Food and Drink June 2016

Visited this month:

The Mulberry, Conwy Marina

The pergola and terrace at the back have lovely views over the marina

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My daughter and I tried the delicious Fleur De Lis cocktail containing: Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, Strawberry, Cranberry, Cucumber and Elderflower Fentimans. Refreshing! 

The vegetarian choice is a bit limited but they do a very nice veggie "plank pizza".

The Station, Colwyn Bay

This eatery is becoming a favourite in the family. We have worked our way through most of the cocktail menu which is quite good. The Kir Royale is noteworthy: They serve an elegant one. If you like something on the sweet side that looks decorative, the Fairground tini which comes with a lollipop is pleasant. The Bikini tini also looks pretty and tastes equally good. For something long and refreshing when thirsty I'd recommend the Tom Collins and the Long Island Iced Tea. They are absolutely delicious. The Espresso tini (pictured) is too bitter for my taste and the Strawberry Daiquiri too sweet. I tried the version with the black pepper to see if it counterbalanced the excessive sweetness but I'd describe it something like Haribo sweets with pepper on. Not to my taste. I don't like Margaritas - not being a fan of tequila in large quantities but I gave the Mandarin Margarita a go to see if it was an improvement on the standard Margarita. It really was painful: The worst cocktail I've ever had. The Pina Colada is great fun, served in a coconut bowl and the Alabama Slammer is usually to be relied on. The other comment I'd make is that it really does depend on who mixes a cocktail as to whether you get a quality drink or not. The ingredients may be the same but it's so obvious when an inexperienced cocktail mixologist has a go.

Vegetarian choice is limited but the veggie quiche with warm potato salad is superb. I'm not generally a fan of quiche; it has to be really good. This one is definitely a step up.

The Mill Bistro Y Felin, near Caernarfon

Housed in a wooden chalet on an up-market campsite by the river, I've had several excellent meals here. The Sunday lunch was exceptional. It's out of the way, but well worth going out of your way for.

Hickory's, Rhos on Sea

Hickory's - American BBQ restaurant exceeded my expectations. With its vast decking and huge umbrellas, attractively lit up at night, and interesting interior spread over several levels, it's well worth a visit. The popcorn machine bubbling away at the centre of the restaurant churns out fresh warm popcorn, a complimentary bag of which is delivered to each table on arrival. The family booths have their own TV screen and there is a children's playroom with a large screen TV and choice of movies. The downside is that it can be hard to get a table, particularly at peak times.

The milkshake menu is special with some unusual and interesting tastes such as the Grasshopper with its minted white chocolate and Oreo flavours; also the Real Slim Shaky with its M&M’s and Peanut butter flavours.

For the adults, there are some terrific cocktails. I'd highly recommend the Daisy Duke  with its Beefeater 24, peach liqueur, huckleberry syrup, and apple ingredients. For kids the huckleberry juice on its own is scrumptious!

Another delicious cocktail is the  Piscotheque which consists of Pisco, blue curacao, bubblegum flavour, cherry bitters shaken with egg white. It's the perfect balance and attractive to look at with its deep blue colour and white froth.

I highly recommend the Mississippi Mule for invoking the whole Southern vibe with its ingredients of: Southern Comfort Cherry, fresh lime, pressed blueberries and lashings of ginger beer.

Food presentation is modelled on the American style: fries come standing up in a mug for instance and a holder of paper towels is supplied for each table. Nice touches which add interest.

The stack of pancakes is superior, either with maple syrup or blueberries. A happy accident on one visit this month led to the waiting staff supplying me with both blueberries and maple syrup. They made a surprisingly nice combination!

Glasfryn, Mold

A country pub across the way from Mold Theatre has a very pleasant ambience and attractive gardens for summer dining.

The meal I had was average/good but given the overall dining experience I enjoyed it and would return. I'd had an exceptional Sunday dinner at The Mill, Seiont, the week before and so nothing was going to live up to that, but even so some elements of the meal were ever so slightly undercooked and others slightly overcooked so it lacked balance. The surroundings made it a pleasant experience however.

Fortes, Rhos on Sea

This restaurant is a great favourite with my family. The ice cream sundaes are second to none. My personal favourites are the Bossanova (chocolate and nut sundae) and the Cafe Amore (coffee sundae). The Knickerbocker Glory rates highly too. The menu hasn't changed over the years but that's part of its charm: Regular customers know what to expect and it generally pleases because what it does, it does well.

This little visitor enjoyed one of the many delicious ice cream sundaes on offer!

Alpine Coffee Shop, Betws-y-Coed

The location of this coffee shop is delightful. It has a nice interior with quirky decor. There is a big window opening onto the station platform with tables outside on the platform. The station is tiny and picturesque - you won't be mowed down by any commuters while drinking your coffee. There is also a marquee out front which is handy during predictable spells of summer rain!

Serving homemade and free range fare, the coffee shop has an unusual selection of milkshakes, such as dandelion and burdock and cream soda for instance.

It caters for vegetarians and vegans.

If you like bergamot, the honey and bergamot cake is to die for!

Marriott Hotel, Bristol City Centre

A visit to Bristol in June occasioned a stay at the Marriott Hotel in the city centre and a visit to their urban roof terrace.

The visit necessitated a sampling of their cocktail menu of course! The Bristol Breeze (pictured) was cooling and refreshing. We followed this with Ferrero Rocher cocktails. The bartender hadn't mixed the latter before - they'd never been requested. Suffice to say, it will certainly be requested again on our next visit. It definitely features in my list of top ten cocktails.

The Quay Hotel, Deganwy

Some areas of the hotel were immaculate and extremely smart. However during our visit, the bar terrace which overlooks the estuary was scruffy which was a surprise. 

I felt the food and drink was overpriced for what it was. The cocktail menu was unimaginative. I like to see a cocktail menu with at least one or two cocktails I haven't tried before and some attempt to be creative. However the Amaretto Sour (pictured) did prove to be delicious, when it finally arrived. I've rarely had to wait so long for a drink.

I was disappointed that the hotel didn't live up to its reputation.