Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay, North Wales restaurant review

Despite Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias's credentials as a former AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales, I was still a little bit sceptical about how good it was going to be.

Firstly, because restaurants with great views in tourist destinations are often mediocre. The reason, tourists don’t tend to be repeat customers, and a pretty view is enough to draw anyone in.

Secondly, because celebrity chef-owned restaurants sometimes trade off a star name that only ever pops their head in once a year.

I was immediately proved wrong on the second count because we were informed that Bryn visits the restaurant two or three times a month as well as making regular visits to his other gaffs in Penarth and Switzerland.

The proof would be in the pudding on the first charge…

Situated on Colwyn Bay’s seafront, Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias’s industrial dining room was a striking venue for an Easter Monday lunch. Other people clearly agreed as it was pretty much a full house.

Understandably, the menu is well populated with fish, with most starters costing around £9, mains in the low twenties, and desserts about £9. It’s surprisingly well-priced compared to other bistros we’ve visited lately.

The first bite of a meal is so often an indicator of how good things are going to be and in this case soda bread (£5) was a beacon of hope. Served hot from the oven, the sturdy sliced loaf had lovely sweet caramelised notes and was excellent slathered with whipped salted butter.

Mrs G kicked off with the Scottish scallop (£19.50), a behemoth of a bivalve with caramelised edges whose accompaniments all packed a punch. There was creamy cauliflower puree, earthy pieces of black pudding and a warming curry oil flecked with sweet sultanas and crunchy pine nuts. It was a delicious riff on a classic.

My crab rarebit (£9.20) was a simpler yet equally delicious proposition. Sourdough toast was laden with a thick mustardy cheese sauce enhanced with an earthy hit of brown crab. On top, a mound of sweet, allium-flecked white crab provided a counterpoint to the richness.

Much like the starters (and us), Mrs G went classy and I went basic.

A beautifully cooked whole plaice (£24.50) flaked off the bone with ease. Sat in a pool of beurre noisette with addictive sweet and toasty caramelised notes, pickled shimeji mushrooms, cucumber and capers all brought welcome pops of acidity.

I went for the fish fingers (£18.50) which were served in anything but a kiddies’ tea-sized portion. Three breadcrumbed fillets of coley were commendably crisp and meaty and served alongside a big pot of golden fries and sweet crushed peas.

The kicker, however, was a mahoosive bowl of homemade creamy tartare sauce that was fragranced with dill and zingy pieces of pickle.

We also shared a Caesar salad (£4.10) on the side, which was a naughty little treat. Crisp leaves were coated in an umami-charged anchovy mayo and topped with a flurry of parmesan cheese and crisp Sourdough croutons.

The baked Alaska (£8.70) has been on the menu at Porth Eirias since day one, so it sounded like a sensible order. Light sponge was topped with a dollop of tangy berry jam, a big dollop of smooth vanilla ice cream and coated in light and silky baked meringue which was soft and mallowy in parts and crisp and caramelised elsewhere. This cast iron skillet of indulgence is definitely for those with a sweet tooth and I reckon it could easily have served two people.

Mrs G ordered the lemon curd parfait (£8) from the specials board and it was the winner of the two desserts. A soft, thick and creamy frozen parfait with a lick of lemon acidity was served with a bevy of treats - zingy blobs of lemon curd, freeze-dried sour cherries, crunchy granola and a toasty black sesame tuille.

Despite my trepidation, we had an excellent lunch at Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias. Their technically accomplished and well-priced classical cooking, served in beautiful setting, makes this a celebrity restaurant which most definitely deserves its reputation.

The Details:

Address - Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, The Promenade, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL29 8HH

Web - https://portheirias.com/

Telephone - 01492 533700 

Sticky Walnut, Chester restaurant review

There's no denying that eating out has got a lot more expensive over the last decade or so.

