at £1 each). To start B has
Haryali fish – a crispy, pan-fried fish with interesting spices. Normally wary of curried fish, B is pleased
to find this a well-balanced and tasty dish. I kick off with the Peshawari lamb
boti, a more conventional kebab style dish, despite its claims to “exotic
spices”.
Main courses are a good if standard prawn jhalfrezi and "Jalandhari duck” from the chef’s
specials: roast duck in spicy sauce with cashew nuts, which comes with “lacche
dar parantha” - mint-flavoured bread. We
also have “malai kofta” (cottage cheese dumplings), a dal, and mushroom rice.
The prawn dish featured good size prawns which actually had
some flavour, and the duck was a deep, intense flavour, but lacking very many
nuts. The cottage cheese had been a bold choice – which failed – but the other
accompaniments were good.
Service was understated,
just efficient enough, certainly not intrusive. With two bottles of Sangiovese Malbec at
£16.95 each the bill came to £95 including service, rather more than your
average curry. For the change from the
ordinary you could regard this as reasonable – it felt just a little high in retrospect.
For the following day’s lunch we’re at the Nant Ddu Lodge on the way to
Brecon. Situated in the National Park,
near the reservoirs and with plenty of walking nearby, this is an attractive
hotel and spa. There is a restaurant
area, but we eat in the bar, a small but pleasant space with stripped pine
tables. There are plenty of specials on the board, and the standard menu is
extensive with some unusual combinations. B has the scallop linguine, which is very rich
with too much sauce, while I have the stuffed trout, which is excellent. The
bill is £57 including a bottle of Chenin Blanc.
Dinner the next day is at the Brytirion Arms, Llandderfel near
Bala – “The Bryn”, my brother’s local. It’s
a simple, traditional pub in the Dee valley, with a couple of rooms. The
restaurant area is only open in the evening, so we’re in the cosy bar which has
a lovely wood fire in winter. Of the
five of us, only three have starters – Thai fish cakes for G&S, and a Thai trio
for me – fishcakes, prawn roll, scallops.
All pleasantly cooked in a light batter, with a good spicy chilli
sauce. B has the grilled Gressingham
duck with plum sauce for main – lovely pink slices in a balanced sauce. I’m talked into having their signature dish
the ‘Bryn bara’ – a mountain of bread (literal translation) filled with local Welsh Black beef, mushroom
and ale casserole. Very rich and warming
and no chance of finishing it!
Three ice-creams were also ordered which together with a
range of drinks took it to £122 for the 5 of us – excellent value.
Our lunch stop on the way home was at the Lamb Inn
in Burford, just down from Stow-on-the-Wold, another selection from the
Good Pub Guide. For a change it’s a
lovely sunny day, we go through the lovely old building out into the extensive and
attractive garden. I’m usually concerned about service when eating outside, but
here there are staff in abundance, willing and eager to help. We’re late
arriving so are lucky to get a table, as it’s obviously a popular summery spot.
B starts with asparagus and poached egg – fresh and
well-executed. I have eggs benedict, also good, but perhaps more than I need.
For main B has the dressed crab, which is also very good, but my crayfish
risotto which, although tasty enough to begin with, is rather heavy and stodgy,
and eventually a little dull. A bottle
of Chilean Luis Felipe Edwards Lot 66 Sauvignon Blanc at £19.00 and
some water means the bill reaches a modest £67. With the lovely setting, the
attentive service and generally good food, that’s a good result.
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