Relais & Chateaux restaurant with rooms set within the Cambrian mountains of Wales with warm hospitality

Editor’s note: review conducted at time of venue holding a Michelin star – venue subsequently demoted in the 2020 Michelin guide.

Tucked away in the belly of Wales, this was clearly a stand out venue to visit amongst the generic pubs and villages that are driven passed on the way to Ynyshir Hall. I had Sunday lunch here and the key take aways for me were the charming hospitality, beautiful rooms and the great value for money based on the size of the lunch and generally good level of the food.

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First up, the canapes and most notably the lava (Welsh seaweed that is deep fried) was frankly magnificent and I couldn’t get enough of this. Supporting elements were pleasant to have whilst casting an eye over the very reasonable menu. I opted for the pheasant mousse which was warmed and (thick) sponge-like and was an interesting dish, boosted by pleasant jus and bacon strips. The pork main was never going to be very different from how roasted pork is however, this was suculent and the absolute star of this dish was the crackling – rarely have I had supporting crackling this good with just the right toughness of the crisp and right amount of soft, cooked fat beneath.

There was no shortage of side dishes with the courgette slices in fried breadcrumbs and creamed leaks being the winners. The roast potatoes were a slight let down in their dryness I found however, overall this was a quality meal, finished off with some wonderful fudge in amongst the petit fours and for the all-round price, it made a very satisfying experience.

Food Grade: 71%