The Fat Boar, Mold

The Fat Boar, Mold

Porn star Martinis

Veggie burger with portobello mushrooms, avocado, fries

and coleslaw

Risotto

The food here was terrific. The risotto was of a much higher standard than one normally finds. The veggie burger in its toasted focaccia bun was also a step up and very delicious. The cocktails were excellent. I don't think the exterior of the eatery does it justice. We tried it out on the basis of recommendations we found online but we were not disappointed. I would definitely recommend it.

Bryn Williams' restaurant Porth Eirias

The decor and setting (huge plate glass windows overlooking the beach and the sea) are lovely. It's easily the nicest setting of any restaurant in the area. However I feel, as a new eatery, it has yet to bed down. The staff do not seem fully to know what they are doing. I ordered a teapot of cocktails. It was a lovely idea for presentation which is why we ordered it; however the cocktail itself, named as an Enchanted gin tea tail, tasted like watered down mint tea. We couldn't taste the alcohol. The waiter described the teapot as a way to get "cheap cocktails," which is not what I wanted to hear. I would rather pay more for quality than drink a quantity of an inferior drink. Despite the fancy name, the drink was actually an inferior version of a mojito. The teapot was lovely but it had a filter which meant it filtered the mint out of the mojito when it was poured into the glass, making the drink even more dilute.

I ate a vegetarian risotto which was pleasant enough but lacked flavour. Apparently it had aged parmesan on top but I couldn't taste it. It also required more seasoning. There was no salt or pepper on the table and the salt was brought only after a request for condiments. The staff were evidently trying and the setting was so good I could overlook the teething problems and will certainly return in the hope that some of their early problems can be resolved.

The puddings we ordered: Baked Alaska and Creme Brulee did not disappoint. They really were excellent which made up for the main course. The dessert wine, a nice Sauternes, was a lovely accompaniment to the puddings.

A popular restaurant in Rhos on Sea, Hickory's Smokehouse

Hickory's Smokehouse, Rhos on Sea

There is a lot of meat on the menu at Hickory's so it's  nice to see a few very good vegetarian dishes. Above, cajun vegetable fajitas: Peppers & onions, warm floured tortillas, guacamole, tomato salsa, sour cream & Cheddar cheese.

Three bean chilli (right)with Texas garlic toast is a great choice for vegetarians. The garlic toast is delicious. Sour cream and grated cheese accompany the chilli.

The tall drink is Hickory's Smokehouse Hurricane cocktail. Ingredients: Bacardi Oakheart & Bacardi Negra rums, passion fruit, pineapple, orange juice.

The drink on the right is the Mississippi Mule composed of Southern Comfort Cherry, fresh lime, pressed blueberries topped with ginger beer. It's a terrific drink on a cold wet evening. The ginger beer makes it really warming.

Front is cherry soda.

The soda drinks are served in jam jar glasses.

Ice Cream Superbowl Sundae - to share


The Sundae is brought to the table with a sparkler on top. Two of us shared it but it would have been enough for three or four people, making it a very economical dessert. Kids would like it: There's vanilla ice cream, plenty of cream, pieces of biscuit, chocolate sauce, marshmallows. Personally I prefer the more sophisticated ice cream Sundaes served at Fortes elsewhere in the locality.

Toast your own marshmallows at the table and dip them in chocolate sauce. A fun dessert which is easily large enough to share.

French Quarter Moonshine:

Ingredients: Buffalo Trace bourbon, fresh raspberries, lemon juice and pineapple. A pleasant drink but not as nice as the Daisy Duke or Mississippi Mule cocktails on offer.

On the hunt for cocktails in north Wales

On the hunt for cocktails in north Wales

How hard is it to find a good cocktail on a weekday in north Wales? It's surprisingly hard!

After a trawl on the internet for cocktail bars we tried The Bridge in St Asaph. It was closed. Being the cautious type I hadn't paid for parking; deciding to hold off to see whether I liked the look of the place before committing myself to paying the parking charge. Fortunately I wasn't made furious by paying a parking fee for a place that is always closed except at the weekend according to the notice of opening hours.

We moved on to The Plough in St. Asaph. They had some cocktails which were previously unknown to us. After pouring over their cocktail menu and whetting our appetite we were told that - yes you guessed it - they only mix about half a dozen common cocktails during the week. It seems that to obtain any of the more exotic ones we would have to come back at the weekend. It would have been nice if they had saved us the drive and announced this on their website.

Next stop Prestatyn which we don't know very well. We spotted Bar 236 on the corner of the main street in the town. It advertised cocktails. They had no cocktail menu! On asking what they served we were informed that they could mix anything. I asked for suggestions. The bartender reeled off a list of cocktails which are served everywhere and which I was bored of. "Could you keep going?" I asked. He reeled off a few more. Again they were cocktails I was bored of. This wasn't going too well. But he said he could mix anything. Yet he didn't have a book or any recipes. I was intrigued. I was tempted to ask for something that he'd have to send to the furthest reaches of the earth for ingredients, or to ask him to invent a cocktail but that seemed a bit mean; so I settled for asking him to mix an Amaretto Sour - a cocktail I'd had recently in superior form at the Deganwy Quay Hotel - so I'd have something to compare.

Like the other place, he apparently wasn't required to do much  mixing for cocktails during the week so he had to track down the bag with the cocktail shaker in it. It must be a thing in north Wales - this matter of cocktails at the weekend but not in the week? I was dubious about a place with no book or app for recipes however he had no trouble with the simple concept of a sour, which is: alcohol, lemon or lime juice and a sweetener. At least he knew the chemistry of it. When I asked a bit further he practically gave me a chemistry lesson on the science of drinks mixing. He was clearly wasted in a bar that didn't make the most of him. The most friendly and helpful of bartenders I've come across. Certainly he was a wasted asset.

The cocktail he mixed didn't look as pretty as the Quay Hotel cocktail; it was also slightly sweeter but it definitely had something to it. Very enjoyable and it was almost half the price they charge at the hotel. My companion said, "surprise me." She was 'surprised' with an espresso martini garnished with a few coffee beans. It was on the superior side, deliciously creamy although it's not a drink I enjoy on an empty stomach. I think it always tastes better after a meal.

Next time I shall go back with a real challenge for him to mix. Any suggestions?

Food and Drink July 2016

Y Review, Llandudno

Y Review, the restaurant located on the first floor of Venue Cymru, the Llandudno theatre on the sea front, has big plate glass windows with wonderful views overlooking the promenade. This is its best feature. Sadly the quality of the food has gone down in recent years. The booking system is a mess as the telephone is almost never answered. To book a table you have to leave a message and wait for staff to get back to you. Very inconvenient if you want to ensure a table at short notice.

The vegetarian choice is very limited and dull with a barely passable curry.

One of our party had a panna cotta for dessert which was swimming in some kind of juice with a brandy snap balanced on top of it. Rather peculiar to look at; it seemed a confusion of two perfectly good desserts. Not recommended.

I asked for a martini and lemonade - it came in the wrong glass: One of my pet hates.

The tables featured cloths: Another pet hate of mine. Unless they are absolutely pristine they don't look good. But why bother? It just means extra laundry and they rarely add to the ambiance.

Alpine Coffee Shop, Betws-y-Coed

Be prepared to queue. It is a popular and busy eatery. But people who frequent it like it for the quality of the home-made food; the artisan breads and unusual flavour combinations of the cakes and drinks. Good vegetarian choice; also caters for vegans and gluten free.

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

.

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.