Not as good as we were expecting for the expensive prices. All the staff was lovely and nice, but not as detailed as they should be for a Michelin one star restaurant. We were seated in a pretty outside porch setting for our 1st round of drinks and 4 complementary nibbles — which were very good. However, the table had an ugly smashed and smelly cigar butt in the ashtray with it’s wrapper. By the fourth time a server came by to attend to us without noticing it, we finally asked if they would take it away. We ordered a bottle of Bordeaux, but they brought two glasses with wine already poured in them — didn’t know what to make of that. So ½ hour later we’re invited inside to our table. Then they bring an unopened bottle of Bordeaux. We didn’t want to consume more than one bottle of wine for the evening, so we explained that we had ordered a full bottle of wine beginning with our 1st drink order. So they opened the bottle and poured 2⁄5 of it out before bringing it to the table. I don’t know — maybe it was a lost in translation thing, but it seemed an awkward way of doing things — and left us wondering if we got to have a full bottle as we had ordered. The bread basket was good and plentiful — and the butter was exceptional. Our 1st course was grilled scallops /and cured beef over greens and shaved parmesan. Both were excellent. There was a complimentary middle course of watercress soup which was exceptional. 2nd course was Pigeon with really nice local mushrooms and beans. The sauce was really good and so were the veggies — but the Pigeon was very tough. It tasted good(and gamey which was expected), but the toughness was surprising. The other dish was rack of local lamb, and was perfect. They ask served us a dish of creamy scalloped potatoes which were just ok. One of our servers poured the last bit of wine in our glasses, but he actually left some wine in the bottle and walked away with it. Maybe he’s trained to hold back on the last ounce of wine so the sediment doesn’t get in the glass — but it wouldn’t have bothered us in the least, so we felt we lost out on even more wine of the 25 £(about $ 39) bottle. We passed on the dessert course, so can’t comment on that. The fake, cheesy, battery operated table candles were a little surprising for such a nice place too. All in all, not sure it was worth the 115 £ plus the service/gratuity we left. We would have expected better attention to detail back home in the States for these kind of prices.
T J.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
This is the best restaurant near to where my parents live and I grew up and it costs about £50 each for a meal plus extra for wine + service. My mum bought me a £100 voucher for Christmas though so we went for our anniversary last year. The food really is excellent but the place does have a hotel dining room atmosphere(it is mainly a hotel so it’s to be expected). Having said this, I do think the place is overpriced. I have eaten in non-Michelin starred restaurants in London which are equally good and cheaper. This area of Wales is very beautiful and I believe they do good mid-week hotel & dinner deals so if you’re a walker and want to escape the city then there are few better places you could go, as long as you’re not on a budget.