With increases in energy costs, inflation in the price of ingredients, rises in wages, and changes to business rates, there’s a very good reason why a portion of Pasture’s short rib croquettes now cost £8 instead of £5 (like they did in 2020) or why afternoon tea at the Angel Hotel in Abergavenny will set you back £52 instead of £30 (like it did in 2017).

After all, something’s got to give for restaurants to try and remain viable.

So, when Mrs G and I were on a nostalgia-packed trip to Chester a few weeks ago, I did a double take when I saw that Sticky Walnut was offering a three course early doors bistro menu for £23. Available from Monday to Friday at lunchtimes and before 6.30pm, the compact menu of two starters, mains, and desserts, is one hell of a deal.

Located in the Chester suburb of Hoole, Sticky Walnut is the OG of Gary Usher's Elite Bistros restaurant group, which also includes Hispi, Wreck and the White Horse. With its setting amongst a terraced row of shops, it’s a cosy little spot that matches exactly how I’d picture a prototypical neighbourhood bistro.

As well as their ridiculously good value set menu, Sticky Walnut offers a main menu that’s much more in line with high-end bistro pricing. Starters like crispy lamb tongue with sauce vierge range from £10 to £14 whilst mains such as lemon sole with brown butter cost between £25 and £38. As expected, I plumped for the set menu, whilst Mrs G went a la carte.

Throughout our meal, we had superb service from Beth. It’s engaging front of house like this which creates loyal customers.

Glasses of wine included a citrusy and slightly funky biodynamic Vitikultur Gruner Veltliner (£9) whilst a plonky Bacalhoa Tinto Portuguese red (£5.50) worked fine with my main course.

To start, warm house sourdough (£4) was pleasant, but its crust would have benefited from a bit of crunch and accompanying whipped butter would have welcomed a scattering of salt.

My first course was a simple yet delicious combination of toasted sourdough, creamy ricotta, sweet charred edged leeks and a jammy-yolked eggs.

Across the table, a dinky slice of toast was topped with a light textured and creamy mushroom parfait (£10) with a good hit of fungus that was lifted by the fragrance and zip of pickled rhubarb and the crunch of nut. It was very tasty but as the second mushroom parfait we’d eaten in one week, it didn't quite hit the same level as Tom Simmons' epic version.

Both our mains were very good if a little dinky.

A caramelised edged puck of tender shredded pork shoulder was sat on a bed of stock rich lentils and topped with a quenelle of salsa verde with a good hit of green herb and acidity. Rustic yet refined, it was just the kind of dish that suits a set menu.

Mrs G’s main was a crisp skinned meaty red mullet (£29.50) served on top of iron rich cavolo nero and a stonker of a creamy bisque with a good hit of shellfish. At £6 more than my entire three course menu, however, the contrast in price was stark.

On the side, al dente tenderstem broccoli (£6) was bathed in a whopping flavoured dressing of tarragon and mustard.

I was expecting my set menu dessert to be just a bonne bouche, but my chocolate pot turned out to be a chocolate trough. Rich, thick and silky chocolate ganache was topped with a dollop of tangy crème fraiche and the clever crunch of crushed salted almonds. It was a frigging superb dessert that I'd have gladly paid over a tenner for.

Mrs G opted for a well-priced plate of buttery Ashcombe cheese (£7) accompanied by very good homemade rye crackers and fig jelly.

As Mrs G and I were celebrating an anniversary, we were very kindly presented with a couple of bits of beautifully squidgy earl grey and whisky fudge. This was another big tick in the column for Sticky Walnut’s warm hospitality.

With its delicious cooking and superb service, Sticky Walnut is the kind of Neighbourhood bistro which I’d be delighted to live nearby. Whilst their main menu’s pricing makes it a special treat kind of thing, that stonkingly good value set menu would have me going back time and time again. 

The Details:

Address - Sticky Walnut, 11 Charles St, Chester CH2 3AZ

Web - https://stickywalnut-bistro.co.uk/

Telephone - 01244 400400